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.

Wipro Partners with and Invests in Tricentis to Deliver End-to-End Hyper Automation across Quality Lifecycle

Wipro’s Strong Managed Services Quality Assurance Platform Offerings combined with Tricentis’ Continuous Testing capabilities to deliver enhanced Quality Engineering for DevOps 

Cupertino, California and Mumbai, India — August 2, 2017 : Wipro Limited (NYSE: WIT, BSE: 507685, NSE: WIPRO), a leading global information technology, consulting and business process services company and Tricentis, a software testing company and a thought leader in the automated testing space, today, announced a partnership for Quality Engineering.

This partnership with Tricentis will strengthen Wipro’s Quality Engineering and Testing Services capabilities, by integrating Tricentis Tosca, a continuous testing platform, with Wipro AssureNXT, a managed services QA platform combined with the capabilities of Wipro HOLMES Artificial Intelligence Platform^TM as a part of the broader automaton ecosystem.

The Wipro - Tricentis partnership will enable clients to successfully achieve their business outcomes in today’s digital landscape by enabling continuous integration, delivery and in turn, DevOps. The joint offering will also help improve time-to-market and quality by augmenting end-to-end automation across the software testing lifecycle.

“We believe that clients will see this partnership as a game changer as the two prominent leaders in the industry get together to create a truly disruptive proposition for continuous testing. It will help them drive speed in their business while bringing effectiveness and experience to their automation journey, through the powerful combination of Wipro AssureNXT, Wipro HOLMES and Tricentis Tosca,” said Hiral Chandrana, Senior Vice President, Business Application Services, Wipro Limited.

“As organizations increasingly adopt transformation initiatives, such as DevOps, the reliance on legacy testing tools and approaches are holding organizations back, throttling the speed of innovation,” said Sandeep Johri, CEO of Tricentis. “Software development has evolved dramatically in the shift from waterfall processes to Continuous Delivery pipelines. Software testing must also change in order to control business risks in a faster, more flexible manner.”

Along with the partnership agreement, Wipro Ventures, the strategic investment arm of Wipro Limited, has made an investment in Tricentis, as part of their most recent funding round.

A New Era of Ferrari Four-Seater History Arrives in India

The new GTC4Lusso makes its regional debut

at Navnit Motors, Mumbai

Mumbai, India, 2 August 2017–Ferrari proudly made new strides in its illustrious history today, with the debut of the GTC4Lusso, the latest in the Grand Tourer category. This luxurious, four-seater, four-wheel-drive product was presented to a selection of VIP clients and media for the very first time in India, at a glittering reception held in the presence of Mr Aurelian Sauvard, Marketing Manager, Ferrari Middle East & India, and Mr Sharad Kachalia of Navnit Motors, at the Navnit Motors Ferrari Showroom in Mumbai.  

The GTC4Lusso categoryrefers to ‘four’, both with its four-seater configuration and the integration of rear-wheel steering with four-wheel drive for the first time, hailing another major advance for the versatile sporty Grand Tourer concept.  It is the latest in the Ferrari lineage of four+four models and showcases the very special place this configuration holds in Maranello tradition, with an illustrious pedigree that can be traced from the 500 Superfast (1964), the 330 GTC (1996), the 365 GTC4 (1971) and the 456M GT (1998), to the most recent Ferrari FF. The stable includes the V12 GTC4Lusso option, or the GTC4Lusso T with an award-winning V8 turbo.

The GTC4Lusso is aimed at a new ‘Ferrarista’; one that appreciates all the luxury passion, performance and power of the Maranello stable, but merged with a versatility and sense of adventure.  Central to the appeal to a new, younger generation of Ferrari enthusiasts is the innovative refinement of the sporting break coupe design, introduced in 2011. Penned by Ferrari Design, the GTC4Lusso reinterprets the concept with an extremely streamlined, tapered shape that underscores its perfect balance of elegance and sportiness whilst still incorporating large comfortable rear seats and a roomy boot behind them. At the front, the new Dual Cockpit architecture enhances the shared driving experience for both driver and passenger. In fact, four plush wraparound seats and the cabin’s meticulously crafted quality materials create the same ambience as a luxurious living space for all occupants.

With world-class design matched with blistering Ferrari performance, the GTC4Lusso family is designed to be enjoyed every-day in varied terrains for supreme versatility, delivered with all the sporty luxury details that make owning a Ferrari such an emotional experience.

