Gruhas Proptech, Lumos Alternate Investment come together for its maiden Rs. 500 cr real estate fund

 

FirstBridge Capital founded by Mr. KK Rathi and Ex- Shriram Properties Senior Director Mr. SS Asokan joins as Co-Founder

Mumbai 30 November: Gruhas Proptech LLP,  promoted by serial entrepreneur Mr. Abhijeet Pai and Zerodha’s Co-founder Mr. Nikhil Kamath, joins Lumos Alternate Investment Advisors Private Limited (Lumos) as anchor investor and general partner. The joint venture Gruhas & Lumos is in the process of raising Rs. 500 cr for a real estate fund focused on structured debt, last-mile funding, and opportunist equity in real estate projects across major India cities.

Mr. KK Rathi, founder of FirstBridge Capital Partners LLP and Mr. SS Asokan, Ex-Senior Director at Shriram Properties Limited, also join the Gruhas & Lumos board as co-founders.

Commenting on the development, Mr. Anuranjan Mohnot, co-founder and Managing Director of Lumos, said “post second wave of Covid, real estate is emerging as one of the most preferred investment avenues and we are happy to have some prominent industry experts and investors on board to help us in institutionalising real estate investment and management processes. We are now actively looking at residential-focused last-mile funding and structured equity deals for our prospective fund.” 

Commenting on the development Mr. Abhijeet Pai Co-founder of Gruhas and Puzzulona said “alternate investment in real estate will be a big opportunity in India given the requirement of capital in the realty sector. Alternate investment platforms along with fintech can provide better opportunities to new edged investors for adjusted yield products. We are delighted to partner with a highly experienced team that is having a remarkable track record of real estate fund management and real estate development”.

Nikhil Kamath, Co-Founder of Zerodha and Gruhas commented “Our intention backing this asset class is to optimize the offerings in the realty sector. There is an opportunity to democratize realty using technology in a manner that decarbonizes the sector. This is not only aligned to our sustainability goals but also revives the fixed income market.”

 “Delighted to be part of Gruhas & Lumos which through its wealth of experience in managing Real Estate development will set new benchmark in Real estate Fund management when real estate as an asset class is re-emerging in a new economic and regulatory environment.”, Mr. KK Rathi added.

“We see significant traction in the real estate market, particularly in southern mega cities. In the last five years the real estate market has matured and consolidated much more along with a stable regulatory framework such as RERA. . We expect that increased transparency in real estate will provide stable returns to real estate investors” says Mr. SS Asokan.  

About Gruhas

Gruhas Proptech, a venture focused on real estate investments and prop-tech, is spearheaded by promoters of Puzzolana and Zerodha Group. The Gruhas team comprises Mr. Abhijeet Pai, President Puzzolana, and Mr. Nikhil Kamath, co-founder of Zerodha. Puzzolana is the market leader in Aggregate Crushers in India and Zerodha is the largest stock broking company offering retail brokerage, currencies and commodities trading, mutual funds, and bonds.

About Lumos

Lumos Investment Advisors (Lumos) comprises a team of professionals with more than two decades of experience in pan-India real estate acquisition and alternate investment fund management.

a.      Mr. Anuranjan Mohnot, co-founder of Lumos, has conceptualized and raised two Sebi-registered alternate investment funds focused on early-stage real estate projects and successfully exited most of the investments at Amplus Capital (Lalbhai Group company). The investments include real estate projects with renowned real estate developers like Shriram Properties, Assetz Homes, XS Real, Amaya Developers (Ahmedabad), Jain Heights etc.

b.      Mr. K.K Rathi, Founder,  First Bridge Capital Partners LLP and  managing  alternate investment funds for more than 15 years  and presently Managing Director of  First Bridge Fund  Managers  Pvt Limited

c.       Mr. Asokan has led Sriram Properties Limited as Senior Executive Director for more than 13 years and has provided leadership to more than 40 projects under execution of Shriram Properties.

Paytm brings its card-on-file tokenization to Myntra, Oyo, Domino's and others; enables secure online transactions

• Partners with Visa, Mastercard and RuPay to launch Paytm Token Gateway 
• Allows a user’s card details to be stored as a ‘digital token’ to keep card transactions safe and secure
• Offers seamless digital card payments by ensuring customers don’t have to remember their card details for every transaction
• Paytm’s merchant base can now support tokenized transactions to comply with the RBI guidelines

Mumbai, 30 November 2021: India’s leading digital ecosystem for consumers and merchants. Paytm today announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary Paytm Payments Services Ltd (PPSL) has made strides with its card-on-file tokenization or "Paytm Token Gateway". The company has partnered with platforms such as Myntra, Oyo, Domino’s and others, while also joining hands with payment giants like Visa, Mastercard and RuPay. With the partnership, the card on file tokenization service will be available for all of Paytm’s consumers and merchants. It is aligned with the Reserve Bank of India’s guidelines which said that “saved cards” feature won’t be allowed on a merchant network anymore. 

A tokenized card transaction is considered to be safer as the user’s actual card details are not shared with the merchant. Instead, tokenization makes way for the card’s details to be stored as a unique, irreversible ‘digital token’ instead of a 16-digit number. This digital token ensures that a user’s card details remain only with the user and is not shared with merchants or any third party payment processor. Instead the details are only shared with the issuing bank and the affiliated network. It will also require explicit customer consent via additional authentication. 

This makes way for safe and secure payments for end customers and also helps in mitigating fraud. Without the card tokenization feature, users will have to feed their entire 16-digit credit or debit card number everytime they do an online payment or transaction.

It is especially critical for e-commerce companies as it will allow them to offer their customers the ease of tokenizing debit and credit cards. This means end customers can continue to shop via the saved cards feature, which allows faster checkout.

As per the RBI’s guidelines, all merchants/ecommerce stores have to comply with the new card-on-file tokenization feature by December 31, 2021. 

