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TV9 Network wins big at VDONXT Awards

New Delhi March 05, 2023: The TV9 Network has won big at the VDONXT Awards. At a ceremony held in Mumbai on February 27, the TV9 Network went back with as many as six awards across categories such as brand integration stand-alone, action, best smart-budget film, aerial videography, and lifestyle.

It was an encore of industry appreciation for News9 Plus. Soon after stealing the show at the Afaqs! The Future of News media awards, News9 Plus, the world’s first News OTT, bagged four medals including two silver medals and two bronze trophies.

‘Bombs in the Backyard’ bagged silver at the VDONXT Awards in the Action category. The Indian Army recovers tons of military-grade explosives from the heart of India’s cities. The story, reported by Aditya Raj Kaul, provided a rare glimpse of the classified operation.

The story ‘Balochistan: Bangladesh 2.0’, won silver in the Smart Budget Film category. Balochistan has faced barbaric human rights violations and subjugation of locals at the hands of the Pakistan Army. As the Baloch people continue their resistance against Pakistan’s Deep State and China, News 9 Plus investigated the nature of the exploitation and the rationale behind the rebel movement. The story was reported by Aditya Raj Kaul.

In February, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) had written to Twitter objecting to the docu-series saying it violated the laws of the country.

TV9Digital UP UK won a Bronze in the ‘Action’ category for The Bahubali Story that chronicled the life of heartland politician Raja Bhaiya.

‘Demons in the Head’, reported by Lakshna Gulati, won bronze in the lifestyle category for News9 Plus. The story addresses India’s mental health crisis that has stayed unaddressed owing to social taboos. The documentary took a close look at people who’ve battled mental health issues and speaks to experts at the forefront of driving the conversations on mental health in the country.

The story ‘Garbage Mountains’ which won bronze in the ‘Best Use of Aerial Videography’ category, looks at the Capital’s public health crisis. Delhi generates 10,000 tonnes of waste every day. Most of it is dumped in 3 landfills as tall as the Qutub Minar. The story, reported by Mohammad Wajihulla for News9 Plus, looks beyond the obvious and comes up with solutions for the crisis.

Studio9 — which creates content and experiences that deliver impact, shape opinion, and influence audiences — bagged the Bronze in the category ‘Brand Integration Standalone’ for Bablu Yadav, a special story for the Castrol Super Mechanic Contest 2021-22.

The awards took place after the conclusion of the seventh edition of the VDONST Asia Conference. The entries were judged by a 17-member jury of well-known names from the world of advertising, media, and marketing, including Arun Iyer (Spring Marketing Capital); Rohit Malkani (L&K Saatchi & Saatchi); Sambit Mohanty (McCann Worldgroup); Amit Sethiya (Syska); Elizabeth Venkataraman (Kotak Mahindra Bank); Karthik Yathindra (Jockey); Prateek Malpani (Wakefit); Vanda Ferrao (WOW Skin Science); Amit Doshi (Pratilipi); Arindam Biswas (SVF Entertainment); Karan Sabde (Warner Bros. Discovery); Manpreet Bumrah (Eros Now); Zaheen Ekhlas (SonyLIV); Aradhana Bhola (Fremantle India); Kailash Surendranath (Kailash Picture Company); Rishi Negi (Endemol Shine India); and Tusharr Kumar (Only Much Louder).

The jury rated the entries on a 1-10 scale. Each entry was submitted for review to between five and seven jurors. One important innovation that was introduced in most of the awards, organized by Afaqs!, was a minimum scoring system. This ensures that even if there is, hypothetically, only one entry in a category, it doesn’t automatically ensure that it will win gold. The jurors will have to give it a score of at least seven points.

Get a Times Prime membership with benefits worth over Rs. 60,000 with every LG Side by Side Refrigerator

New Delhi, March 05, 2023: Two giant consumer brands, LG and Times Prime today announce their coming together for a strategic partnership for their “Assured Benefits Carnival,” where the electronic giant will gift Times Prime Annual Membership to its customers on purchase of any “Side by Side Refrigerator”.

