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ASK Finance invests Rs. 40.00 Cr. in a Sowparnika Project

Bangalore – ASK Finance, the NBFC vertical of ASK Group has closed a debt transaction of Rs. 40 Cr. with Sowparnika Projects & Infrastructure Pvt. Ltd, a reputed real estate brand in the affordable housing segment. Mr. Maneesh Yadav, CEO & MD, of ASK Finance said, “Working capital for affordable homes in economic growth corridors by reputable developers who have a good delivery track record is key to our strategy considering huge demand in this segment and supportive government initiatives for affordable homes.”

The investment has been made in Sowparnika Ashiyana, a mid-income affordable project near Whitefield, Bangalore with 750 + homes. Sowparnika has a proven track record of developing & delivering affordable homes in Bangalore, Mysore, Coimbatore & several locations across Kerala for nearly 2 decades now.

The Sowparnika group has developed over 5.2 Mn sft & handed over 7500 homes across these locations. ASK group is known for its strong research-based investments, asset management, a real estate private equity funds, wealth advisory, and multi-family office businesses. The Group has over US$ 9.3 bn of Assets Under Management as of 31st December 2022.

Sowparnika Projects & Infrastructure Pvt. Ltd’s MD, Mr. Ramji Subramaniam, stated that their company remains committed to the affordable housing segment. They have recently launched two new projects in Hoskote and Sarjapur, both of which have garnered significant interest from prospective homebuyers. Mr. Subramaniam expressed his confidence in the company’s philosophy, as evidenced by its partnership with ASK Finance, and looks forward to forging similar partnerships in future developments.

Scootin’ Back to China and Other Popular Summer Holiday Destinations

INDIA – Scoot, the low-cost subsidiary of Singapore Airlines (SIA), will steadily resume flights to and from China to accommodate strong travel demands in line with the further relaxation of border restrictions. Scoot will also be ramping up flight frequencies across its network, particularly to destinations that are popular for summer travels in Australia, Greece, Indonesia, Japan and Malaysia.

Since travel restrictions were lifted globally in 2022, Scoot has resumed most of its pre-Covid routes, increased flight frequencies to ensure its capacity matches demand and expanded its network with the launch of new destinations such as Jeju, Lombok, Makassar, Miri and Yogyakarta.

China

From now until the end of Northern Winter 2022 (25 March 2023), Scoot will progressively increase its total flights to China from 14-times weekly to 26-times weekly by stepping up flight frequencies to seven of its existing points, comprising Fuzhou, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Qingdao, Tianjin and Zhengzhou.

The pace of resumption continues into the Northern Summer period, which spans 26 March to 28 October 2023. Scoot will resume flights to Haikou, Ningbo, and Xi’an in April 2023, bringing the total number of weekly flights to China to 42 times weekly by the end of April 2023.

With services to Nanning and Shenyang resuming in May 2023, customers can look forward to 57 times weekly flights to China by the end of June 2023.

Other Network Updates

Scoot will increase flight frequencies to travelers’ favorite warm-weather destinations, just in time for customers to plan their summer travels. Flight frequencies to Athens will increase from two times to four-times weekly, flight frequencies to Perth will increase from 10-times to 12-times weekly, flight frequencies to Sapporo through Taipei will increase from three times to four times weekly and flight frequencies to Tokyo through Taipei will increase from 10-times to 12-times weekly. Closer to Singapore, flight frequencies to Langkawi will increase from four times to seven-times weekly and flight frequencies to Manado will increase from three times to four times weekly.

Some adjustments will be made to optimize resources and accommodate other operational considerations. In particular, Scoot services to the Gold Coast will be suspended after 17 July 2023 (last flight out of the Gold Coast). Customers with existing bookings will be notified of their options.

New Schedules for Pokémon Air Adventures Flights

Pokémon Air Adventures, a partnership with The Pokémon Company, continues to be well sought-after by Pokémon fans and others looking for unique experiences. In February 2023, Scoot launched these inaugural themed flights on the Pikachu Jet to Bangkok. In March 2023, the Pikachu Jet will make its way to Taiwan. Customers can choose from eight scheduled flights in March 2023 and six scheduled flights in April 2023. For more information on the Pikachu Jet schedule, please refer to Scoot’s website.