The GTC4Lusso is a powerful combination of luxury style and performance. It offers an evolution of the V12 naturally-aspirated engine, with increased acceleration, high engine speeds and improved efficiency for CO2 and fuel consumption reduction. This offers the driver optimum pleasure, enhanced with a powerful and harmonious sound.

Seamless integration of its complex vehicle dynamics control systems means the powerful GTC4Lusso performs brilliantly in all driving situations, but really comes into its own on challenging low-grip surfaces, such as wet terrain, delivering a consistent sense of stability and comfort.  Importantly, these factors combine the ensure the GTC4Lusso offers best in class performance in terms of acceleration, power output and luxury sporting design.

The GTC4Lusso T has been created with a younger audience in mind, aged between 30-45 years. This model is the first four-seater to be powered by a V8 turbo engine, ushering in a new era of the Grand Tourer marque. The car is aimed at drivers seeking a car that is sporty and versatile, as well as perfect for daily driving.

The new GTC4Lusso T is equipped with an evolution of the 3.9-litre V8 turbo which was awarded the 2016 International Engine of the Year. Offering a sharp, dynamic response, the engine punches out a maximum of 610 cv at 7,500 rpm, guaranteeing powerful acceleration with maximum torque of 760 Nm available between 3,000 and 5,250 rpm. Despite such impressive performance, the GTC4Lusso T’s fuel consumption figures guarantee extended range, ideal for town driving or long trips.

The exhilarating driving experience is matched with a unique, typical Ferrari soundtrack. With the valve closed, the moderated sound is ideal for city environments. When open, the result is a distinctive but moderate sound ideal for longer trips, and a fully engaging sound experience from low to high revs.

Combining this powertrain with rear-wheel drive has resulted in significant weight-saving. Adding four-wheel steering to the mix gives the car additional agility and quicker responses. The rear-wheel steering system is integrated with the latest evolution of the electronic controls of the SCM-E suspension, ESP 9.0 and third generation Side Slip Control (SSC3).

One of the selection criteria for the materials adoptedfor the GTC4Lusso Twas weight reduction to heighten the sense of sporty luxury typical of a thoroughbred Ferrari.  The navigation and infotainment platform, featuring a 10.25” HD screen with capacitive touch technology, is new, too. All cars feature the new 8.8” touchscreen passenger display as well as Apple CarPlay and an upgraded audio system.   

Mr. Govind Sankaranarayanan , Chief Operating Officer, Retail business and housing finance, Tata Capital

“The RBI’s change in stance from a ‘neutral’ to a cautiously ‘accommodative’ one seems to be predicated by an overall healthy monsoon, a decline in the inflation rate & a visible contraction in the manufacturing activity of the country – the first since demonetization. Credit growth has also remained sluggish for a few quarters and the rate cut should aid retail borrowers across auto, white goods and especially the affordable housing sector, which would benefit us as an NBFC. We welcome the stance taken by RBI and given the macro economic climate, we expect a further rate cut in the future.”

Costa Cruises – to begin shorter, 3-4 night sailings in Indian waters

• 4 nights Mumbai – Kochi to start from November 2017

• 3 nights Kochi – Maldives to start from November 2017

August 1, 2017, Mumbai: Europe’s number 1 cruising company, Costa Cruises announced its shorter, 3 & 4 nights sailings in Indian waters from November 2017 onwards.

Last year, Costa Cruises was the first ever cruise liner to offer cruises directly from Mumbai to Maldives.

This year, Costa Cruises is introducing shorter 3 & 4 nights sailing options specifically for the Indian market. Indians can now choose to cruise on a 4 nights itinerary from Mumbai to Cochin (via Mangalore) or a 3 nights itinerary from Cochin to Maldives. This is in addition to the 7 nights Mumbai to Maldives & 7 nights Maldives to Mumbai options available.

The Italian cruise liner will be homeporting in Mumbai a month earlier than last year and will perform a series of weekly sailings from November 2017 to March 2018.

Speaking about the launch, Mr. Buhdy Bok, President of Carnival Asia said, "We are delighted to increase our capacity in this region, by offering 3 & 4 nights short cruises dedicated to the Indian market. Guests based in India can now embark or disembark right at their door-step for short cruises, giving our guests a rich and immersive experience in Italian culture – from hospitality, to cuisine, and art, a distinct experience for a new way of travel.

