Is Mumbai-Based Startup - ShortGun - India's Answer To Meta?

The best way to predict the future is to create it' said Peter Drucker and it is this quote that Mumbai-based serial entrepreneur Jeet Chandan lives by. Jeet is the founder of a Startup Investment & Consulting Firm 'Entremax' which helps startups to build digital brands and also gives opportunities for venture funding. Apart from these two the other ventures this young entrepreneur has are Bizdateup - a business networking platform, Internkhoj - an intern hiring platform, and Vipani - a paper trading simulator.

Jeet has been working on the final stages of his next venture 'ShortGun', with cofounder Vidhit Mehta. ShortGun is a platform that will lay the groundwork for a path to the metaverse. The platform is all set to begin commercial operations from May 2022. Commenting on the occasion Mr. Chandan said "We are excited to present a one-of-a-kind platform that may revolutionize the way users transact with cryptocurrency. Vidhit, me, and the entire team have worked very hard towards it. We would be launching our token, Shortcoin, which will be used to conduct all transactions on our site. The buyer will purchase a low-cost NFT and will be able to access the platform - which will feature various levels of interactive gaming and learning experiences. The more the users play the more tokens they earn. But this is not it - the best part is that these tokens could be redeemed and we will make an announcement soon about the details."

Ever since Facebook Inc renamed itself to Meta, 'metaverse’ has become a buzzword across the globe and has caught the fascination of many bigwigs. The world is fast warming up to the idea of a virtual world representing the real world. It is a seamless combination of the physical and the virtual world and uses technologies like artificial intelligence, virtual reality, augmented reality, 3D imaging, and blockchain among others. "There is no doubt that Metaverse is the future. Early adopters to the technology have already made huge money and are case studies now. We believe education and convenience will bring forward more people to try and use digital currency and assets. It is all about perception. If people get an option to shop for regular stuff like fashion, food, and other consumables they would be more than willing to come forth and be a part of the metaverse. I strongly believe that people will like the varied advantages and offers that we have designed as a platform" said an excited Jeet Chandan as he signed off for the moment.

Manipal College of Health Professions, Conducts One-Day Workshop On Physiotherapy Update On Chronic Pain Management

It was held as part of the pre-conference workshop of Mangalore Physiocon 2022

Bengaluru, March 25th, 2022: The Department of Physiotherapy, Manipal College of Health Professions (MCHP), Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Manipal in association with the South Canara Physiotherapy Teachers Association conducted a one-day workshop on Physiotherapy update on chronic pain management as part of the pre-conference workshop of Mangalore Physiocon 2022. The workshop was conducted at Sharada hall, MCHP and had participation from 90 delegates from within and outside MAHE.

The workshop was inaugurated by the Pro Vice Chancellor (Health Sciences, MAHE) Dr. Venkatraya M Prabhu in the presence of the Dean of MCHP Dr.Arun G Maiya, Guest of Honour Dr.Ifthikar Ali, Dr. John Solomon the head of the Department of Physiotherapy and Ms. Kavitha Vishal, the organizing secretary of the workshop.

During the workshop the dignitaries stressed on the importance of physiotherapy. Dr. M V Prabhu emphasized the significance of such academic gatherings and the role of physiotherapists in chronic pain management. Dr John Solomon provided an overview of the workshop and mentioned that Chronic pain will be a thrust area of research and academics of the department for the next three years. Dr. Iftikar Ali, the guest of honour thanked MAHE for its association with the Mangalore Physiocon since more than a decade

Speaking about the workshop Dr. Arun G Maiya, Dean of Manipal College of Health Professions (MCHP) said “Physiotherapists play a crucial role in the management of chronic pain. It is an extremely challenging profession that requires constant knowledge and skill updation. Workshops like these provide an opportunity for students and faculty alike to interact with reputed professionals in the field and give them immense learning opportunities”

Resource persons of the workshop were Dr Ramakrishnan Mani, senior lecturer, University of Otago, New Zealand, Dr. Divya Adhia, Research Fellow, Dunedin School of Medicine, New Zealand, Dr Ranganath G, associate professor, GITAM School of Physiotherapy, Andhra Pradesh, Kavitha Vishal, assistant professor, department of Physiotherapy, MCHP, Manipal, Dr Devanandh R, consultant physiotherapist, Tumormo Physiotherapy Centre, Chennai, Anupama Prabhu, assistant professor, department of Physiotherapy MCHP, Manipal, Y V Raghava N, PhD student, McMaster University, Canada. 

