Wednesday, September 30, 2020

Online Release of Picture Postcard on Sawantwadi Toy on 01.10.2020 by Shri H.C. Agrawal, Chief Postmaster General, Maharashtra Circle


India Post celebrates 151 Years of Postcard in India.

Inspired by the Speech of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji during Man Ki Bat programme on 31.08.2020, a set of Post Cards on Traditional Toys of India is scheduled to be released Online from nine States at a time on 01.10.2020 at 11.00 AM.

Chief Postmaster General, Maharashtra Circle will release Picture Postcard on Sawantwadi Toys on this occasion.

Postcrossing Society of India with a patronage of India Post is holding an Online Exhibition of Post Cards through DEBUTPEX 2020.


NephroPlus announces ‘Guests Got Talent’ Season 3 for Dialysis Patients

National, 30th September, 2020: NephroPlus, India’s largest dialysis network that is focused at redefining dialysis care, announces the ‘Call for Entries’ to the third season of their flagship program ‘Guests Got Talent’ Season 3. The entry for this unique contest started on 23rd September and will run for a month, identifying the unique talent of people who are undergoing Dialysis.


Dialysis patients with zeal to showcase their talent despite all odds can upload their file on NephroPlus’ Facebook / Twitter page (https:// www.facebook.com/NephroPlusDialysisNetwork/) with the hashtag #GuestsGotTalent3/#NephroPlus. The patient would need to submit a one-minute video clip/picture demonstrating their talent along with their name, contact details, dialysis center & city. Every week NephroPlus will upload the entries received from the participants on their social media page until the end of the talent hunt program which is 30th October, 2020.

Introducing the All-New Echo Family —Reimagined, Inside and Out

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Mumbai, Amazon today introduced its all-new line-up of Echo devices, featuring completely new designs, enhanced audio, and more powerful hardware.

 

New Echo devices announced today include:

-         Echo Dot: Our most popular Echo device ever, with a new spherical design to produce crisp, full sound and powerful bass for ₹4,499.

-         Echo Dot with clock: Our best-selling speaker with LED display, a new spherical design and now in an additional Blue colour for ₹5,499.

-         Echo: The best of Echo and Echo Plus combined into a single device, with a new spherical design, Dolby stereo sound, and a built-in Zigbee hub to simplify smart home set-up for ₹9,999.

 

“Echo devices have played an integral part in simplifying the lives of our customers. With the convenience of voice, they simply ask Alexa for their favorite music, control smart home appliances or just have a fun time with family,” said Parag Gupta, Head of Amazon Devices, India. “With the new range of Echo devices, we are making it more natural and convenient for customers to interact with Alexa. The new range of Echo speakers are completely redesigned for an improved audio experience, and seamlessly merge into the home decor. We are proud to share that these are our most sustainable products yet.”

 

The New Echo—New Spherical Design, Dolby Stereo Sound, and Built-in Zigbee Hub

The next-generation Echo combines the best of Echo and Echo Plus into a single device at the same affordable Echo price. Its all-new design and fabric finish looks great in any space, with a bright LED light ring at the base of the sphere that reflects off of surfaces for added visibility. The new Echo also sounds significantly better; thanks to a 3.0-inch woofer, dual-firing tweeters, and Dolby processing that delivers stereo sound with clear highs, dynamic-mids, and deep bass. As with Echo Studio, the new Echo automatically senses the acoustics of your space and fine-tunes audio playback—just ask to listen to your favorite music and the rich, detailed sound will automatically adapt to your room. For the first time, Echo comes with a built-in Zigbee smart home hub and supports Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) that helps conserve energy. With all of these new features and technologies, Echo is still just ₹9,999.

 

Echo Dot & Echo Dot with clock—New Spherical Designs and Crisp, Full Sound

Customers have made Echo Dot the best-selling speaker ever—and now it’s even better. The all-new Echo Dot has the same spherical design and fabric finish as Echo, making it a stylish way to add Alexa to any space. It’s compact, but packs in a powerful 1.6-inch, front-firing speaker, producing crisp vocals and balanced bass for full sound you can enjoy in any room of your home. The new Echo Dot with clock comes with the same enhancements as the new Echo Dot, plus a simple LED display so you can glance at the time, outdoor temperature, timers, and alarms. And now, the tap-to-snooze feature that customers love on Echo Dot with clock will also be available on Echo Dot and Echo.

 

Commitment to sustainability

All Echo devices announced today are built with 100% post-consumer recycled fabric, 100% recycled die-cast aluminum, and post-consumer recycled plastic. Plus, all wood fiber-based materials used in Echo device packaging are made entirely from responsibly managed forests or recycled sources. In addition to using sustainable materials, these Echo devices also have a Low Power Mode to intelligently conserve energy during periods of inactivity, and deliver energy savings over the lifetime of the device.

 

Pricing and Availability 

Echo Dot (₹4,499and Echo (₹9,999will be available in Black, White and Blue. Echo Dot with clock (₹5,499will be available in White and Blue.

 

Echo Dot is available on pre-order starting today, and will start shipping later this year. You can sign up to be notified when Echo and Echo Dot with clock are available for purchase.