Upon product purchase, customers will receive a voucher code for the Times  Prime annual membership with access to a wide range of benefits from premium & popular brands such as Disney+ Hotstar, SonyLIV, Cricbuzz Plus, Gaana Plus, EazyDiner, ET Prime, TOI+, and many more. This one-stop shop also provides exclusive offers and discounts over Rs.60,000 on your favorite brands such as Myntra, Uber, Chaayos, etc.

Speaking on the latest collaboration of the brand, Harshita Singh, Business Head of Times Prime said, “The aim of this strategic partnership is to enrich the offering bouquet of an appliance leader like LG with Times Prime’s holistic ecosystem of all lifestyle brands under one app. This wholesome nature of our app integrated with an umbrella of offerings by LG is bound to benefit both brands for sales and engagement.”.”

As one of the most preferred lifestyle super-apps, Times Prime offers an extensive range of benefits on a single platform, from shopping to entertainment and lifestyle brands like Starbucks, Myntra, Uber, Disney+ Hotstar, SonyLIV, Google One, and many more. Times Prime positions itself as a unique Super App that curates subscriptions and benefits besides elevating lifestyle with superior & exclusive access to global brands and experiences. The campaign is designed to create a sense of urgency and dramatize the importance of availing the benefits of Times Prime subscription.

PlayerzPot rolls out new campaign #CelebrationKaSeason featuring Smriti Mandhana

March 05, 2023: PlayerzPot is on a revolutionary streak to amplify the reach of online gaming countrywide. The leading fantasy gaming platform today launched #CelebrationKaSeason, a campaign that offers a chance to win big prizes and indulge in bigger celebrations on the platform. Featuring its brand ambassador Indian women cricketer and now a representative of Royal Challengers Bangalore in the upcoming Women’s Premier League, Smriti Mandhana will be seen across the brand’s traditional and digital channels in their new campaign #CelebrationKaSeason.

The campaign has four exciting digital films targeting diverse audiences. Each film depicts Smriti Mandhana in 4 different moods to convey that it is always a time to celebrate with PlayerzPot. The gaming platform has an array of in-game offers and features that lift the cricketer’s spirits and help her play, win and celebrate. Instant withdrawal, lowest commission, the opportunity of a 2^nd inning and Refer & Earn are some of the many features of the campaign that attract young gamers.

Commenting on the launch, Sunil Yadav, CEO of, PlayerzPot said, “We are very excited about this new campaign with Smriti. The past two years of associating with her as our brand ambassador has been very rewarding. In fact, our user base has grown almost seven-fold in this time too. This has also been on the back of PlayerzPot’s on-going innovations in terms of offers, unique features, and rewards. Nurturing a loyal user base, our constant endeavor is to set new industry standards in delivering a safe and secured gaming experience to our audience.”

Speaking about the campaign, PlayerzPot’s brand ambassador Smriti Mandhana said, “The association with PlayerzPot has been my very first introduction to the skilled based gaming and I have become quite an expert at it now (if I may say so myself!). This is the second year of our association and being a part of the brand’s growth journey has been enriching, indeed. The online gaming industry in India has grown from strength to strength in the past few years and I believe PlayerzPot is spearheading this revolution. #CelebrationKaSeason campaign truly reflects the potential of the platform to let their users win and celebrate. It was a great experience shooting the campaign and I am really looking forward to seeing it live,” she added.

Getting gamers across the country to engage in the fantastic world of online gaming, PlayerzPot is winning hearts through this campaign as that’s how — ‘CELEBRATION MAIN JYADA MAJA AAYEGA’

Grundfos completes 25 successful years in India

Chennai, March 05, 2023: Grundfos India celebrated the completion of 25 successful years of operations in India. The company started its India operations in 1998 with an aim to transform the Indian pump manufacturing industry with new benchmarks in sustainability, urbanization, and digitalization solutions to solve water and climate challenges in the country.

To mark the momentous milestone, Grundfos is the host for the Danish Royal delegation visit to India and organizing for the events running in the ‘Water Track’, to enhance the co-operation in the water sector between Denmark and Tamil Nadu. In Chennai, the company hosted a seminar on water sector cooperation between Denmark and Tamil Nadu at its India headquarters in Chennai. Her Royal Highness, The Crown Princess of Denmark along with the Danish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, and other members of the Danish Delegation were part of this seminar.