Praveen Sharma, MD & CEO, Paytm Payments Services Ltd. said, “Tokenization is the future of digital payments and also ensures safety, as a user’s card details are not shared with anyone. Our merchant partners can now offer seamless, secure payments to their users. At Paytm, it is of paramount importance to ensure secure digital payments and we are happy to offer Paytm Token Gateway to India’s merchants and online e-commerce platforms along with our partners Visa, Mastercard and Rupay.” 

About Paytm: 

Paytm is India’s leading digital ecosystem for consumers and merchants ⁽¹⁾, and offers payment services, commerce and cloud services, and financial services to 337 million consumers and over 22 million merchants, as on June 31, 2021. Paytm is India’s largest payments platform ⁽¹⁾ based on the number of consumers, number of merchants, number of consumer to merchant transactions and revenue, as on March 31, 2021, and with a GMV of ₹4,033 billion of FY2021. One 97 Communications Limited (“Company”) is the largest payment gateway aggregator in India for FY2021 based on total transactions, with the widest ecosystem of payment instruments ⁽¹⁾. The Company’s lending business (offered in collaboration with financial institution partners), includes personal loans, merchant loans, as well as its Buy Now, Pay Later product i.e. Paytm Postpaid. 

(1) Source: Report titled “The Digital Transformation of Payments and Financial Services in India” dated July 15, 2021, prepared by RedSeer Management Consulting Private Limited.

Spocto’s Kisan Pay BOT reduces farm loan NPAs and eases collections with digitisation for over 2.5mn farmers in India

Spocto Solutions Pvt Ltd, a collectech start-up & 1st to introduce contactless collections for banks and NBFCs in India covering all kinds of loans, enters the agricultural sector with its Kisan Pay BOT, a one stop solution for the banks and farmers, where banks do not have to worry about farmer loan payment under Kisan Credit Cards. Launched in early 2021, till now Spocto has transformed self-pay for 2.5mn farmers in India. It has successfully bridged the digital divide by connecting farmers with loan repayments. 

This is first of its kind innovative application that reads farmer data, details like collection timing, due date, analysing and augmenting with the use of Machine learning, behavioural and psychographic information with use of AI to reach out to the customers in their own desired language. With this, the life of farmers has become easier for loan payments reducing travel to the nearest bank branch for cash payment and thus helps them to adopt digital payment modes enhancing financial literacy and driving inclusion. 

The data is enriched with behavioural and psychographic information arrived at with the use of proprietary AI based Machine learning algorithms. The process allows Spocto to reach out to farmers at their preferred timing, through their preferred communication channel in the language they prefer thus increasing their propensity to pay within the due date.

With the help of Spocto Kisan Pay solution integration with banks and NBFC’s, farmers get a call, sms in their regional language with continues education and guidance on payment details, outstanding, due date. The product is currently available in 18 regional languages and offers digital payments over 9 platforms in 100 dialects. 

Speaking on this milestone in Kisan Credit Card with Kisan Pay, Mr. Sumeet Srivastava, Founder & CEO, Spocto Solutions Pvt. Ltd says, “Financial independence in rural pockets in the country is the need of the hour. With financial counselling and services, we empower and enhance their propensity to pay. Spocto has established itself as a credible organisation being able to convert more than 60% of the unpaid bank loans on the backbone of digitisation, education using high end AI and Machine learning. Indigenously developed, this entire platform supported by a robust backend team of operations and domain expertise, Spocto is now happy to impact the agricultural sector. We hope this product will be able to drive financial literacy and aid collection of farm loans. Testing this solution for KCC users, we hope to extend our service across all agricultural loans educating farmers to pay. With the economy on the path of revival, farmers and their credit or loan repayments are an important parameter fuelling growth.” 

Details about Kisan Credit Card  

Kisan Credit Card or KCC is an initiative by the Indian Government for the farmers of the country to have access to credit at a reasonable rate and was introduced in August 1998. Speaking on the current agricultural lending landscape, farmers applying for loans under KCC scheme can borrow funds at 7 percent per annum for amount upto 3 lakh. The Kisan Credit Card is linked to the farmer's savings account and loans for agriculture can be availed by any banks and NBFC’s in the country by the farmers. Most of India’s farmers opt for loans as it helps them to meet their various cash needs. Agriculture loans in India are offered to farmers for various things like agricultural crop production expenses, post-harvest expenses, farm maintenance, contingencies & others. Many banks in India provide easy loan facility like ICICI bank that offers farmers to pay back loans over a period of 3 to 4 years in -monthly/half-yearly/ yearly instalments as per their convenience. 

Spocto Solutions Pvt. Ltd, is a boutique Big-Data Analytics Company offering its unique customer-driven insights to enhance the collection effectiveness of lending institutions. A collectech pioneer in India, Spocto, through its unique and proprietary Artificial Intelligence (AI) & Machine Learning (ML) based tools & platforms is changing the dynamics of the collection process, allowing the lending institutions to focus on their products and relationship with customers. With an intention to bring dignity to the field of collections Spocto forges a customized journey for each customer paved with financial education and leading them towards self-pay. With over USD 50 Billion as Asset Under Management, a growing clientele of more than 37 global clients, and an expanding base of more than 250 employees in its arsenal Spocto is expanding its presence in the Middle East and UAE markets along with India. www.spocto.com

Akshaya Pvt Ltd recognized as the Real Estate Company of the year 2021

Mumbai, 30^th November 2021: Leading real estate developer, Akshaya Pvt Ltd, regarded highly for its quality, innovation, transparency & ethical business practices has been recognized as “Real Estate Company of The Year 2021” in the 11^th Edition of Construction Week India Awards held in Mumbai. The criteria fulfilled by Akshaya for securing this prestigious award included build quality, aesthetics, delivery, sustainable construction techniques and intelligent master planning.