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Tuesday, September 29, 2020

Asian Paints Uplifts the Design and Décor Experience


Launches a range of Furniture, Furnishings & Lighting products consisting of fine to custom pieces

National, September 2020: An increasing number of customers today desire to build their dream homes that are a reflection of who they are. But it is quite a task, shopping for home decorative items at best prices and also find something refreshing amidst the off-the-shelf offerings. Understanding this need, Asian Paints, launches their own range of Furniture, Furnishing & Decorative Lighting, that brings a range of aesthetic home décor solutions to a variety of consumers. The new range promises superior quality, ready-made as well as customized design options at the right price. These products will be offered as a refreshing range of design and décor solutions under three brands - Nilaya, Royale and Ador.

Asian Paints also announced - ‘Beautiful Homes’ as the central identity for their décor stores, services and website. Through these offerings, backed by years of insights into décor trends and consumer research, Asian Paints becomes a pioneer one-stop-source for everything related to home décor.

Asian Paints endeavors to go beyond being designer wallpapers, paints, and kitchen and baths player, to an integrated Home Décor player. Hence, with this new launch, Asian Paints will provide an aspirational upgrade for every consumer at a competitive price range. Under the three product ranges, Ador is a collection of modern and contemporary products accessible to the budget conscious consumer. Royale celebrates its long legacy as a luxurious category of paint products with a similar range of exquisite solid wood furniture, customized upholstered sofas and decorative lights. Nilaya is the ultimate exclusive offering with a collection of timeless designs which boasts of elegance and artistic magnificence.

Eventually each of the three brands will have their own line of exclusive furniture, furnishings & lighting range.

Commenting on the new launch, Amit Syngle, Managing Director & CEO, Asian Paints Limited says, “Homes are big area of emotional connect for people and Asian Paints has been always part of this home making emotion. Asian Paints has always been about the walls and has been working around that, to get into the share of space within the home. We saw that there is no single organized Home Décor player capable of providing an exhaustive spectrum of Furniture, Furnishings & Lightings in one place with a trustworthy and technology led proposition. Secondly, many consumers are also looking for brands that could help them revamp their décor by offering elegant, economical, and practical décor led products.

Asian Paints is looking to pioneer this area by launching various solutions, offering hand-picked products made by some of the most creative designers in India, to curating customized elements. Asian Paints’ own labels in Furniture, Furnishings & Lighting will help consumers make their personal space look more beautiful with a balanced price-product quality and likable designs. With this, we now have complete range of offerings and services for partnering with consumers to create their dream homes.”

The new launch by Asian Paints will be available across all the 10 cities where AP Home stores are

present and satellite towns along with all the nine markets where Beautiful Homes Service is available.


For more information and a virtual tour please visit our website :

https://www.asianpaints.com/aphomes.html

 

About Asian Paints

Since its foundation in 1942, Asian Paints has come a long way to become India’s leading and Asia’s

fourth largest paint company, with a turnover of Rs. 192.48 billion. Asian Paints operates in 15 countries and have 26 paint manufacturing facilities across the world, servicing consumers in over 60 countries.

Asian Paints has always been a leader in the paint industry, innovating new concepts in India like Colour Ideas, Colour Next, and Kids’ World.

Marico Limited commits 5 lakh masks to frontline COVID-19 warriors; 3 lakh in Maharashtra and 2 lakh in Gujarat

Mumbai, 29 September, 2020: Marico Limited, one of the leading FMCG majors in India pledges to distribute 3 lakh masks to the frontline warriors in Maharashtra and 2 lakh mask in Gujarat. With its newly launched health and hygiene product Mediker Sanitizer, the company has committed that for every bottle purchased it will donate a 3-ply mask.  

 

In Maharashtra, these masks will be given to Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC), Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Maharashtra Police. The company has already distributed 1.15 Lakh masks to authorities in Maharashtra.

 

The masks are procured from Saral Designs, a Mumbai based start-up which has been selected under Marico Innovation Foundation’s ‘Innovate2Beat COVID’, a nationwide grand challenge to devise cost-effective, creative and scalable solutions to combat short supply of personal protective equipment, ventilators and other respiratory solutions that can aid the medical fraternity. Saral has expertly innovated to adaptits patented sanitary pads producing machine to manufacture high quality 3-ply surgical masks cost effectively.

 

As India combats the unprecedented global pandemic, Marico Limited has extended its support to the government, citizens and medical fraternity. In line with its ethos of ‘making a difference’, the company has been working tirelessly and undertaken myriad initiatives to aid the fight. Along with the distribution of meals to migrant labourers, the police force, health-workers, poor and elderly people across the country, the company has also been distributing safety gear, hygiene and PPE kits to those who are fighting this battle on-ground. 

 

Marico has also put in place the “COVID Assistance Scheme” to ensure the safety of the factory staff as well as sales members who are working to the best of their abilities to ensure the uninterrupted supply of essential goods. The company has also broadened its hygiene portfolio with new launches such as Veggie Clean, a fruits and vegetables cleanser and the KeepSafe personal care range to meet the needs of consumers today. 