Scoot Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Leslie Thng, said, “Scoot has been anticipating the return of travel to and from China and we will scale up operations to meet the demand from this sizeable market. We will also ramp up frequencies to other popular summer destinations as customers continue to seek travel to connect with loved ones, explore new cultures and create new experiences. This year, we aspire to continue redefining value travel by providing our customers with safe and seamless travel journeys, quality service, differentiated products and experiences at affordable fares.”

Here are the most promising careers for fresh graduates in startups to look out for in 2023–24

By Dr. Deepak Jain, Founder, The Fragrance People

As the job market continues to evolve, it can be challenging for fresh graduates to find their footing in the workforce. While the traditional corporate ladder may not hold the same appeal as it once did, startups offer a range of exciting career opportunities for young professionals. Here are some of the most promising careers for fresh graduates to consider in the startup world in 2023 and 2024:

Marketing and Communications

Marketing and communications are crucial for startups, especially in their early stages when they are trying to build brand awareness and attract new customers. Fresh graduates with strong writing, graphic design, and social media skills can thrive in this field, especially if they have experience in content creation and data analysis. To stand out in the job market, consider taking courses in marketing and communications, or working in a related field to gain experience.

Sales and Business Development

Startups often rely on their sales and business development teams to bring in new customers and grow their business. Fresh graduates with strong interpersonal skills, an entrepreneurial spirit, and a solid understanding of the market can excel in these roles. To stand out in the competitive job market, consider taking courses in sales and marketing, or working in a related field to gain experience.

Data Analyst

Data analysis has become a critical component in almost every industry, and startups are no exception. With the growing need for companies to make data-driven decisions, data analysts are in high demand. Fresh graduates with a background in mathematics, statistics, or computer science can thrive in this field, especially if they have experience with data visualization and programming languages such as Python and R.

Software Developer

Software development remains a highly sought-after skill in the startup world, with new technologies and platforms emerging all the time. Fresh graduates with experience in one or more programming languages, such as Java, C++, or JavaScript, can find opportunities in both front-end and back-end development. A solid understanding of software architecture and experience with agile methodologies can also help young professionals stand out in the job market.

Product Manager

Product managers play a key role in the success of a startup by defining and executing the product roadmap. Fresh graduates with a background in business, marketing, or engineering can excel in this field, especially if they have experience working with cross-functional teams and strong project management skills. To build your skills, consider taking courses in product management, participating in hackathons, or working on personal projects.

In conclusion, startups offer a wealth of opportunities for fresh graduates, and the careers outlined above are some of the most promising for the next year or two. To find success in the startup world, consider building your skills and experience in your area of interest, and be open to learning and growth. With the right mindset and approach, fresh graduates can make a real impact and pave the way for a successful career in the exciting and fast-paced world of startups.

5 Cybersecurity Providers in 2023 for Data Protection and Security Solutions

Currently, the cybersecurity market is growing at a breakneck pace. The global cybersecurity market was valued at $197.4 billion in 2021. As technology progresses, the need to safeguard their networks, data, and users from online threats is growing simultaneously, prompting more businesses to invest in cybersecurity solutions.

As an outcome, numerous companies now provide new software or services geared toward this industry. With so many options, it can be challenging for businesses to decide which provider will offer cybersecurity offerings that meet their needs. We’ve compiled a list of the Top 5 cybersecurity solution providers to ensure your business is well protected.

• 1. Noventiq

Noventiq is a leading cybersecurity and digital transformation solutions provider in over 50 countries. Noventiq’s services span the Aerospace & Defence, Banking, Capital Markets, Communications & Media, Health, and Oil & Gas industries. The company connects 150,000+ organisations from all sectors with 6,000+ best-in-class IT vendors, along with its own services and solutions, to allow, facilitate, and accelerate digital transformation for the businesses of its customers.

• 2. Fortinet

Fortinet (FTNT) was in the number two slot last year, and we see no need to change that this year. Despite sales clearing the $4 billion mark, analysts are projecting a 35% annual growth rate for the next five years. The network security vendor is another that doesn’t shy away from rigorous testing, landing the company on 16 of our top cybersecurity software and hardware lists. Fortinet is strongest in its core network security but boasts strength in other key security areas like SIEM and EDR.