Pearl Global secures receivables financing through the Olea-Vayana partnership

Mumbai, 05 March 2023: Pearl Global Industries Limited (“Pearl Global”), a listed global apparel manufacturing company with a presence across the globe, has recently secured a receivables financing facility through the Olea and Vayana partnership.

The partnership has already gained good traction since its onset in May 2022, and Pearl Global is the latest company to benefit from the hassle-free, competitive, and fast access to alternative liquidity provided through Olea and Vayana.

According to the Government of India, India’s textile exports have been the highest ever at USD 44bn in 2022. The export tally indicates a substantial increase of 41% and 26% over the corresponding figures in 2021 and 2020, respectively.

Letitia Chau, Deputy CEO of Olea, said: “We are proud to offer financing options that help our customers achieve their business goals and succeed in today’s competitive marketplace. We are committed to providing our customers the support they need to grow, and our financing solutions offered through the Olea and Vayana partnership are a testament to that commitment.” 

Ram Iyer, Founder, and CEO, of Vayana, said, “Keeping in mind the importance of fresh pools of capital required for India to achieve the target of USD 2 trillion exports by 2030, we are delighted to have facilitated the receivables financing facility for Pearl Global. Strategic partnerships like the one we have with Olea are critical to our mission of delivering innovative and efficient trade finance solutions to our customers.”

Sanjay Gandhi, Group CFO of Pearl Global, said: “Pearl Global has presence across the globe and we are happy to have been able to capitalize on the cross-border financing opportunity available to us through the Olea-Vayana collaboration. Strategic financial product collaboration like the one with Olea and Vayana is essential not only for efficient working capital management but also act as risk mitigation strategy. We are hopeful of leveraging Olea’s and Vayana’s strengths to provide a seamless and superior experience across geographies at competitive prices, delivering value in today’s ever-evolving business landscape.” 

The Olea-Vayana partnership aims at financing trade deals worth more than USD 500mn in the next few years.

Allcargo launches its maiden Golf Tournament to create ESG awareness amongst 100 + corporates

Asian Games Gold Medallist for India in golf, Rishi Narain and his team teed off the initiative

Mumbai, 05 March, 2023: Allcargo Group, India-born global logistics conglomerate, held the maiden edition of its corporate golf event, Allcargo Invitational Golf Tournament, on 26th February 2023, at the Oxford Golf Resort, Pune.

The tournament, which was an extension of Allcargo’s overarching ESG theme — sustainability — was organised in collaboration with former Asian Games Gold Medallist for India in golf, Rishi Narain, and his team. The tournament focused on creating awareness on ESG and sustainability through a number of unique initiatives. Nearly 100 corporate and business leaders travelled from across India to participate in it. Allcargo has also made the platform available for raising funds for the DEC Turkey-Syria Earthquake Appeal, with a $ 50,000 goal, to aid in the recovery and rebuilding of lives affected by earthquakes in southern Turkey and northwest Syria.

The topmost priority for Allcargo Group is to ensure that its companies across countries have a common framework for their ESG initiatives at different stages of evolution to create sustained outcomes whilst strengthening the group’s commitment to environment and societies. Keeping its consumers, stakeholders and employees at the core of all their activities, the Group strives to make a difference in the world with the overarching theme of sustainability. Present in 180 countries, Allcargo Group takes its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) goals seriously and its initiatives have already touched over 360,000 lives.

Making the tournament truly one-of-a-kind, was the tournament’s ESG focus. In keeping with the pledge to make the world a better place, Allcargo Group donated money to the Isha Foundation’s Isha Vidhya programme on behalf of all the participants to jointly finance the education of 30 students for a year. In addition, 10 trees were planted on behalf of each participant to green the earth’s surface and as a way to represent a long-lasting relationship that would blossom and become stronger. In a first for any competition, all 65 of the course’s caddies were outfitted. Both sides expressed gratitude for these significant initiatives.