Akshaya recently launched innovative projects like Disney inspired homes, IKEA-furnished residences, WBHK homes with exclusive work room and Twin D – India’s first hygiene-happy homes with an exclusive focus on health and well-being of residents.

Commenting on the achievement Mr. T. Chitty Babu, Chairman & CEO, Akshaya Pvt Ltd, said, “We are a constantly innovating company, and I am delighted to see the brand getting nationally recognized for touching people’s lives with our quality, innovation, transparency and high ethical business practices.  I would like to thank our employees, customers, landowners architects, contractors, lenders, bankers, vendors, agencies and all other stakeholders who are the backbone of the company and have helped us reach where we are today.”

About Akshaya Pvt. Ltd:

Akshaya was founded in 1995 under the stewardship of Mr. T. Chitty Babu. A first-generation entrepreneur, T Chitty Babu ventured into the world of business with just Rs. 10000 in his pocket and plenty of self-conviction, confidence and clarity in what he wanted to do. Twenty-four years into the journey, today Akshaya has grown into one of the most awarded companies in the country, acclaimed for its transparent business practices and innovation. Driven by the core values of ‘Transparency &Uncompromise’, Akshaya has now earned the distinction of being one among the ‘Most Reputed Real Estate Brands in India’ and the only player from Chennai to feature in a report brought out by Trust Research Advisory (TRA) and Blue Bytes based on media and consumer perceptions. Akshaya offers 10-year maintenance and all the homes are IGBC Pre-certified green homes. Akshaya has been ranked Tamil Nadu’s No. 1 real estate developer and India’s No. 9 developed by Construction Week Magazine in November 2018. The company has certifications in Integrated Management Systems (IMS) ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015, ISO 45001:2018 Management System and SA 8000:2008. It has been awarded with CNBC/CRISIL ‘Highest Transparency’ Award; NDTV ‘Most Transparent Developer in India’ Award and CNBC/CRISIsssL ‘Best Legal Systems’ award for four years in a row. The company is also a pioneer in developing differently abled/elder-friendly homes. The company is also a member of CREDAI. Today, the company is reputed for many original initiatives including the ingenious ‘Akshaya Home Facts Book’ for enlightening homebuyers on their rights. The last 26 years have seen the company excel in both home and commercial domains by developing 168 landmark projects in South India.

About Construction Week

Construction Week is India's foremost business publication covering all aspects of the construction industry. It provides latest news, trends, and project updates. It includes in-depth interviews, features and special reports. The Awards are well recognised and highly valued to celebrate the achievements of the country's construction and infrastructure players. The awards recognise and reward individual excellence, corporate prowess and project success.

BAFTA Breakthrough India applications deadline extended by one week, allowing more time for ‘Breakthrough’ aspirants to apply

Release, 30 Nov 2021: The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) has announced a week-long deadline extension - from 30 November 2021 to 6 December 2021 5.00 PM IST - for the submission of  applications for its BAFTA Breakthrough India initiative.

The programme, supported by Netflix, arrived in India in 2020, intending to propel an emerging generation of creative talent across film, games and television globally, alongside those selected from the UK, USA and China. During its first iteration in the country, BAFTA Breakthrough India received numerous quality applications, prompting the selection of ten instead of five (as initially planned) ‘Breakthroughs’.

This year, to maximize time for potential candidates and allow them another opportunity to complete their applications, the initiative has extended its deadline by one week. Furthermore, it also opens doors to an extended opportunity for many more talents to apply and join an exciting global network through the initiative.

AR Rahman, BAFTA Breakthrough India Ambassador, said, “India has so much potential for rising talent owing to its diversity. We are delighted to extend the application deadline for BAFTA Breakthrough India by a week, which will allow our country’s rising talent from film, games and television an extended chance to avail of this opportunity and apply for the programme. We encourage everyone who’s been thinking to sign up, even if they applied in the previous year, to get on board and apply. This programme would not only help new talent explore new avenues and enable them to network with experts across the globe, but also discover themselves and identify their strengths and weaknesses.”

Tim Hunter, Executive Director of Learning & Talent, said, “As India is such a melting pot of talent, it’s the perfect place to foster the creative and cultural exchange which BAFTA Breakthrough is designed to foster. We’re so pleased to see the high standard of exceptional talent coming forward from every corner of the country, and are extending the application deadline by a week to 6 December, to encourage even more people to put themselves forward for this exciting opportunity to network and learn from our global network of Breakthroughs.”

The highly successful Breakthrough programme - which has been running in the UK since 2013, China since 2019 and the USA and India since 2020 - cultivates a creative and cultural exchange across the film, games and television landscape in these countries. While the initiative has supported 160 emerging talents to date, including Tom Holland, Letitia Wright, Josh O’Connor, Florence Pugh, Jessie Buckley and Callum Turner; the 'Breakthroughs' of the ‘BAFTA Breakthrough India’ debut cohort include Akshay Singh, Arun Karthick, Jay Pinak Oza, Karthikeya Murthy, Palomi Ghosh, Renu Savant, Shruti Ghosh, Sumit Purohit, Tanya Maniktala and Vikram Singh. Moreover, by collaborating with notable experts from the Indian film, games and television industries such as Guneet Monga, Ratna Pathak Shah and Vishal Gondal as ‘Supporters,’ the programme has enabled its navigation of India’s diverse, teeming talent, bringing in applications from across pocketed regions of the country.

Candidates who will be chosen by BAFTA Breakthrough India will receive the opportunity to participate in a year-long mentoring and guidance program - receiving one-on-one mentoring, global networking opportunities, free access to BAFTA events and screenings for 12 months, and full voting BAFTA membership. Furthermore, the selected talent will also connect with and learn from some of the best in the British and Indian creative industries, share their expertise with peers and avail opportunities beyond geographical borders, and be promoted as BAFTA Breakthrough artists globally. 