Unsurprisingly, Fortinet has turned its networking expertise into leadership positions in adjacent markets like SD-WAN. Customer satisfaction ratings are high in key areas like product capabilities, value, ease of use and support, which have given it inroads into small business markets as well. Analysts have also lauded the company, joining Palo Alto and others in frequent appearances in Gartner Magic Quadrants and Forrester Wave reports. Here are the eSecurity Planet top product lists that Fortinet has made:

• 3. One Trust

With revenue up roughly 200% since our last update, OneTrust has backed up its early promise as few startups can. With annual revenue estimated at $669 million, the $933 million that venture investors have sunk into OneTrust is beginning to look like a bargain, and its $5.3 billion “unicorn” valuation is reasonable. In the crazy market for cybersecurity startups, OneTrust is starting to resemble a blue-chip company. The 7-year-old privacy compliance technology startup has ridden data privacy laws like GDPR and CCPA to rapid growth and high rankings on our risk management, third-party risk management and hot cybersecurity startups lists.

• 4. Proofpoint

Proofpoint cleared the $1 billion revenue mark before being taken private by Thomas Bravo in 2021. Proofpoint has made securing end users its focus. The Sunnyvale-based company’s SECaaS product portfolio made five of our top product lists, including CASB, data loss prevention (DLP), zero trust, threat intelligence and email gateways. The company provides email protection, network sandboxing, security awareness training, cloud protection and more. Its move into security awareness training via the 2018 acquisition of Wombat Security put the company in a good position to address the biggest security vulnerability of all: the mistakes made by a company’s end users.

• 5. Arete

Arete is transforming how businesses and governments manage cyber risk through proven incident response, tech-enabled managed services, and powerful data insights. Working on the front lines of thousands of ransomware attacks and some of the largest nation-state attacks, their team combines hundreds of investigative, technical, and cyber risk management practitioners with best-in-class data and software engineers. They bring a relentless passion for innovation and a commitment to stopping cybercrime. They bring that same passion for positively impacting the collective defence of businesses, governments, and infrastructure from cyber criminals and giving back to the communities they serve.

BIF welcomes the Government’s step for lifting the Minimum Speed of definition for Broadband by 400%

New Delhi, 22nd February 2023: Broadband India Forum (BIF) – A leading Think tank for Digital Transformation warmly commended the great step taken by the Government of India to raise the Minimum Speed for the definition of Broadband to 2Mbps from the erstwhile 512Kbps, an enhancement of Minimum data speed by four-fold! This is a big step taken in the interest of consumers and will also help in lifting the overall quantum of per capita data consumption and improve the service experience.

India being a ‘mobile first’; the country heavily relies on mobile broadband with almost 98% of the broadband users accessing broadband through their mobile phones. This upgradation in minimum broadband speed will help improve overall Quality of Service for the consumers. This move will particularly benefit consumers in rural areas, suburban areas & fringes of metros who are heavy video consumers and rely more on video and data-rich apps and thus would be a great boon for the aam janata at the bottom of the pyramid.

The Government of India’s move is especially significant in the current context where both Government and TRAI are concurrently taking up with the concerned operators strongly, the urgent need to improve the quality of service provided on mobile.

It is unfortunate that as many as 45,180 villages in India do not have any 4G coverage at all i.e. no mobile broadband. Moreover, as Aroon Deep laments, “between the villages without any 4G networks whatsoever and the large cities where high speeds are taken for granted, lie the oft-ignored smaller urban settlements struggling with weak connectivity… Such towns, which lose out in the digital divide in a less documented way, may start getting more attention now that the definition of ‘broadband’ has been upgraded”.

BIF also wishes to laud the regulatory Authority, TRAI, which, in August 2021, had recommended the need to increase the Minimum Broadband Speed to 2Mbps and also a number of other measures to improve broadband coverage and enhance broadband speed. This was desperately required for a long by the ‘Aam Aadmi’, especially in the hinterland of the country, and holds tremendous significance for a country like India where the population relies on video consumption to counter challenges in many areas like cultural and linguistic diversity, literacy levels, etc. and need better speeds to access it. Hence, this mandate of the Government of India to sharply increase the minimum broadband speed is a historic step forward in the public interest and in marching towards Digital India.