Lionsgate Play partners with Airtel to bring premium Hollywood movies to Airtel Xstream Box

Mumbai, 29 September 2020: After the resounding success of Lionsgate Play content on Airtel Xstream app, global content leader Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF.A, LGF.B) is bringing its premium content to the Airtel Xstream Android 4K TV Box. This association is the result of Lionsgate’s growing consumer base and distribution in India. Through this partnership, the fast-growing user base of Airtel Xstream Box will have easy access to premium Hollywood content by Lionsgate Play on the big screens from the comfort of their homes. This will include multiple hours of Ultra HD content, complementing Airtel Xtream’s extensive high-quality programming. 

 

Lionsgate Play is one of the leading OTT players that offers wide ranging high-quality English content in the country. The premium OTT service completed one year of its operations in India this August and has witnessed tremendous growth in the viewership each passing month. Since the lockdown, the audiences are watching premium Hollywood content on the big screens at home resulting in increased consumption of Hollywood content in English as well as in their preferred regional languages. The partnership will give Airtel customers access to a deep portfolio of Lionsgate Play content on the Airtel Xstream Box. This exclusive partnership between Lionsgate and Airtel enables Lionsgate Play to showcase blockbusters including titles such as John Wick, La La Land, Knives Out, Twilight in Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Bhojpuri also to reach out to regional language cinephiles. In addition, viewers can now enjoy movies from various genres – action, thriller, horror, comedy, drama and documentaries.

 

Commenting on the partnership, Mr. Rohit Jain, Managing Director, Lionsgate South Asia, said, “We launched on Airtel Xstream app in Jan 2020 and since then we have seen an exponential growth on stream counts. We have been continuously strengthening our already robust catalogue with horror, comedy, drama, action & thriller movies. To be a key entertainment player in India we see following important levers: availability of curated high-quality Hollywood content that world is watching, localization in Indian languages to increase relevance and strengthening our distribution to solve for reach. Keeping the Indian audiences love for Hollywood in Indian languages in mind we always make our movies available in local languages like Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Bhojpuri and will continue to invest in quality dubbing to make premium content accessible to the length and breadth of the country. We will also keep strengthening our distribution and are very excited to extend our offering to additional consumers via the Airtel Xstream Box. With this partnership our content will find its place on large screen TV at home, and the experience of watching premium content on the big screen is unparalleled”.

Sunil Taldar, Director – Homes, Bharti Airtel said, “We are delighted to deepen our partnership with Lionsgate and bring their premium content to more and more customers through our digital platforms. Airtel Xstream Box continues to see growing adoption as customers discover the joy of hybrid TV experience through one device and enjoy the best of OTT content with linear TV.” 

 

Airtel Xstream Box makes any TV a smart TV. Customers get access to all LIVE TV channels plus the best of video streaming apps effectively eliminating the need for multiple entertainment devices at home. Airtel Xstream TV Box is priced at Rs 3999 for new customers and existing Airtel DTH users can upgrade to the Android box for just Rs 2249. The box also comes included in all Airtel Xstream Fiber plans. For more details https://www.airtel.in/xstream/box.   

 

About Lionsgate Play

Lionsgate Play, a premium streaming service from Lionsgate India and Starz, offers curated Hollywood content for Indian consumers, with much of the content available in multiple Indian languages. Lionsgate India, one of the most recent entrants in the South Asian market, distributes premium content to linear and digital platforms across the region. It develops and produces original local Indian language content as well as adaptations of globally successful content. Starz, a Lionsgate subsidiary, is a leading global media and entertainment company that produces and distributes premium streaming content to worldwide audiences across subscription television platforms. It offers subscribers more than 7,500 distinct premium television episodes and feature films, including STARZ original series, first-run movies and other popular programming.

Superior Hygiene with VitrA Fresh


Household chores often become tiring and a clean toilet although most important on the ‘to do’ list is often looked at last. A solution for this is the VitrA Fresh, experience a new level of freshness and make your life easier! It leaves you with more time to enjoy life rather than clean. We all understand the importance of maintaining a toilet, hygiene is of utmost importance and a necessity for you and the family‘s health. Keeping a toilet clean is not only better for your health but also more pleasant for your visitors. However, a toilet can be absolutely challenging to get to a sparkling level, but VitrA Fresh toilet provides superior hygiene and sanitation with every flush.

 

Keeping toilets clean is very important.  If the toilets are not clean, it becomes a breeding ground for harmful germs. These germs spread diseases and can come inside the house and cause viruses.  Further, the foul smell for the toilets is suffocating. It isn't great for health either. Cleaning is very effective in killing viruses, which can survive on hard surfaces, VitrA Fresh helps make cleaning much easier.