For more information and to apply visit: https://www.bafta.org/supporting-talent/breakthrough/bafta-breakthrough-india

The candidates can send in their applications by 6 December 2021. The eligibility criteria state that applicants must be over 18 years of age at the time of submission, primary residents of India for at least two years, and conversationally fluent in English. With an aim to encourage cross-cultural dialogue in film, games, and television, this programme is looking for candidates who would be willing to collaborate and share their expertise with UK practitioners and (or) produce content for UK audiences. 

Photography Workflow management platform Premagic Bags INR 2 crore in Pre-seed funding from 300 ventures and other marquee investors

• Premagic helps photographers streamline their workflow & dramatically improve the efficacy of client interactions by making curation digital.

• The company has powered photography assignments worth over INR 150 Cr already since its inception.

India, 30 November 2021: Premagic, a workflow management platform for photographers, has secured INR 2 crore in pre-seed funding round from 300 ventures and angel investors which include Sujayath Ali, Co-founder of ShopUp & Voonik, Sony Joy, VP-Truecaller & Serial Entrepreneur, Mohammed Hisamuddin, Co-founder & CEO of Entri.app and Sharique Samsudheen, Founder & CEO of Marketfeed. The fresh funds will be utilized in augmenting the engineering team, offering more tools to photographers, and entering addressable markets across key geographies.

Founded in 2018 by Anup Mohan, Anenth Vishnu, and Mevin Chirayath as a B2B SAAS product targeting event photography, Premagic helps photographers streamline their workflow & dramatically improve the efficacy of client interactions by making curation digital. The platform also enables photographers to broadcast their brand to a large audience.

By boosting workflow efficiency, increasing the quality of output & providing branded digital footprint, Premagic is able to increase monthly revenue of photographers significantly. For the end-clients, Premagic makes digital invitations & photo / video albums sharing a fun, seamless and secure social experience.

Commenting on the announcement, Anup Mohan, Co-founder & CEO, Premagic said, “We are building Premagic with a vision to support photographers and enhance their businesses. Through our product offerings, we aim to create a platform for photographers that equip them with an indispensable set of tools. We thank our investors for their trust in our team, and we are confident that this investment will help us create a significant impact in the ecosystem”

"PreMagic is solving an age-old problem in a sector that is yet to see true innovations that today's cloud and smartphone technologies make possible. While adding curation, convenience and delight to the wedding photography experience are the core offerings, PreMagic is also building tools that will greatly enhance digital engagement between the hosts and their guests before, during & after the event" said Sony Joy, Head of Truecaller Enterprise. 

Since its inception, the company has witnessed significant growth with thousands of photographers using the platform from India and other geographies like New Zealand and France. The company has recently launched its services in the U.A.E and other GCC countries. 

Acer Launches new line of Air Purifiers with 4-In-1 HEPA Filter: Acerpure Cool C2 and Acerpure Pro P2

Mumbai, 30th November 2021: ACER, the leading consumer technology brand, today unveiled two new air purifiers in India - acerpure cool C2 and acerpure pro P2. A new line of smart air purifiers that takes control of air quality with a 4-in-1 HEPA filter which removes harmful viruses, bacteria, allergens and pollutants from your room making your home a safer place.

Speaking on the launch Sudhir Goel, Chief Business Officer, Acer India said, “The ongoing pandemic has raised awareness about the quality of the air we breathe and ways to stay healthy. We have introduced new technologies and products that ensure the best air quality, comfort, and energy efficiency. Through this launch, we aim to provide clean air through our technology. Also, we shall continue to introduce new technology solutions, which fall in line with our mission to lead and contribute to every community that we operate in. The new line of products is carefully designed to address the current situation and improve the quality of life.”

With the rising number of respiratory diseases, consumers are concerned about the quality of the environment in which we live and have made air purifiers a vital product for your indoors. The new Acerpure Pro and Acerpure cool caters to the need for safe air to breath with advanced filtration technology and smart features which adds to the convenience.

2–in-1 Air Circulator and Purifier

The Acerpure Cool circulates filtered fresh air around the home with the help an advanced air circulator

4-in-1 HEPA Filter, Four-layer Protection

The product takes control of air quality with the 4-in-1 HEPA filter and eliminates up to 99% of airborne bacteria, 99.97% of ultrafine dust, PM1.0, and allergies. This helps in maintaining a clean and healthy indoor environment.

Against Viruses with HEPA Plus+ 

Acerpure Pro P2 and Acerpure cool C2 are designed to effectively eliminate 99.99% bacteria³, 99% coronavirus (229E)¹, and 99% influenza A (H1N1)² virus activity. The HEPA Plus+ has been certified by the 3rd party research center.

Distant Spiral Air Flow & Easy Swinging 

The purifiers and circulators effortlessly control the direction of your airflow with 90 degrees up and downswing and 80 degrees left to right oscillation. It quietly circulates clean air up to 12 meters.

10 million Negative Ions: Effective Purification 

The effective purification system in Acerpure Pro and Acerpure Cool fills the home with a high concentration of negative ions and captures ultrafine dust and PM1.0 keeping the customer happy and healthy.

Smart Sensor & LCD Display 

The consumer can be at ease as the air quality and gas sensor regulate the purifier speed automatically and the LCD displays real-time air quality data.

Low Energy, High-Performance 

With a DC motor, the purifier and circulator provide high performance of purification at a low energy cost.

Quite Mode 

The new line of products comes with technology that reduces noise, combining that with a turned-off display makes for the perfect environment for a good night's sleep.

Safety Lock 

The safety lock feature on the purifier keeps you at peace and not worrying about the mistaken touch by children and pets.

High-Efficiency Purification 

The acerpure pro delivers filtered fresh air of breath through day and night without worrying you about pollution or dust.