Hailing it as a significant milestone in our Journey on the Digital Highway, Mr. TV Ramachandran, President BIF, shared that “ While 2Mbps may not sound good enough for the modern broadband era as one would need much higher speeds for a satisfactory experience in applications viz. telecommuting, file downloading, video conferencing, streaming video –both SD & HD, nevertheless this strong nudge provided by the Government will definitely help ensure improved consumer experience and consumer satisfaction. We are confident that the existing large divide between the ‘haves’ and the ‘have nots’ of good internet connectivity will start reducing, thanks to the latest Government action”.

While this upgradation in minimum broadband speed is indeed a big milestone, India still has a long way to go to catch up with major regimes like the US where the regulator (FCC) has already prescribed a minimum broadband speed of 25 Mbps. Even our neighbor Bangladesh has prescribed a higher minimum broadband speed of 5Mbps. Moreover, studies have shown that for experiencing good quality of video streaming one needs to have download speeds much in excess of even 5 Mbps and probably nearer values of 14 Mbps or 15 Mbps. Consumers & Digital India would be facilitated by working toward such targets and a few more similar steps by the government in this direction to allow us to reach those goals soon.

Hyper Connect Asia launches Magina – A D2C Jewelry brand celebrating the rich culture of Maharashtra.

Mumbai, February 22, 2023: Hyper Connect Asia, the multi-disciplinary agency headquartered in Mumbai is the strategy and design partner for the unique D2C jewelry brand that is focused on celebrating the rich heritage and culture of Maharashtra through contemporary jewelry designs. The brand launch brings together some of the biggest names from the Marathi film fraternity like Tejashri Pradhan, Sayali Sanjeev, Spruha Joshi & Shivani Kulkarni enamoring this new-age jewelry brand.

The brand name Magina is inspired by ‘Maharashtra cha Dagina’ or ‘Jewel of Maharashtra’, is a unique effort to celebrate the rich culture, heritage, and stories of Maharashtra through their unique modern-day heirloom pieces. The D2C start-up is the brainchild of Yogeshwar Dande, a 4th generation jewelry entrepreneur from the 100-year-old legacy jeweler brand Govind Dande and Sons Pvt Ltd based out of Nasik. With Magina, Yogeshwar’s vision is to create a global light jewelry brand that takes inspiration from the cultural heritage of Maharashtra and creates unique and contemporary designs for modern women.

Commenting on the launch and the partnership, Yogeshwar Dande, Founder, Magina said, “I was toying with the concept of an independent jewelry venture for the last couple of years. The D2C Jewelry space is booming with multiple traditional and new-age brands harping on the demand and optimizing the potential of this space. But with so many D2C jewelry players around, we needed to break the clutter and find a unique brand voice. Hyper Connect changed my perspective in our very first meeting and we were absolutely excited and driven by the idea of creating a brand, which celebrated the rich stories of Maharashtra in a contemporary way. Magina is an endeavor via which young and independent women living in Maharashtra or anywhere globally can find a connection with this heritage and traditionally rich state through a unique piece of jewelry. Each of our designs is unique, modern and affordable and is designed keeping this brand philosophy in mind.

Hyper Connect Asia has been the one-stop partner for all branding & consulting needs of the unique light jewelry brand. Under this brand consulting mandate, Hyper Connect Asia has created the branding from scratch including – brand name, identity design, visual design, tone of voice, product photography, product video content, along with designing & developing UI & UX for Magina’s e-com platform. The clutter-breaking launch idea will help us launch the brand and Hyper Connect Asia will continue to partner with us as our marketing partner to build influence over their search & social, to drive conversions.

Kiran Khadke, Co-founder & Creative Lead, Hyper Connect Asia shared, “This was one of the most exciting & fulfilling projects as it challenged us to create a brand from scratch. Right from crafting a brand name that is meaningful, to creating the brand identity design, brand tonality, visual story guides and extending it to UI & UX of the e-commerce website and driving product photography. We have been successful in designing a unique brand roadmap for Magina that reflects the brand philosophy and weaved it together with a digital 1st launch strategy. We are very confident that this cohesive brand strategy will enable Magina to get noticed and drive their relevant reach and subsequently lead to high conversions.”

Ankur Pujari Co-Founder & Business Lead Hyper Connect Asia commented, “We are constantly looking for opportunities where we can create disruptive brands that are reimaging the categories and are deep-rooted in consumer needs. We are exhilarated to have been partnered with Magina right from its inception to creating a brand that strongly stands on the values of tradition and heritage but is evolved and forward in its philosophy and creativity.”