 

VitrA Fresh WC pan features an integral tank that dispenses detergent with every flush, helping to clean the pan thoroughly and protect against the build-up of bacteria and germs. VitrA Fresh prevents the need to add cleaning agents to the cistern, which can corrode the flushing mechanism. VitrA Fresh is one of the many features that ensure lasting hygiene for the VitrA wall-hung WC as it circulates cleaning fluid around the bowl with each flush, cleaning, and preventing limescale and odours. A fully-charged VitrA Fresh dispenser is good for 800 flushes. The liquid cleaner tank on top of the WC pan adds liquid detergent to the flushing water, every flush maximizing hygiene and freshening the air. VitrA Fresh is now available in Metropole, D-Light and Nest in WC’s. Metropole is designed by the award-winning design group NOA from Germany. Nest series which is designed by the Pentagon Design and D-Light by VitrA design team. The VitrA Fresh liquid detergent dispenser adds a pre-measured amount to the flushing water each time. It cleans and freshens after each use. As the VitrA Fresh dispenser is independent of the cistern, there is no risk to the internal parts of the cistern. This also makes cleaning much quicker.

 

VitrA Fresh ensures a pleasant odour in the bathroom together with maximum hygiene and sanitation. Avoid the odour of a toilet left unclean with the new VitrA Fresh. Keeping your toilet germ-free as possible is key to keeping you and your family healthy.


World heart Day – 29th September 2020 In corona pandemic World Heart Day is a necessity to celebrate every day in every house in India!!

Virtual socialising & using mask is compulsory for every Indian in current scenario

 

Mumbai- In this indescribable time, the intact India is in trouble, 80 % of medical facilities and frontline workers (Corona Warriors) are putting their lives on the line each day, and they go out to battle the common enemy Coronavirus (Covid-19).Today every heart patient lives in fear. If I get infected then what will happen with me? On the occasion of World Heart Day (29th September, 2020) we must try to understand, if you or anyone else has pre-existing cardiovascular issues and how coronavirus poses certain, increased risks owing to the same. Dr. Mahesh Ghogare Senior Cardiologist, International Associate Member of American College of Cardiology, Fellow Vascular Interventions from Terna speciality Hospital & Research Centre, Nerul said, “Primary, the oxygen levels in the body will naturally fall when infected with a respiratory sickness and then, the inflammatory nature of COVID-19 will cause a drop in blood pressure. Naturally the heart will have to beat and pump harder; in both scenarios in order to supply oxygen to the body. This can become serious in cases with cardiovascular issues. The aged people are most vulnerable and this is even more so in the case of elderly people with cardiovascular disease. The same applies to pregnant women. Patients with serious heart problems like heart failure, dilated cardiomyopathy; to name a few, are at highest risk. So we have to understand this is an anxious time for everyone and  on this occasion of World Heart Day I would like to say we must celebrate World Heart day at our home not only today but everyday  to cope with the uncertainties surrounding a pandemic that none of us was prepared for only a few months ago. So eat well, regularly and healthily, drink plenty of water, exercise regularly at least for 15 to 20 minutes, use virtual methods of socialising Most people that get COVID-19 have a mild viral illness including sore throat, cough and aches and pains and a fever, but some people (up to 5%) develop a chest infection/pneumonia. We are not yet certain if people with heart conditions are more likely to get a chest infection with COVID-19, but it is likely since they do get chest infections with other viruses like the flu”

We don’t know yet. The current research shows that most people who have recovered from COVID-19 infection have antibodies to the virus in their blood. However, it remains unclear whether all COVID-19 survivors develop strong enough antibodies to protect them from catching the virus another time. There is ongoing research to find out more about antibodies and immunity to COVID-19. Furthermore, there are examples of viruses, like flu and the common cold, which can be caught more than once because of the way the virus changes over time. We won’t know for a while whether this can happen with COVID-19.Therefore, even if you have recovered from a COVID-19 infection, please continue to take general protective measures such as social distancing, using face mask and washing hands frequently and appropriately to prevent infection specially heart patients, added by Dr. Mahesh Ghogare, Senior Cardiologist from Terna speciality Hospital & Research Centre. 

Ministry of Tourism celebrates virtual World Tourism Day

Ministry of Tourism celebrated virtual World Tourism Day today.  This year United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) has designated 2020 as the Year of Tourism and Rural Development. This Year is an opportunity to promote the potential of tourism to create jobs and opportunities. It can also advance inclusion and highlight the unique role tourism can play in preserving and promoting natural and cultural heritage and curbing urban migration.  On this occasion, Hon’ble Minister of Tourism Shri Prahlad Singh Patel addressed the event and the chief guest for this event was Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Hon’ble Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas.  The session was opened by Secretary (Tourism) extending a warm welcome and appreciating the awareness and pro active measures taken by all the stakeholders during this pandemic time to work out a strategy and taking necessary action.   SAATHI Application was launched on this occasion.  SAATHI is an initiative of the Ministry of Tourism with Quality Council of India to assist the hospitality industry to instill confidence among the Staff, employees, and the guest.

 

Hon’ble Minister of Tourism Shri Prahlad Singh Patel reiterated the vision of the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India asking every citizen to visit at least 15 destinations by the year 2022 to promote domestic tourism. The Ministry of Tourism has launched the Dekho Apna Desh (DAD) initiative in January 2020 with the objective of creating awareness among the citizens about the rich heritage and culture of the country, encouraging citizens to travel widely within the country and enhancing tourist footfalls leading to the development of local economy and creation of jobs at the local level. During this pandemic, Ministry has been organizing a series of webinars under the overall theme of DAD, showcasing the diverse culture, heritage, destinations, and tourism products of the country. As on date, 54 webinars covering different States/Union Territories have been organized as part of the initiative. To create mass awareness, the Ministry has also launched an online DAD pledge and Quiz on the MyGov.in platform. The online pledge and Quiz are open to all for participation.