Pricing and Availability

Acerpure cool C2 and Acerpure pro P2 can be purchased for a starting price of Rs16999 from the company's online store and various other ecommerce platform Amazon. IT will also be available on Acer Exclusive stores across cities.

Footnote

1. ¹Removes over 99% of Coronavirus

*Tested on HEPA Plus+ Filter by independent lab for HCoV-229E in compliance with ISO 18184: 2019 (E)

2. ²Removes over 99% of Influenza A virus*

*Tested on HEPA Plus+ Filter by independent lab for H1N1: A/PR/8/34 in compliance with ISO 18184: 2019 (E)

3. ³Antibacterial rate of over 99.99%*

*Tested on HEPA Plus+ Filter by independent lab for E Coli ASI.90 in compliance with GB 21551.2-2010 Appendix B

About Acer

Founded in 1976, today Acer is one of the world’s top ICT companies and has a presence in over 160 countries. As Acer looks into the future, it is focused on enabling a world where hardware, software and services will fuse with one another to open up new possibilities for consumers and businesses alike. From service-oriented technologies to the Internet of Things to gaming and virtual reality, Acer’s 7,000+ employees are dedicated to the research, design, marketing, sale, and support of products and solutions that break barriers between people and technology. Please visit www.acer.com for more information.

Lokmat media gears up to host the Lokmat Most Stylish Awards 2021

Mumbai: 30^th November, 2021: The Lokmat Media Group is all geared up to host the 5^th Edition of Lokmat Most Stylish Awards 2021 which will be held on 2nd December 2021, 7:30 pm onwards at Hotel Sahara Star in Mumbai.

The Lokmat Most Stylish Awards 2021 is set to be a starry night of glitz and glamour, where achievements meet recognition and fashion meets style in the most stunning ensembles. An extravagant evening celebrating achievers winning the coveted title of Lokmat Most Stylish, where personalities from all walks of life, not just from Bollywood, will gather under one roof.

The first 4 editions of the Lokmat Most Stylish Awards were graced with the attendance of many celebrated personalities like Hrithik Roshan, Ranveer Singh, Aditya Thackeray, Ajay Devgan, Gautam Singhania, Gaur Gopal Das, Karan Johar, Sara Ali Khan, Deepika Padukone, Sonam Kapoor, Atul Kasbekar, Sajid Nadiadwala, Radhika Apte, Swapnil Joshi, Rohit Shetty, Sonu Nigam, Taapsee Pannu, Rujuta Diwekar, Masaba Gupta, Shaina NC, Kriti Sanon, Kajol, Malaika Arora, Bhuvan Bam, Jai Shroff, Ayushmann Khurrana, Mahesh Kothare, Sanjay Sethi and many more.

This year, the Lokmat group plans to raise the bar even higher by hosting a night of dazzling splendour that will be rolled out for the who's who of the entertainment, fashion, business, politics and sports world to enjoy a gala time at this extravaganza.

About Lokmat Media Group:

Lokmat Media Pvt. Ltd. is a leading multimedia platform media company with interests in a diversified portfolio of publishing, broadcast, digital, entertainment, community, and sports verticals. It has an employee strength of more than 3,000 and has a pan-India network of offices.

Lokmat Media Group publishes India's No1 Marathi daily Lokmat, Lokmat Samachar, and Lokmat Times with a combined readership of 2.56 cr (source: All India, Total readership, IRS 2019, Q4)

Keeping abreast with the changing digital landscape, Lokmat Group makes its content available for its readers through its multi-lingual news portals and mobile news app.

Lokmat entered the TV space in 2008 and it co-owns a 24-hour news and current affairs channel ‘News18 Lokmat’ (earlier IBN Lokmat), through a JV with the Network18 Group.

Lokmat’s experiential marketing division – Taplight organizes various annual properties like ‘Lokmat Maharashtrian of the Year’, ‘Lokmat Most Stylish’, ‘Lokmat Women Summit’ etc. which are the benchmarks in their respective categories. It also provides comprehensive 360-degree marketing solutions to clients including ‘Below The Line’ promotions and client-led activations. It is the largest event management company in Maharashtra in terms of the number of events held. This division also runs various community forums focused on Women, Youth, and Children.

Smarter digital realities - 3rd - 5th Dec 21

 Smarter Digital Realities by Sandbox Collective in collaboration with Goethe- Institut/Max Mueller Bhavan – curated by Padmini Ray Murray

3 – 5 Dec 2021

Free Entry. To register email at collective.sandbox@gmail.com.

Smarter Digital Realities invited select participants from four Asian cities - Bangalore, Dhaka, Mumbai and Pune - to reflect on digital change and its impact on urban life.

Digital technology has found its way into every aspect of the city, changing how we live, work and communicate - transforming the way we relate to the world and each other. We are increasingly living through our devices, a reality exacerbated by the pandemic, when our interpersonal spaces have shrunk to fit the space of the digital interface.

The project comprised of a series of on/offline workshops, involving inputs from facilitators/experts, and encouraged participants to reflect on their relationship with the urban and to frame how experiences of the city have increasingly been mediated by the digital - at scale, or for the individual.

Through two phases of the residency, a host of amazing speakers shared their work and processes with the programme's residents. The speakers, from India, Bangladesh, and Germany, included renowned names such as writer and researcher Nadika Nadja, photographer Sarker Protick, artists Jonny-Bix Bongers and Johann D. Thomas, architect and founding member of CRIT Rupali Gupte, filmmaker Vishal Kumaraswamy, and writer and educator Sarover Zaidi.

Cities are provocative sites to imagine the ubiquitous role of technology, and themes such as the gig economy, the smart city, start-up culture, surveillance: these all form part of the material that participants are working with.

The 21 residents have been encouraged to envision the city and its imbrications with the digital in a variety of ways, and have re-imagined their cities through writing, music, maps, dance, storytelling, animation, film and sound.