New York Court Of Appeals Declares Fantasy Sports Legal, To Be Regulated As Game Of Skill, Not Gambling

* New York Court of Appeals on Tuesday highlighted fantasy sports payouts as legal while reaffirming that award prizes to participants are skill-based; hence does not fall under gambling

In a landmark judgement, the New York Court of Appeals ruled in favour of Fantasy Sports platforms. The verdict highlighted that FS leagues which award prizes to participants are skill-based and do not fall under the state’s anti-gambling laws. The New York Court found that interactive fantasy sports contests “are neither games of chance, nor bets or wagers on sporting events” but “independent contests of skill over which the participants exert influence.” Success in fantasy contests “is relative, measured only by the quantity and quality of skill exercised” by other participants, the court established.

The verdict remains along the lines of a similar ruling in 2021 by the Supreme Court of India, reaffirming several Indian HC verdicts that established fantasy sports, as approved by the Charter of Federation of Indian Fantasy Sports (FIFS), as a game of skill. The Hon’ble Supreme Court had recognised that participants must have a certain level of expertise and knowledge of sports to win in Fantasy Sports.

Several states in India have taken a positive step towards identifying fantasy sports as skill based, while mitigating comparisons made with gambling. Fantasy Sports has been given protection under Article 19(1)(g) of the Constitution of India by multiple judgements by various Indian courts including the apex court. The latest verdict by the New York High Court has further strengthened the definition of online gaming and clearly distinguishes it from gambling.

Commenting on the decision by the New York Court of Appeals, Mr. Anwar Shirpurwala, CEO - Federation of Indian Fantasy Sports (FIFS) said, “The verdict by the New York Court of Appeals accepting fantasy sports as a contest measured only by the quantity and quality of skill exercised is important for India as it further recognises fantasy sports as a ‘Game of Skill. NITI Aayog - the apex policy think tank of the Government of India had recognised fantasy sports as a sunshine sector with potential to boost the country’s sports economy and came out with a set of comprehensive draft guidelines. We are of the firm view that the New York Court of Appeals judgement will further help promote legal certainty and undoubtedly boost the growth of the fantasy sports industry worldwide.”

Globally, Fantasy Sports has emerged as the chosen mode of engagement with sports. According to a recent report by Deloitte, the industry is estimated to contribute INR 16,000cr revenue to the exchequer in the next three financial years. The industry has also attracted over INR 10,000cr in FDI so far and is estimated to attract another INR 15,000cr in the next three years, leading the Fantasy Sports sector to become a significant contributor to the growth of the economy.

Fashion Goes Phygital At India Fashion Forum 2022 At The Leela Ambience, Gurugram

* Big Ideas & Bigger Fashion Plans Highlighted at India Fashion Forum 2022

Following an engaging, interactive, and cognitively charged session on Day 1 of the 21st edition of India Fashion Forum, the forum took forward another spectacular line-up of guest speakers from the fashion industry on Day 2 on 24th March 2022 at The Leela Ambience, Gurugram

The second day began with a prelude by Puneet Dudeja, Director-Business Development, South Asia, WGSN, who presented the audience with insights on big ideas for fashion through a futuristic lens. “The phygital world is here to stay and the time to get on it is now,” he stated and proceeded to provide a four-action plan on how to prepare for the future of fashion and stay ahead of the game.

The first panel discussion of Day 2 was centred around building a profitable fashion retail business, with greater emphasis on customer experience. This highly knowledgeable and interactive discussion was moderated by Ayushmaan Kapoor, Co-Founder, Xeno, and attended by panelists Akhil Srivastava, Managing Director, Parafait India; Jaimin Gupta, Managing Director, Stitched Textiles Pvt. Ltd. (Barcelona Brand); Rohiet Singh, COO, PVH Arvind Fashion Pvt. Ltd.; Shishir Gupta, Director and Founder, Kalki/Kalkifashion.com; and Sorav Arora, Business Head- B&M, Ecom & LFR, Pepe Jeans. The discussion touched upon topics such as lifting the taboo around the lingerie segment, a wish list to follow Nike’s footsteps, reliance on the word of mouth, and more. Focussing on the importance of customisation, Sorav Arora, said, “There is no quick fix to customisation. Data is BIG and one must read up on it and know their customers to do it justice.”