 

Shri Dharmendra Pradhan appreciated the efforts of the Ministry of Tourism in launching the SAATHI application and the online learning module IITFC.  He also lauded the Ministry’s effort of showcasing our culture, heritage, lesser-known destinations, cuisine, etc. through the webinar series Dekho Apna Desh.  Talking about sustainable environment he was keen to take it further by substituting Petrol, diesel, kerosene etc with CNG/LPG which are pollution free.  He also appreciated the efforts of the Ministry of Tourism,  in launching the Incredible India Tourist Facilitators (IITF) Certification Programme, a Pan-India online learning program that is open to all,  and can be undertaken from anywhere in the country. The Programme aims at creating a pool of trained professionals for facilitating the visit of tourists at destinations across the country.

 

The programme will help in enhancing the overall experience of the tourists, who would benefit from the knowledge of the local tourist facilitators and it will also help in creating employment opportunities even in the remotest parts of the country.  A film ‘Pathik’, an initiative on IITFC was launched on this occasion.  A film by ICPB Mice Promotional film was also launched.  Joint Secretary (Tourism) concluded the session with Vote of Thanks.

Monday, September 28, 2020

Symphony introduces world’s 1st ‘Universal packaged air coolers’ for industrial and commercial application

~ The aim is to elevate the local manufacturing segment in India, accentuating on quality, performance, design, and aesthetics ~  

 

Mumbai, 28 September 2020: Emphasising on the significance of home-grown brands, world’s largest manufacturer of air coolers, Symphony Ltd. aims to give momentum to the Make in India move in the country by the launch of Universal packaged air coolers for industrial and commercial applications. This is the world’s first Universal packaged air coolers that provide high level of flexibility during installation. These aesthetically designed air coolers consume 90% less electricity than AC and are very easy and quick to install.  

 

The range includes PAC 20U, PAC 25U and Movicool XXL with innovative features like four-side cooling pads, dust filters and Cool Flow Dispenser. In the Universal Air Coolers, same machine can be flexibly used for either top or bottom discharge with the benefit of two different SKUs from the same model. Made of UV stabilized engineering plastic body, the range is rust proof and weather resistant. They are suitable to install in large spaces like factories, warehouses, educational institutes, hospitals etc. Available across India, the range is priced between INR 82,000 to 99,900.  

 

Till date, Symphony and its subsidiaries have already completed over a million+ installations across the world, and with the launch of this new range of coolers, Symphony looks forward to penetrate deeper into the Indian market with a cost-effective solution of industrial and commercial cooling. These Universal Packaged Air Cooler machines are now available across India through a wide-spread Sales and Service Dealer network. Robust after sales service and lifetime warranty on the product body are some of the added advantages that the brand has to offer.

 

Mr. Achal Bakeri, Chairman and Managing Director of Symphony Limited commented, “We realised there is a huge demand for eco-friendly cooling equipment for large spaces, customers are looking for a healthy as well as an economical option. In our country, there is a dominance of cheap and poor-quality products imported from China. There is no player that manufactures these products in India. Looking at the immense potential in India, we decided to introduce world’s first Universal industrial air cooler. These are completely manufactured locally. With this, we are proud to contribute to our government’s initiative of being Vocal for Local, providing made in India Universal cooling solution to our consumers.” 

 

About Symphony  

Symphony, an Indian Multi-National Company with presence in over 60 countries is the world’s largest manufacturer of air-coolers. From inventions to innovations, energy responsibility to environment stewardship, Symphony is a market leader which has been cooling customers for generations. The massive supremacy of Symphony coolers in the residential, industrial, and commercial segments has made the brand synonymous with ‘cooling’. Founded in 1988, in Gujarat, India, Symphony Limited established a new category of evaporative air-cooling in India, taking it to the globe. As a disruptor of a highly unorganized sector, the company has set high benchmarks comprising 201 trademarks, 64 registered designs, 15 copyrights and 48 patents and a Guinness book of world record, defining the gold standard of air cooling. Symphony Limited is a publicly traded company delivering value to its stakeholders in the most profitable and effective way. 

Saturday, September 26, 2020

Indian Cricketer Dinesh Karthik joins hand with BLITZPOKER for Blitz Premier League

 

BLITZPOKER Logo

 

 

 


 

National, 26 September 2020: To celebrate the ongoing cricket carnival in India, Dan Bilzerian’s official poker room, BLITZPOKER, has joined hands with renowned Indian cricketer Dinesh Karthik to launch the Blitz Premier League (BPL). Dinesh Karthik, the face of Blitz Premier League, is an ace wicketkeeper-batsman of the Indian cricket team and the current captain of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the ongoing IPL 2020.  Dinesh Karthik made his debut for the Indian cricket team in 2004 and went on to become the highest scorer for Team India in the 2007 England Test series, helping India to win the Test series in England after 21 years.