Smarter Digital Realities is a project conceived and conceptualised by Sandbox Collective in collaboration with the Goethe-Institut / Max Mueller Bhavan and curated by Padmini Ray Murray.

'Smarter Digital Realities' will open up to the public with the launch of the online exhibition on Fri, 3 Dec 2021 at 6PM in Gather Town.

Free Entry. To register email us  collective.sandbox@gmail.com.

The projects created by the residents, for the programme, will be displayed in a specially created virtual environment.

The launch will be followed by talks and music performance between 3 and 5 Dec 2021

EVENT DETAILS

Smarter Digital Realities 2021- Residency Showcase Online Launch

Imagine a playful, interactive space, where you can walk, run or jump around to find hidden turns and corners. Jump over buildings, touch the sky, sit by a lake, try going in a straight line and finding the infinite white land. An immersive representation of a city, where iconic buildings of 4 cities (Bangalore, Dhaka, Pune and Mumbai) become your gateway into different parts of an online exhibition. Where you can teleport yourself through an artist directory to look at different works which are part of Smarter Digital Realities 2021 - A Residency Showcase Online Launch Event.

3 December

6PM

Gather Town Online Platform

For enquiries: collective.sandbox@gmail.com

Gather Town Orchestra

An inter-city musical collaboration between David De Menezes and Ria Rajan, that came out of the residency which was primarily held on the Gather Town online platform. Through accidental overlaps of sounds and ambient noise, they started to explore the sonic depths and possibilities of making music together on this virtual platform.

The Gather Town Orchestra became their weekly jam session, always changing, never the same.

3 & 5 December 7 PM

Gather Town

For enquiries: collective.sandbox@gmail.com

Investigative interventions - subversive campaigning strategies and tactical media

Jean Peters,  founder of the media tactical collective Peng!

in conversation with

Padmini Ray Murray, Curator, Smarter Digital Realities 2021

4 december

6PM

ZOOM

For enquiries: collective.sandbox@gmail.com

Sometimes, the situation seems desperate. Climate change, the global pandemic, mass surveillance, to name a few examples where it seems like every social movement strategy has failed and the battles are lost. Jean Peters works at the fringe of arts, journalism and activism, always searching for possibilities to fight up situations of hegemonic suffocating. With methods of thorough investigation, smart entertainment and clear ethical vision, needles of resistance can let in some air, and can allow us to  breathe a sigh of relief even in the darkest of political moments. Peters, based in Berlin, Germany, will give us a few examples and discuss them according to the audience questions.

Paytm Payments Bank launches ‘Paytm Transit Card’ — Indians can pay for all metro, bus and rail travel, parking, payments at online & offline stores and more with one card

• Offers the NCMC inter-operable physical mobility card, which drives the government’s One Nation, One Card initiative, bringing convenience to millions of Indians
• Having established leadership in the FASTag category, the
• The card linked to the Paytm Wallet can be used for all transactions of a user — from travel in metros, buses and trains, to pay toll and parking charges, payment at offline and online stores to even withdrawal of cash from ATMs.
• Users can simply top up the Paytm Wallet account to use the card and do not need to maintain any separate account.
• First phase of rollout is being launched in collaboration with Hyderabad Metro Rail, Ahmedabad Metro and the Delhi Airport Express Line, where users can leverage the power of seamless transactions
  

Mumbai, 29^th November 2021: Paytm Payments Bank Limited (PPBL), which is India’s homegrown payments bank, has today announced the launch of the Paytm Transit Card, bringing together the power of One Nation, One Card. The Bank aims to equip millions of Indians with one physical card for all their everyday needs — from travel in metro, railways, state-owned bus services, toll & parking charges to payments at offline merchant stores, online shopping and more. The card also enables the withdrawal of money from ATMs. With this launch, users won’t have to worry about carrying multiple cards for different purposes and just use the Paytm Transit Card for all their payments.

The launch of the Transit Card is aligned with the Bank’s initiatives to bring out products that make banking and transactions seamlessly operable for all Indians. With the Bank’s robust technology and vast user base, PPBL will enable large-scale adoption of the ‘Paytm Transit Card’ that would help promote NCMC and the Digital India initiative further.

It has also created a completely digital process to apply, recharge & track all transactions of the cards on the Paytm App itself. The physical card will be delivered at the doorstep of the user or can be purchased at designated sales points. The prepaid card is directly linked to the Paytm Wallet, where users can just top-up the wallet to use the transit card and do not need to create any separate account.

The Paytm Transit Card rollout is being launched in collaboration with Hyderabad Metro Rail. Users in Hyderabad can now simply purchase the transit card, which can be displayed at the Automatic Fare Collection (AFC) gates to proceed for the journey. This service will help over 50 lakh riders who use metro/bus/train services every day and experience seamless connectivity. The card is already live in the Delhi Airport Express line and Ahmedabad Metro. With the Paytm Transit Card, people can use the same card in metros as well as other metro stations across the country.

Satish Gupta, MD & CEO of Paytm Payments Bank Ltd said, “The launch of the Paytm Transit Card will enable millions of Indians with the power of one single card that takes care of all transportation as well as banking needs. This will drive financial inclusion and accessibility for all. We are glad to be a part of the NCMC initiative and will continue to work towards the digitization of the transit ecosystem in the country while driving the adoption of smart mobility solutions.”

Paytm Transit Card is the bank’s second product in the mass transit category after the success of PPBL FASTags. Paytm Payments Bank is the first bank in the country to achieve the milestone of issuing more than 1 crore FASTags. Besides this, It is also India’s largest acquirer of Toll Plazas for the National Electronic Toll Collection (NETC) program offering an interoperable nationwide toll payment solution.

The bank has enabled over 280 toll plazas across the National & State highways to collect toll charges digitally.