The second panel discussion for the day was moderated by Ranjan Sharma, CIO, Head of SCM, Captive E-commerce business and QA, Bestseller India, and had insights from Anil Menon, Head of IT, LuLu Group India; Anuj George, Head of Business, Zilingo Factory; Sanchit Govil, Co-Founder, Lal10; Pankaj Sachdeva, E-commerce Head & Marketplace, Crocs; Simarjit Singh Suri, Head New Products Development, Reliance Retail limited; and Jay Prakash Shukla, CEO, 1indiafamilymart. An open and informative dialogue followed throwing light on building a future-ready brand through digital transformation across the supply chain, with Simarjit Singh Suri reminding all to be mindful of the impact that their decisions can have on the supply-demand chain.

The topic of discussion for the next panel was: how creating a profitable online-offline business through store-based omnichannel retail can be a hard balance to crack. The discussion was moderated by Swarndeep Singh, MD, LOGIC ERP, and attended by Apoorv Sen, Chief Brand & Marketing Officer, Iconic Fashion; Kuntal Malia, Co-Founder, StyleNook; Lavanya Nalli, Vice Chairman, Nalli Group; Lokesh Chopra, Head Sales & BD, Alcis Sports Pvt Ltd.; Manish Vig, Retail Head, VIP Industries Ltd.; Suman Chowdhury, Co-Founder & COO, Clovia; Queenie Singh, CEO, Jewels by Queenie; and Rohit Dogra, Business Head, V-Bazaar Retail Pvt. Ltd.

Following a foresight-filled session, the first half of the day was wrapped up with a mind-boggling keynote speech by Ganesh Subramanian, Founder & CEO, Stylumia. His words touched upon the looming environmental crisis and the significant role played by the fashion industry. Inspired by his wife, who has been leading a wasteless lifestyle for some years now, Subramanian highlighted the impact of fashion industry on the climate and the green and sustainable measures to be taken to reduce the damage. The session definitely left the audience with thought-provoking suggestions and action plans for the future.

About India Fashion Forum: Launched in the year 2000, India Fashion Forum (IFF) is India’s largest fashion retail intelligence event. Every year, a powerful blend of conference sessions, workshops and master classes, zoned exhibitions and industry awards mark IFF’s confluence of the biggest consumer trends, market intelligence and retail innovation in the business of fashion in India. This edition of IFF Conference will offer unparalleled insights from international and Indian industry experts, academics, global fashion research majors and analysts through a world-class mix of keynote addresses, panel discussions, CEOs Roundtables, presentations, knowledge series sessions and workshops. Four themed exhibition platforms — Fashion Sourcing, L Cube, Asia Shop, India Brand Show — will highlight the most market-ahead fashion ingredients, design innovation, technology, retail strategies and solutions to a mega congregation of leaders from the business of fashion in India and elsewhere.

Vi Introduces Vi MiFi – A High Speed Connectivity Solution For The Entire Family

 

* The superfast internet device - Vi MiFi, can simultaneously connect up to 10 WiFi-enabled devices anytime, anywhere

Vi, India’s leading telecom brand, has launched Vi MiFi for its customers on Vi Family Plans and Individual Postpaid Plans. Vi MiFi is a pocket-sized 4G router that delivers reliable, high speed and secure connectivity for multiple devices, while also being ideal for individuals wanting to stay connected on the go. Vi MiFi supports superfast speeds of up to 150 Mbps and enables users to securely connect up to 10 WiFi-enabled devices such as mobiles, smart TVs, laptops, tablets, CCTVs, smart speakers and more.

Consumers are now, more than ever, accessing internet for varied purposes and across multiple devices. As these devices proliferate, so does the need for seamless digital connectivity at all times. With high speed and secure internet access, Vi MiFi is a valuable proposition for consumers; be it for “work from anywhere” or consuming content or attending online classes.

Sleek and lightweight, Vi MiFi comes with an inbuilt 2700 mAh rechargeable battery that can provide uninterrupted connectivity for up to 5 hours on a single charge.

Priced at Rs 2,000 (including taxes), Users can purchase this MiFi device as an add-on connection with Vi family postpaid MIFI_Device2plan. This makes it a unique proposition for families who can add not just members but also MiFi within Vi family plans and enjoy the convenience of a single bill for all numbers. Vi MiFi is also available with individual postpaid plans starting Rs. 399.

Vi MiFi is available at select Vi stores across 60 cities in all major markets.