“We are delighted to have created a platform where CSR is seen in the ambit of ESG. We are especially happier because this happened through golf, which is a passion of mine. At Allcargo Group, we are committed to the environment and society. We are proud of our initiatives and hope to catalyse some good, and inspire everyone to commit to do whatever else they can for the benefit of mankind. I am so happy that the Allcargo Invitational Golf Tournament got such a wonderful response from India Inc.’s top leaders and our focus on ESG and sustainability was very well-received,” said Shashi Kiran Shetty, Founder and Chairman, Allcargo Group.

The Allcargo Group is committed to building a sustainable future by adhering to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) and Health, Safety, Security, and Environment (HSSE) standards, people-centric policies, corporate governance, and environmentally conscious initiatives. Allcargo is consistently working to reduce environmental impact by participating in CSR initiatives such as Maitree, which has planted over 710,000 trees to restore the ecosystem and diversify tribal farmers’ incomes. Avashya Foundation, the CSR arm of Allcargo Group, has been actively engaged in various CSR activities that cover a wide range of areas, such as health, education, environment, women’s empowerment, sports, and disaster relief. Allcargo Group was amongst the first to recognize the importance of skilling the community they operate in and was instrumental in setting up a multi-skill development centre in collaboration with JNPT and CIDCO.

Make colorful memories with your loved ones at Infiniti Mall with ‘Phoolon Ki Holi’

This Holi, blend in the colour of teas with Luxmi Tea Estates

March 05, 2023:  Holi is a festival of colors, a festival of spring, and a festival of love. It is celebrated all over India, families gather to play with colors, and the fun all day long is something everyone loves about this celebration. Holi can also be exhausting after the fun, and there is nothing more relaxing and soothing than a cup of tea to invigorate.

This Holi, celebrate the colors of love with Luxmi tea’s colorful blends. This 111 years old tea brand produces different organic, herbal, and functional tea blends perfect for your tea thirst this festive season. Every color of holi represents the different qualities of the tea blends. 

Below are the tea blends representing certain colors- 

Yellow Turmeric Timeout- The yellow colour of the packaging represents turmeric which is proven to have anti-inflammatory and immune-boosting properties. refreshing cup, hot or cold. Turmeric Spice Herbal Immunity Tea, the premium “Haldi ” or turmeric used in this earthy fusion is grown in the foothills of the Himalayas in Fulbari Assam. Auspicious and sacred, this root has been used ceremonially and in ayurvedic healing. 

Pink African Rose- The soothing tranquil blend with aromatic rose and hibiscus is known to be a good source of vitamin C. The hibiscus serves a tart and full-bodied fruity palette and, when combined with delicate aromas of rose becomes a balance of both bold & delicate flavors existing in the same. The color pink is a nurturing and playful color and so does these aromatic blends make one feel

Purple Valerian Dream- Valerian dream, as the name suggests, helps in relaxed sleep in the season that calls for resting well.  The valerian root also known as ‘sugandhbala’ in India grows on the rolling hills and deep valleys of Kalimpong in the temperate Himalayas. Tranquil terroir produces ingredients used in this calming blend. The result is a light, earthy, and gently floral cup of tea that will steep you into relaxation and give the royal and magical feel just like the colour purple.

Green Citrus Sky- Ginger and lemongrass make for an interesting mix of ingredients for this blend. This nuanced cup starts in the fertile rolling hills of Darjeeling, where lush, bright green tea meets the sky at 6000 feet. Each sip tells a story, with “Adda’ or wild ginger as the main character and the Eastern Himalayan Lemongrass as the loyal companion, layering aromatic citrus accents throughout and taking you deeper into this cup’s delicious journey.

Available- www.luxmiestates.in

Siddha Group starts handover of ‘Siddha Seabrook’, its first premium project in Mumbai

Mumbai, 05, March 2023: Siddha Group has successfully started handing over ‘Siddha Seabrook’, its first premium project in Mumbai. This iconic 57 floors premium tower is strategically located at Kandivali(W), Mumbai, and boasts of being the tallest residential tower in this zone. It comprises 2 &3 BHK + Sky Garden premium apartments. It offers residents numerous lifestyle features, with spectacular views of Mumbai’s skyline, against the backdrop of Sanjay Gandhi National Park.