Electric women of Piaggio roll out its Apé Electrik range at Baramati

Pune, 29^th November 2021: Piaggio Vehicles Pvt Ltd (PVPL), a 100 % subsidiary of the Italian Piaggio Group (European leader of the 2Wheeler sector) today created a benchmark in the Indian automobile industry by introducing an all-women workforce on its assembly line making its Apé Electrik range of products.

Being the industry leader in promoting women empowerment, Piaggio has inducted these female workforce from various technical institutes located in and around Baramati. These women were trained on the safety procedures, usage of tools, electric vehicles and the latest technology related to BMS, motor, E-box before being introduced to the assembly line.

Piaggio has redesigned the workplace to make it more ergonomically suited for women. Piaggio believes that understanding the technology and acquiring the right skillsets are the criteria to bring employees on board and not their gender.

This initiative has created employment for women in Baramati which clearly fights the stereotype of women working in manufacturing plants. Women working here are responsible for quality control checks, fitting, assembly, electrical, and overall material management. The revolutionary path will break the barrier that had kept women away from the Shopfloor.

Speaking about the industry first initiative, Mr. Diego Graffi, Chairman and Managing Director, Piaggio Vehicles Pvt. Ltd said, “In line with our group philosophy, we have created the EV assembly line that is fully operated by a female workforce. I want to remark that this is only the starting point, & we have a long way to go. We will have inclusion of more women at the assembly line, plant premises, and offices. This is not just to empower women but also to bring workforce equality in the auto sector which was long due.”

Ms. Pooja Bansal, Head HR at Piaggio Vehicles Pvt. Ltd added that, “Diversity at the workplace is very important as it fosters innovation and growth. The strategy at Piaggio is to provide all women employees economic independence, parity of opportunities which includes career development, and most important- escalating them to managerial and leadership positions. We intended not only to have women employees and train them only for manufacturing and the shop floor but hire and train women employees across the business value chain.”

The female workforce at Piaggio’s Baramati plant assembles all its electric models - Apé E-City & Apé E-Xtra which comes in both fixed & Swappable battery solutions. Piaggio is currently the market leader in L5N Electric 3 Wheeler Cargo segment for the period H1 FY 2021-22.

SAY YAS TO FUN & GAMES WITH YAS ISLAND’S ACTION-PACKED ENTERTAINMENT

Yas Island’s entertainment and sporting events calendar promises unmissable excitement

Mumbai, 29^th November 2021: Yas Island Abu Dhabi, one of the world’s leading entertainment and leisure destinations, is the perfect go-to destination for action-packed getaways and family vacations. As quarantine restrictions are no longer required for fully vaccinated visitors throughout Abu Dhabi, Yas Island offers a hassle-free holiday and with hotel stays inclusive of theme park access and savings of up to 45% until December 2021, making it the perfect winter-sun destination.

In addition to its award-winning hotels and attractions, Yas Island provides an exciting calendar of fun-filled events every year including music concerts, sporting events, fitness showcases, comedy evenings and more for its visitors.

LA SCALLA ORCHESTRA (Thursday, November 25, 2021)

As part of the ongoing partnership with Abu Dhabi Classics, the Orchestra from the prestigious Accademia Teatro alla Scala in Milan, Italy, is returning to Abu Dhabi. This time, the orchestra will invite the public to celebrate the splendours of Italian opera. Together with singers from the Scala, it will present excerpts from the most famous works of Giuseppe Verdi, including La Forza del Destino (1862), Un Ballo in Maschera (1859), Nabucco (1842) and Il Trovatore (1853). To round up this exceptional concert evening, the orchestra will play under the baton of Italian maestro Donato Renzetti the 6th Symphony of Tchaikovsky. Widely considered to be the Russian composer’s masterpiece, the symphony, nicknamed the ‘Pathétique’, premiered in 1893 and is one of the highest expressions of the symphonic age in Classical Music.

AN EVENING WITH MICHAEL MCINTYRE (Friday, November 26, 2021)

Headlining the Etihad Arena, Michael McIntyre will perform for the first time in Abu Dhabi with his Greatest Hits Show.  The British comedian, writer and TV presenter recently released his headline Netflix Special, which was one of the streaming giant’s most watched comedy shows in 2020 and his recent ‘Big World Tour’ had 25 sold-out shows across 20 countries. It’s not to be missed.

OPENING CELEBRATIONS OF YAS BAY (December, 2021)

Yas Bay Waterfront on Yas Island will open to guests on 1 December 2021. Guests can expect an exciting line-up of daily entertainment, activations, events, along with fireworks at 9pm every weekend for the month of December in celebration of the Yas Bay Waterfront opening.

Overlooking the glittering waters of the Arabian Gulf, Yas Bay Waterfront is set to be Abu Dhabi’s vibrant day to night destination. Featuring Pier71, a three-kilometre Boardwalk, and a variety of world-class dining, leisure and entertainment brands on opening, including world-famous Ibiza Beach Club Café del Mar, globally renowned Mediterranean restaurant Paradiso and critically acclaimed Japanese street-food concept Akiba Dori – Yas Bay Waterfront will complement the already exciting offerings at Yas Bay, including Hilton Abu Dhabi Yas Island Hotel, and Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi’s first-of-its-kind multi-purpose, indoor entertainment venue.

UAE NATIONAL DAY CELEBRATIONS AT YAS BAY (Wednesday, 1 December – Saturday, 4 December, 2021)

Yas Island celebrates the 50^th UAE National Day with 4 days of roaming entertainment and live DJ from 5pm – 11pm every night throughout 1 – 4 December and 3 days of fireworks every night at 9pm from 1 – 3 December at Yas Bay, the newest nightlife destination of Abu Dhabi.

FORMULA 1 ETIHAD AIRWAYS ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX 2021 (Thursday, 9 December – Sunday, 12 December, 2021)

The Formula 1 World Championship 2021, the Middle East’s biggest international sporting event, will be hosting the final race of the season at the Island’s Yas Marina Circuit.