" Mr. Sanjay Bhatia, Chairman of Mumbai Port Trust said, “The timing is right for cruise liners to come to India as the Government is taking proactive steps for utilising our vast coastline. I would like to thank the cruise companies that have taken the initiative to start sailings from Mumbai and have shown their confidence in the Indian Government and India market. We are looking forward to many more ships coming to India and Mumbai port, going forwards. They can count on Mumbai Port's efficient managerial, organizational and planning support and assistance at all times. Our objective is to exceed the expectations of the cruise liners and the cruisers, both domestic and International. Come, cruise from Mumbai and feel India!”

Ms. Nalini Gupta, Managing Director, Lotus Destinations (Representative of Costa Cruises in India) said, “Costa Cruises expanding its sailing offerings to include shorter sailings of 3 & 4 nights from Mumbai and Cochin specifically for the Indian market confirms its strong interest in India. The cruising market in India has come a long way from only a select group cruising in far-away locations to today a much wider audience holidaying on ships cruising directly from India”.

“I sincerely thank Mr. Gadkari & Mr. Bhatia for all their efforts in making this happen”, she added.

Since Costa announced the launch of cruising from Mumbai last year, they have seen interest and bookings from a wide variety of travel groups, which includes families, senior citizens, honeymooners and experiential holiday agencies. There has also been a lot of interest from corporates, who are looking set to book the first few sailings out of Mumbai. The built-in infrastructure on the ship makes it particularly easy for corporates to hold large events in one location.

Theme-based bookings seem to be a trend, with groups who are keen to experience a special kind of holiday. For example, there is a cycle-themed sailing that is currently being promoted on this route.

Costa Cruises has deployed its ship, Costa neoClassica that is part of the neo collection on the India itinerary. This classic cruise ship has a total of 654 cabins, including sea view cabins and suites with private balconies. Fully-equipped with a Casino, Theatre, Disco, Ballroom, Grand Bar, it aims to provide plenty in entertainment. The wellness centre is spread across 1,300 sq. m with a gym, treatment rooms, sauna and steam room. It also has an outdoor jogging track, 4 Jacuzzis and 2 swimming pools. For those who would like to go shopping, the cruise ship has a huge duty free shopping centre, and also offers a wide selection of books in the library for those who love to unwind with a book. Enhancing the cruising experience further is the gastronomy: the food & wine on offer is based on Italian regional menus with a choice of dishes representing different regions of Italy and proudly reflecting the country’s rich and unrivaled culinary heritage. In addition to this vast range, guests can also take advantage of tasty vegetarian and vegan dishes.

On board Costa neoClassica, guests will also have the chance to taste the real original Neapolitan pizza at Pizzeria "Pummid'oro": thanks to an agreement with the Università delle Scienze Gastronomiche di Pollenzo, Costa Cruises offers pizza prepared using only sourdough and selected ingredients such as San Marzano DOP tomato.

In addition, cruisers will be able to enjoy a variety of Indian cuisine and the restaurants onboard are fully equipped to cater to special diet requirements of Indian, travellers, which includes Jain food.

About Costa Cruises:

Costa Cruises is the Italian Cruising Company part of the Carnival Corporation & plc, the largest cruise company in the world. For 68 years, the ships of Costa fleet have plied the seas of the world being the ambassador of the pleasant mood of Italian hospitality and the true Italian holiday, with delicious food, selected wines, unique shopping experience, completed by a vast selection of Italian famous brands. Currently the Costa fleet, the largest in Europe, has a total of 15 ships in service, all flying the Italian flag. Moreover two next-generation cruise ships will be delivered in 2019 and 2021: they will feature a revolutionary “green design” and will be powered by Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), the world’s cleanest burning fossil fuel, representing a major environmental breakthrough. Other 2 new ships will be delivered in 2019 and 2020 to be deployed in Asia. Costa embodies the Italian excellence surprising its Guests everyday with unique holidays experiences and unforgettable memories thanks to 19,000 Costa's associates worldwide who are passionately working everyday to offer "Italy's finest" cruise vacations through 137 different itineraries, 261 destinations and 60 embarkation ports.

For further information you can contact Lotus Destinations (Representative of Costa Cruises in India) office at +91-22-61792300 or mail info@costacruiseindia.com