 

Aimed at blending the love for poker with cricket to build an unparalleled excitement among Indian fans - Blitz Premier League, an online poker tournament is starting from 21st September 2020. The 45-days long event will witness roll out of exciting tourneys and giveaways worth INR 50 Lacs for both new and existing BLITZPOKER players. Blitz Premier League is organized by BLITZPOKER to welcome new players from across India. Interestingly, online gaming is receiving an overwhelming response from tier-II cities, contrary to popular belief it is only a metropolitan phenomenon. The key driver of the market volume is the proliferation of low-cost smartphones amongst both urban and rural populations.

 

Blitz Premier League, aka, BPL will host daily BPL Striker tournaments worth INR 75,000 prize pool. Players can participate in the tournament with a buy-in (investment) of only INR 110.

 

Commenting on their partnership with Dinesh Karthik, internet royalty, Dan Bilzerian said, “It is absolutely thrilling to have a cricketer of Dinesh Karthik’s caliber join our ranks for this upcoming tournament. I would like to welcome him to the party and we are quite excited about this collaboration. I would also like to wish him the best for all his upcoming matches as he leads his team. Mr Karthik personifies the hard work and dedication needed to master the game of poker.” Further commenting on the tournament, Bilzerian said, “Blitz Premier League is our way of celebrating India’s passion for cricket while also celebrating the game of skill, i.e. poker. We look forward to, once again, witnessing the passion and love for the game of poker that we’ve come to expect from the Indian poker community.” 

 

Talking about his association with Blitz Premier League, Dinesh Karthik said, “Like cricket, poker requires a particular set of skills. These skills require a lot of dedication, hard work and practice to master. Blitz Premier League is a unique online poker tournament which will definitely excite the poker fans. My partnership with BLITZPOKER is my way of extending my support towards the game, and my respect for the players.”

 

All new members joining during this period will also stand to benefit from exciting offers on their first deposits. New users on the app will get a free ticket to the INR 75K GTD daily BPL Striker tournament. Participants can register for the Blitz Premier League on www.blitzpoker.com, and the format of the game will be Texas Hold’em.

 

Key highlights of the Blitz Premier League:

·       Blitz Premier League offers giveaways and tournaments worth INR 50 Lacs.

·       The Series will feature an INR 75,000 daily prize pool tournament BPL Striker starting from 21st September 2020.

·       During the Blitz Premier League, new users who sign up on BLITZPOKER.COM will get a free ticket to the 75K GTD daily BPL Striker Tournament

·       5 lucky winners will get free merchandise every day from the BLITZPOKER team.

 

Blitz Premier League also includes BPL Bonanza wherein players get a chance to win endless merchandise, claim amazing deposit offers and an exciting deal for all new sign-ups during this cricket season.

Blitz Premier League will run every night at 8:30PM IST on the BLITZPOKER platform. To know more about the terms and conditions of the Blitz Premier League, please visit www.blitzpoker.com  and follow @blitzpokerofficial on Instagram.

Sarthak Educational Trust puts spotlight on Global Impact of COVID 19 on disabled community & ‘urgent need’ to their restore lives with virtual event

 ·        Global Leaders voice concerns towards building alliances, making brands & gearing towards technological knowhow for persons with disabilities at grassroot level

·        Sarthak provides virtual training to 2500+ persons with disabilities, job placements for 800+ differently abled and 350+ free of cost therapies during lockdown

Mumbai 25th September 2020Sarthak Educational Trust and National Abilympics Association of India flagged off- Dhristikone: Level up Strategy 2020 for Disability Empowerment to initiate a dialogue with national and international leaders and give an impetus on required initiatives to empower the disability sector since the pandemic stuck. In tandem with the movement towards disability inclusivity, the webinar on Global Impact of COVID 19 on disabled community & CSR Roadmap for upscaling disability ecosystem was held today on September 25, 2020. During lockdown phase, Sarthak has imparted online therapy sessions for 350+ children with special needs, skill building training to 2500 persons with disabilities and job placements to 800+ divyang community.

The day-long event saw participation from several dignitaries from across the world like Sharmeen Kutky, VP Corporate Citizenship, Credit suisse, Marcie Roth, CEO, World Institute on Disability, Alfonso Lara Montero, CEO, European Social Network, Sarbani Chakbarty (Director, CII) Rajshree Natarajan, CEO, Cognizant Foundation Anurag Pratap, Sr. Director and Head CSR- Capgemini and Lt. Gen SM Mehta, CEO, The Hans Foundation along with several other dignitaries. The event saw participation from noted speakers from renowned corporates like, Accenture India, Deque Software Pvt Ltd, PwC India, Lemon Tree Group, Axis Bank, Ambit Capital and more.