Siddha Group has begun the process of handing over the keys to the respective homebuyers at fit out stage. Speaking on the occasion Mr. Samyak Jain, Director, of Siddha Group said, “We are absolutely delighted to deliver our first project to the citizens of Mumbai. We worked against all odds during the pandemic, setting strict timelines so that we could deliver our project as per schedule. This project promises to be a landmark address at Kandivali(W) due to its location advantage and connectivity to the rest of the city.”

This edifice rising up to 57 floors will comprise of well-designed, spacious 2 BHK Smart & Premium along with 3 BHK Premium + Sky Garden apartments. The size of apartments range from 496 sq ft to 1258 sq ft. Prices of apartments start from 1.59 crores to 3.85 crores. The tower has a total of 282 units.

Residents are pampered with a host of luxurious amenities that promises to offer them a healthy and holistic living experience. These include a premium clubhouse for members to socialize, gymnasium to keep fit, sun deck to lounge, mini theatre for family entertainment, swimming pool, landscaped rooftop terrace, and a Jain temple.

‘Siddha Seabrook’ is strategically located at Mathuradas Road and the junction of Link road which is considered the central hub of Kandivali. It is within walking distance of Dahanukarwadi Metro station and in close proximity to the upcoming coastal road and the Goregaon-Mulund Link Road. This will provide the residents with improved connectivity to western and central suburbs. The Mumbai airport is also in close proximity to the project.

Kandivali (W) is developing into a preferred residential hub for home buyers in Mumbai. It is well connected through Link Road, SV Road, and Western Express Highway. It is also well-connected to Thane via Ghodbunder Road and Gujarat via Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway through Dahisar Check Naka. The newly opened Metro Line 2 will connect Dahisar (E) to DN Nagar passing through the area, making easy commute for residents of Kandivali. Kandivali is also close to several major employment hubs in Goregaon, Malad, and Andheri.

Nexon EV makes a landmark entry into India Book of Records for the ‘Fastest’ K2K drive by an EV

Bengaluru, March 05, 2023: Tata Motors, India’s leading automobile manufacturer and the pioneer of the EV evolution in India, today proudly announced that India’s most trusted and driven EV – the Nexon EV has successfully entered the India Book of Records by covering the ‘Fastest’ Kashmir to Kanyakumari drive by an EV.

The Nexon EV – India’s number one electric vehicle completed the drive of 4003kms in just 95 hours and 46 minutes (under 4 days), successfully proving its ability to undertake multi-city trips. Furthermore, this non-stop drive was also possible because of the enhanced uninterrupted Public Charging network present on the Indian Highways. Having spent a total of 28 hours resulting in only 21 stops for fast charging throughout the trip, the Nexon EV not only saved up on time in the completion of the total trip but also saved up a considerable amount on the cost when compared to an ICE vehicle.

During the drive, the Nexon EV, which was driven just like any other car across challenging terrains and extreme weather conditions, delivered an average real-world range of 300+kms with ease. This beautiful drive was also enjoyed by the company’s very own leadership team, who drove the Nexon EV along the landscapes of India. In addition to the ‘Fastest’ K2K drive by an EV record, the Nexon EV has created 23 additional records.

Commenting on this remarkable achievement, Mr. Shailesh Chandra, MD, Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles Ltd and Tata Passenger Electric Mobility Ltd., said, “The Nexon EV has further validated its capabilities by entering the Indian Book of Records, for the fastest K2K drive by an EV. This achievement is a testament of the enormous competency of the product and the availability of a healthy charging infrastructure across the country – further bolstered by Tata Power’s presence across the country. There was a fast charging station at regular intervals, between 75kms -100kms, which itself is a great feat for India’s EV ecosystem. 

This drive has been special for us, as my colleagues and I ventured onto something like this for the very first time – driving 4003 kms through the length of the country, in the shortest recorded duration by an EV yet. The aim here was to showcase that our customers can confidently plan long journeys with the Nexon EVs enhanced range in addition to the ever-growing charging infrastructure. I am positive that this K2K drive will inspire more customers to adopt EVs and evolve to electric.” 

To know more about Nexon EV, call your nearest dealership or visit https://nexonev.tatamotors.com.

Details of all the records can be referred to on the website.