Premium consumer electronics brand Lyne announces the launch of its new website

Feb 22, 2023 – Lyne, a rapidly growing wearables and consumer accessories brand, has rolled out its new website at www.lyneoriginals.com. The website went live on February 8, 2023, and aims to expand the reach of its wide range of products with this online shift.

Currently, the website features all the products from the brand’s top selling categories like earbuds, speakers, neckbands, smart watches, power banks, and chargers. Lyne is also offering exciting introductory prices on some of its best products. The website will also allow the customers to have access to the newly launched items before offline stores.

Lyne is a consumer electronics brand founded in July 2022. The company provides premium, design-focused products at a competitive rate. It promises its customers cutting-edge mobile technology and accessories of unmatched quality and design. Their product range includes 50+ items from 10 different categories, such as wireless earphones, headphones, power banks, speakers, and other accessories.

“The team and I are very excited about the launch of our new website. Our products have received a great response from customers through in-store purchases. With the website, we look forward to reaching out to a wider audience and having new customers join the Lyne family. The website will feature all of Lyne’s original products, making it an official platform. We will also be coming out with newer products and exclusive offers on the website,” said Meet Vij, Co-Founder, Lyne.

Lyne has an extensive distribution chain, with 40 super stockists and over 5000 retailers covering all the major cities in India. Through this vast reach, it has successfully served customers throughout the country with its high-quality and stylish product range. With the new website, the brand hopes to delve deeper into untapped potential markets and explore new heights for itself.

IMDb Launches Popular Indian Celebrities Feature, Available Exclusively on the IMDb App

Bengaluru, India—February 22, 2023—IMDb (http://www.imdb.com), the world’s most popular and authoritative source for information on movies, TV shows, and celebrities, today announced the launch of the Popular Indian Celebrities feature, a new way for fans to track trending stars and filmmakers in Indian movies and web series.

The Popular Indian Celebrities feature, available exclusively on the IMDb app for Android and iOS, highlights the top trending Indian entertainers and filmmakers each week. This is based on visits from more than 200 million monthly visitors to IMDb worldwide. Every week, entertainment fans can see who is trending, follow their favorite entertainers, and discover new breakout talent.

“Talent and filmmakers in India enjoy an immense fandom that crosses regional and national boundaries, and IMDb is uniquely positioned to capture this interest, given our global audience,” said Yaminie Patodia, head of IMDb India. “The Popular Indian Celebrities feature celebrates the passion of IMDb users, highlights celebrities having a breakthrough career moment, and captures trends in entertainment driven by the latest releases and newsworthy events.”

For the week of February 20, the top 20 trending names on the Popular Indian Celebrities feature include:

1. Raashi Khanna
2. Shah Rukh Khan
3. Vijay Sethupathi
4. Regina Cassandra
5. Aditya Chopra
6. Deepika Padukone
7. Kader Khan
8. Bhuvan Arora
9. Anupam Kher
10. Kiara Advani
11. Ayesha Kanga
12. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan
13. Shahid Kapoor
14. Kubbra Sait
15. Ram Charan Teja
16. Anjali Sivaraman
17. Salman Khan
18. Yash Chopra
19. Krishna D.K.
20. Nora Fatehi

Popular InThe dian Celebrities feature reflects global trends in Indian entertainment

• This week, the Popular Indian Celebrities feature spotlights talent from trending titles like Farzi (Prime Video), The Romantics, Class (Netflix), and Pathaan (in theaters now).
• Six cast members from the Prime Video Original series Farzi feature in top 20 on the list. Star Raashi Khanna ranks at No. 1, along with Vijay Sethupathi, Shahid Kapoor, Regina Cassandra, Bhuvan Arora, and Kubbra Sait. Series co-creator Krishna D.K. is also on the list this week.
• Aditya Chopra of Yash Raj Films, whose rare interview featured in the Netflix docuseries The Romantics, features at No. 5.
• Shah Rukh Khan (No. 2) and Deepika Padukone (No. 6), stars of the record-breaking box office phenomenon Pathaan, remain near the top of the list a month after the movie’s release.
• Actor Kader Khan, who was recently mentioned in a trending online interview, features in the list, with IMDb users seeking information on his long career as an actor, writer, and producer.
• Fan interest in the wedding of Kiara Advani and Sidharth Malhotra earned Advani a slot on the list at No. 10.
• Netflix original Class’ breakout stars Ayesha Kanga and Anjali Sivaraman also feature on the list this week.