"People with disabilities can positively contribute to the national economy if they are provided with right resources and adequate opportunities to build themselves, expressed Dr. Jitender Aggarwal, Founder CEO, Sarthak Educational Trust. He shared, "Due to COVID-19 restriction, many people with disabilities who operated small businesses, corporate jobs or other informal livelihood ventures (i.e home cell phone repair or machine repair shops, selling goods, etc.) are unable to work and there is a significant loss of income". The event thus put a spotlight on the aftermath of COVID on their personal and professional front and further deliberation on other vital aspects such as inclusion of PwDs at work place, post-COVID survival and revival packages, counseling services, skill-building, newer opportunities, work from home model, CSR expenditure, innovation and technology". 

The highlight of the event was the global leaders working in the field of disability empowerment coming together for the session on “Global Impact of COVID 19 on disabled community”. The session threw light on the best practices adopted by international stakeholders to strengthen the disability sector during a pandemic and the revival packages adopted by corporates on international grounds during this ongoing economic disruption.

Limited access to resources, emergency response & relief system to persons with disabilities, basic needs of the pwds at grassroot level, need of expansive data at domestic and global level, use of technology and social media as an enabler to share your stories, ability to convert obstacles in opportunities for the pwds by having faith in yourself, job opportunities for locomotive disabilities in Covid times, focused collaborations for working towards disability empowerment and addressing racial discrimination by multi-disciplinary committee were the common concerns raised by the panelists. “Joint research on adverse effects of persons with disabilities during Covid times globally, technology adoption through partnerships will bring a change towards work on disability inclusion globally”, voiced MsMarcie Roth, CEO, World Institute on Disability,

Persons with disability in India face many challenges in gaining meaningful employment. It is a mandate for Government organizations to have 3% of the total work force reserved for people with disabilities but NCPEDP survey says it is at 0.05% of total workforce which is all time low.

“The seminar also threw light on need of accessible technology for people with disability across all belts of India (Urban/Rural/Tribal) to access the applications/products developed so far for PwDs, Rethinking on developing structured heath strategy for framing guidelines in Early Intervention Services, Focused and dedicated CSR fund for making online education, accessible and Inclusive, Skilling and Re-skilling of Individuals to make them adaptable for new normal corporate culture, Empowering rural India by providing ample opportunities under self-employment vertical and Capacity building of grassroot champions (civil society organizations) to ensure implementation of online technologies on ground and Empowering and Scaling up Individual talents representing India on International grounds through Abilympics”, added Dr. Aggarwal.

Through its Early Intervention and Inclusive Education initiative Sarthak has rehabilitated 1500+ and 425+ children with disability respectively previously. During the pandemic Sarthak has provided training towards 2500+ Pwds and placement for 800+ pwds. Around 350+ free of cost therapies have been imparted during lockdown by Early Intervention Team virtually for online therapeutic interventions, Home based activities, Psychoeducation to parents of CWSN suffering from neurodevelopmental disorders like Autism, Down syndrome, Intellectual disability, Hearing Impairment, Speech & language deficits and learning disability.

Sarthak Skill Development Centres, has successfully trained 20000 PwD's candidates in the sectors of Tourism & Hospitality, Organized Retail, and IT-ITes. Furthermore, 150+ job fairs have been organized in 21 states to provide employment opportunity to those PwD's candidates who are already skilled. Through Job fairs and skill centers 18000 PwD's have been provided employment.

PNB commences Phase-3 of nationwide CSR campaign “Jai Jawan Jai Kisan”

 PNB Distributes masks and sanitizer kits through its rural and semi urban branches to honour ex-servicemen and farmers

Mumbai, September 25, 2020 – India’s second-largest public sector bank, Punjab National Bank (PNB) commenced the Phase-3 of its nationwide CSR campaign to create awareness against the menace of COVID-19 pandemic and provide its prevention materials. The third phase campaign titled “Jai Jawan Jai Kisan” is to honour the ex-servicemen and farmers through its rural and semi-urban branches in 662 districts, across India.

 

In the third phase, PNB senior officials across the country distributed facemasks and sanitizer kits through its rural and semi-urban branches. As a part of its CSR initiative, PNB also believes that such actions can motivate other establishments to come forward to contribute for the betterment of our society in many ways.

 

After its successful Phase 1 and 2 countrywide CSR campaign, to fight against COVID-19, which was initiated with a lot of fervour, PNB in Phase -3 of CSR campaign honoured retired soldiers and farmers across India for their unflinching commitment & services offered to the country with utmost generosity and gallantly throughout their entire life.

 

Recently, PNB partnered with Rotary to set up an exclusive Plasma Bank, ‘PNB Rotary Plasma Bank’ in Hyderabad, for guaranteed and free Plasma to PNB Parivar and for the general public. More than 150 COVID-19 warriors from PNB Parivar have undergone free Anti-Body test and those found suitable donated plasma.

 

As part of its CSR initiative, PNB also honoured the families of the martyrs of Galwan valley on the eve of the 74thIndependence Day and subsequently honoured and encouraged the hard work of brilliant student fraternity in the country. Over 10000 teachers were also honoured on Teachers Day all over the country for their indispensable contribution in educating and enlightening the youth of the country.