Racers Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen will compete to win the title, while the line-up of the world’s biggest stars at Yasalam After Race concerts including Khalid, Stormzy, Lewis Capaldi and Foo Fighters will delight the crowds at Etihad Park, as the Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2021 promises an unforgettable weekend with never-ending fun.

ABU DHABI AQUATICS FESTIVAL (Thursday, December 16, 2021 - Tuesday, December 21, 2021)

The FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) is set to be one of the most exciting sports events on the 2021 global sports calendar welcoming the world’s best ‘short course’ swimmers, fresh from the Olympic Games, to Etihad Arena from 16 - 21 December 2021.

Alongside the swimming action in the Arena, sports fans will be able to catch spectacular aquatics displays in Yas Bay with the FINA High Diving Qualifier, the ultimate leg of the FINA/CNSG Marathon Swim World Series 2021, a brand-new Open Water Swimming Mixed Relay and a FINA Diving Team Exhibition set to wow the crowds.

And that’s not all! The interactive Market Place guarantees hours of fun for all, packed with family-friendly entertainment, cultural learning experiences, delicious food and beverage and more.

It’s set to be breath-taking.

WINTER SEASON AT YAS THEME PARKS

From adrenaline fueled rides, to family friendly markets and traditional meals to sumptuous brunches all set against a backdrop of fabulous fireworks and festive events, Yas Island is the most fun-packed place to spend the holiday season.  Visitors can enjoy Winter On Italian Street at Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, join their favorite animated characters to celebrate the most wonderful time of the year the Looney way at Winter Spectacular at Warner Bros. World™ Abu Dhabi or head to Yas Waterworld Abu Dhabi for a splash-tastic line up of immersive aqua-adventures and fantastic holiday films during Winter Wonderlights.

As wth every year, Yas Island’s skies will explode in a blaze of color and lights in celebration of the New Year. Guests can feast their eyes on the festive décor all around Yas Island, Yas Marina and Yas Bay and participate in a celebratory New Year’s countdown to one of the most iconic and festive firework displays in the region.

NSO PRESENTS AN EVENING WITH FRANK SINATRA (Friday, 14 January, 2022)

The NSO Big Band is promising a night of pizazz and high-impact sound for the stunning musical extravaganza, featuring hit tunes by the most popular and influential crooner of the 20th Century - Ol' Blue Eyes himself, Frank Sinatra. The tribute to Frank Sinatra’s enduring musical legacy feature special guest, Marc G. Dalio as ‘Frank', along with Conductor Andrew Berryman, who will lead those in attendance through a myriad of Frank Sinatra’s hits including ‘Fly me to the Moon’ and ‘I’ve Got You Under My Skin’ as well as his signature ‘My Way’ for for a memorable night out

ABU DHABI HSBC CHAMPIONSHIP (Thursday, January 20, 2022 - Sunday, January 23, 2022)

The Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship is a Rolex Series tournament and recognized as one of the biggest events on the European Tour schedule, regularly attracting some of the world’s best golfing legends. The award-winning event will return with another star-studded field and will tee off at a new venue, Yas Links.

AN EVENING WITH JIM GAFFIGAN (Friday, January 21, 2022)

American stand-up comedian, actor, writer and producer, Jim Gaffigan, will take to the stage at Etihad Arena for his first performance in the UAE, bringing his ‘Fun Tour’ to the capital and giving comedy fans something to look forward to in the new year.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

Guests between 12 and 16 years of age will require a valid negative PCR test with a 96-hour validity and guests who are 16 years old and above must be fully vaccinated with a ‘Green’ status on the Al Hosn app as well as a negative PCR test with a 96-hour validity.

Stringent health and safety measures are in place at all venues, in accordance with the current government guidelines.  Additionally, pod seating has been created for family and friends to safely enjoy the concert while social distancing from other groups in attendance. As an additional precaution, face coverings are mandatory for all guests except when eating or drinking in their seats, as per government guidelines.  

With 95% of eligible employees vaccinated, Yas Island appeals to conscientious international travellers as it is currently one of the safest places in the world for travel. As a recognition of its exemplary safety enhancements and commitment to visitors, Yas Island has received over 25 health and safety accreditations, including the coveted ‘Safe Travels’ stamp by the World Travel and Tourism Council in August 2020—the first destination in Abu Dhabi to receive the international honour.

About Yas Island

Yas Island is one of the world’s fastest growing leisure and entertainment destinations, located on the golden shores of Abu Dhabi - just 20 minutes from downtown Abu Dhabi and 50 minutes from Dubai.  Yas Island offers holiday makers a diverse mix of award-winning leisure and entertainment experiences, from one-of-a-kind theme parks, world-class shopping and superb dining, to a links golf course, exciting water and motor sports, and spectacular musical, entertainment and family events… all within the 25 sq km Island.  Today, Yas Island is home to the award-winning theme parks Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, Yas Waterworld, Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi, the record-breaking CLYMB™ Abu Dhabi, Yas Marina Circuit (home to the FORMULA 1 ETIHAD AIRWAYS ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX™), Yas Marina, the award-winning Yas Links golf course, as well as Abu Dhabi’s largest mall, Yas Mall.  With hotels, including W Abu Dhabi - Yas Island, Hilton Abu Dhabi Yas Island, Crowne Plaza Yas Island Abu Dhabi, Yas Island Rotana, Centro Yas Island by Rotana, Radisson Blu Hotel Abu Dhabi Yas Island, Park Inn by Radisson Hotel Abu Dhabi Yas Island and Staybridge Suites Abu Dhabi Yas Island,  plus more than 165 dining experiences, the destination also features indoor and outdoor concert venues including MAD and Etihad Arena - all of which are complemented by a range of visitor services that connect all attractions to one another

For more info, please visit: www.yasisland.ae