The IMDb Popular Indian celebrities feature is updated every Monday, and is determined by visits from more than 200 million monthly visitors to IMDb worldwide. The feature is available exclusively on the IMDb app for customers whose location is set to India. Along with Indian celebrities, customers can also see trailers for popular Indian movies and TV shows. The IMDb app also helps customers discover what to watch, add titles to their watchlist, and rate and review what they’ve seen. The IMDb app is available for free on Android devices from the Google Play store, and on iPhone from the Apple App Store.

Entertainment fans can also follow IMDb on Instagram and Twitter for all of the latest content featuring Indian films, web series, talent, and filmmakers. Followers can share what they love most about their favorite Indian celebrities and titles, find the latest trailers and exclusive IMDb content, and discover new content from India and around the world.

Nearly 25 Mn sq. ft. Mall Space to be Added in Top 7 Cities in Next 4-5 Years – ANAROCK-RAI Report

Mumbai, 22 February 2023: Driven largely by rising consumption, the rebound in Indian retail market has been exemplary in 2022 which is favorably impacting retail real estate across the country, finds a joint report by real estate consultants ANAROCK and Retailers Association of India (RAI). Buoyed by the growth, developers now plan to add nearly 25 Mn sq ft of new mall space across the Top 7 cities over the next 4-5 years, finds the report titled ‘India Retail Real Estate: REvived, REshaped, & REinforced’. The report was released at the Retail Leadership Summit 2023, where ANAROCK was a knowledge partner.

NCR and Hyderabad account for nearly 46% of the total new upcoming supply, closely followed by Bengaluru at 19%.

Back in 2022, the top 7 cities added over 2.6 Mn sq ft of mall space which was 27% more than the preceding year (2021).

“The festive season, devoid of restrictions and any fear of the contagion, was exemplary with record high volumes and sales value,” says Anuj Kejriwal, CEO & Managing Director – ANAROCK Retail. “Sales value estimated during the festive season in late 2022 was INR 2.5 Lakh Crore, nearly 2.5 times compared to the previous year. The revival of consumer sentiments and penchant for consumption is therefore being promptly acted upon by the majority of brands, retailers, and mall developers. The new planned mall supply across the top 7 cities is testimony to the developers’ expansion strategy.”

“Further, the retail market size is expected to touch USD 2 Trillion by 2032, growing from USD 690 billion in 2021, facilitating the organised retail sector to grow at 25% CAGR.”

Kumar Rajagopalan, the CEO, the Retailers Association of India (RAI), says, “The report also highlights that the Indian retail sector attracted around USD 1,473 Mn between 2019 and 2022, of which 76% of total investments came in 2019 itself. Among the cities, Hyderabad and MMR accounted for nearly 40% of the total PE investments in the sector.”

“Data further indicates that back in 2022, the top 7 cities added nearly 2.6 Mn sq ft of mall space during 2022, which increased by 27% over the previous year (2021),” says Rajagopalan. “Among the cities, Bengaluru and Hyderabad were the only cities which saw new mall supply addition during 2022.”

Presently, the top cities have over 51 Mn sq ft of mall stock across the country with NCR, MMR, and Bengaluru accounting for 62% of the total stock.

In terms of avg. rentals in malls, these appreciated by nearly 15% in 2022 over the previous year, thus reaching higher than the pre-pandemic levels. Bengaluru registered the highest uptick in rentals of around 27%, followed by Kolkata at 20% in 2022 over the previous year.

Other Major Highlights

As per industry estimates, the e-retail market is anticipated to reach USD 120-140 Bn by FY26, increasing at 25%-30% annually over the next five years.
The sales volume of the organized retail segment in FY22 was estimated to be USD 52 Bn and is estimated to grow to USD 136 Bn by 2028 with a CAGR of 17%.
Currently, a high degree of integration of physical and digital is taking place to provide an interactive and all-inclusive experience.

Download the report ‘India Retail Real Estate: REvived, REshaped, & REinforced’