 

In July 2020, PNB launched its first nationwide CSR campaign with the resolve to fight the spread of COVID-19, accompanying Government of India’s extensive efforts to contain challenges and risks posed by the growing pandemic. This campaign was inaugurated by Honourable Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare, Science & Technology, and Earth Sciences Dr. Harsh Vardhan at Nirman Bhawan in New Delhi. In the 1 phase, PNB distributed face masks and sanitizers in more than 650 districts, followed by the 2 phase, in which PNB felicitated govt. school students who did well in their academics and distributed COVID -19 precautionary kits among LGBT communities, schools and other govt. Institutes in the entire country through its branches.

Flipkart strengthens its furniture offerings ahead of the festive season

         Expands selection, seller count and pincode reach to offer affordable and quality furniture to consumers across the country

        Launches ‘India Ka Furniture Studio’ campaign to better assist consumers across the country in accessing the widest selection of quality furniture

 

Bengaluru - September 25, 2020: To cater to consumers’ diverse comfort needs in the run-up to the upcoming festive season and the Big Billion Days, Flipkart, India’s homegrown e-commerce marketplace, today announced initiatives to strengthen its furniture business with an enhanced focus on availability, affordability, accessibility and quality to offer consumers easy access to online furniture across the country. These initiatives assume significance as an increasing number of consumers, including first-time e-commerce users, are turning to digital commerce to meet their home interior requirements, among other needs.

 

The COVID-19 pandemic has catalysed new demand patterns across products categories, including furniture, as people spend more time at home. With consumers now investing more in creating their own comfortable space at home, there is a notable increase in the demand for ergonomic furniture across furniture segments. While metro cities accounted for a large percentage of this demand before the pandemic, an increasing number of consumers from Tier-2 and Tier-3 markets are purchasing furniture online since the lockdown. Now, with the festive season approaching, Flipkart aims to offer customers a one-stop destination for furniture shopping.

 

In this pursuit, Flipkart has more than doubled its seller numbers in the Furniture category on the marketplace since last year to more than 10,000 sellers across the country and increased its selection to over 3.5 lakhs products to meet consumers’ evolving demand. These sellers, including small and micro furniture manufacturers, have been onboarded from various furniture clusters across Churu, Ratangad, Sardharsheher in Rajasthan, Jabalpur, Indore in MP and Saharanpur in Bihar.

It has also expanded its WFH furniture seller count with brands such as Wipro and Featherlite by over 30% as more consumers look to meet their work and learn from home requirements. Coupled with newer and convenient payment constructs such as Flipkart Pay Later, Flipkart aims to make quality furniture more affordable and make the purchase process easier for customers. It has also increased its pincode reach to 100% of the serviceable pin codes across the country through its state-of-the-art supply chain to support consumers looking for affordable and quality furniture.

 

It has also launched its “India Ka Furniture Studio” campaign to assist consumers across the country in accessing the widest selection of quality furniture at affordable prices. The campaign aims at democratising selection, offering trendy designs that cater to the unique needs of consumers by providing scale and value and is aligned to cater to the constantly evolving consumer needs.

 

Manish Kumar, Senior Vice-President, BGMH, Furniture and Grocery, Flipkart, said, “As a homegrown e-commerce marketplace, Flipkart’s offerings are centred around providing access to a wide variety of products at affordable prices to fulfil our consumers’ evolving needs. This has made Flipkart the preferred platform for consumers to meet their essential furniture requirements. Through our expanded pool of thousands of sellers, wide assortment and a pan-India reach, furniture as a category will play a key role in the growth of e-commerce in the years to come. To better assist our consumers, we have introduced the ‘India Ka Furniture Studio’ campaign to showcase the industry-best selection, quality and value products available on Flipkart to millions of our consumers across the country. The success of online furniture retailing, especially in the COVID period, also marks the tipping point of online commerce in India and highlights the growing consumer confidence in the value of e-commerce.”

 

Flipkart continues to innovate and adapt its product offerings to match the ever-changing demand scenario. With the constant support of thousands of its sellers and brands, it has been able to offer millions of customers a wide variety & selection of quality products through affordability constructs. Over the past year, Flipkart has significantly expanded its delivery and installation services to take online furniture retailing to the farthest corners of the country.

 

Link to the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AR43xQH191s

 

About the Flipkart Group

The Flipkart Group is one of India’s leading digital commerce entities and includes group companies Flipkart, Myntra, and PhonePe. Started in 2007, Flipkart has enabled millions of consumers, sellers, merchants and small businesses to be a part of India’s e-commerce revolution. With a registered customer base of over 200 million, offering over 150 million products across 80+ categories. Our efforts to democratize e-commerce in India, drive access and affordability, delight customers, create lakhs of jobs in the ecosystem and empower generations of entrepreneurs and MSMEs has driven us to innovate on many industry firsts. Flipkart is known for pioneering services such as Cash on Delivery, No Cost EMI and easy returns – customer-centric innovations that have made online shopping more accessible and affordable for millions of Indians. Together with Myntra, which holds a prominent position in the online fashion market, and PhonePe, India’s fastest growing digital payments platform, the Flipkart Group is steering the transformation of commerce in India through technology.

 

For more details contact: media@flipkart.com