For more details on Vi MiFi, visit www.myvi.in/vi-mifi

Leading Proptech Firm Strata Signs Up As Official Partners For Mumbai Indians

* Strata Launches An Exclusive Loyalty Program For All Its Investors'

Strata, India’s leading tech-enabled commercial real estate (CRE) investment platform, has signed up as the partners to five-time champion Mumbai Indians for the 15th edition of the country’s leading T20 league scheduled between 26th March and 29th May 2022.

As the country’s leading proptech firm, Strata’s collaboration with one of the most iconic teams of the most loved sport festival in the country, came in as a natural choice to build the right visibility and traction for the brand as it forays into its next growth phase. The immense popularity of the most successful and followed team in the T20 league, will aid in offering a major boost to Strata’s objective of targeting a diverse portfolio of customers.

Additionally, to further strengthen relationship and to establish long-term bonds with its investors, Strata has announced the launch of ‘Strata Loyalty Program’. The unique program has been structured to reward and thank its loyal investors who can access a combination of rewards and tiers during their investment journey.

The Strata Loyalty Program entails four tiers basis the investment amount and can be availed by all its investors. ‘Bronze’ tier for investments of up to INR 1 Crores Net AUM, ‘Silver’ tier for investments equal to or above INR 1 Crores & up to INR 3 Crores Net AUM, Gold tier for investment equal to or above INR 3 Crores & up to INR 5 Crores Net AUM and ‘Platinum’ tier for investment equal to or above INR 5 Crores Net AUM. The program would help investors access a wide variety of benefits including reduced management fees, exclusive access to selected properties, personalized tax services and many more depending on the tiers.

On the occasion, Ankit Shah, Head of Marketing, Strata, said “We are extremely thrilled to associate with Mumbai Indians, the most successful and popular team in one of the world’s leading T20 leagues.. Championing five titles so far, they have undoubtedly been the most consistent and resilient team. Their pursuit for consistent excellence bears a significant resemblance with the kind of returns our investors enjoy on Strata’s platform that offers CRE (Commercial Real Estate) as an asset class – stable, consistent and low-risk and which is what brings us together. Strata too is the category leader offering CRE investing and through its customer centric approach, efficient processes and strategic investments has created a distinct brand loyalty among its investors. The collaboration will enable us to combine the synergies of both brands while driving greater brand awareness among a diverse set of audiences.”

Mumbai Indians Spokesperson said, “We are pleased to associate with Strata for the upcoming season. We welcome them on-board Mumbai Indians’ brand family and look forward to a successful campaign with them.”

Strata, the pioneer to offer fractional ownership investing in commercial real estate in India, serves over 1500 investors and 20000 users across the globe. The company recently crossed the significant threshold of 500 crores in Assets under Management (AUM) with assets across Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Telangana and Rajasthan. Through its tech-enabled platform, it empowers retail investors to invest in commercial properties of their choice whilst offering excellent and consistent yields. Strata envisions to be the largest alternative investment platform in the country for retail investors by enabling them to invest in CRE assets—by democratizing assets and offering it on an easy-to-use online platform.

Key benefits under ‘Strata Loyalty Program’:

Bronze:

·         1.00% management fee on all Investments;

·         Instant Call Feature with the assigned Investment Manager;

·         Investor dashboard and all basic benefits as per the terms of Strata Platform and Investment documents.

Silver:

·         0.90% management fee on all Investments;

·         All other Benefits of Bronze to continue;

·         48 hours early access to new asset listings.

Gold:

·         0.80% management fee on all Investments;

·         All other Benefits of Silver to continue;

·         Performance fee of 15% shall apply instead of 20%;

·         Exclusive access to select assets;

·         Access to Expert Corner - Compliance/ Legal Information about various investments and topic consultations with our experts who can provide this advice upon request.

Platinum:

·         0.70% management fee on all Investments;

·         All other Benefits of Gold to continue;

·         Performance fee of 10% shall apply instead of 20%;

·         Personalised Tax Services

About Strata Property Management

Strata is a tech-enabled commercial real estate investment platform that allows investors to own and sell units of pre-leased, Grade-A commercial properties such as office spaces, warehouses, industrial assets, etc. It is funded by marquee investors, Kotak Investment Advisors, Gruhas Proptech, Elevation Capital, Mayfield India, and others. Sourcing Commercial Real Estate and offering it on an easy-to-use online platform, Strata aims to democratize CRE, making it accessible for a much larger investor base.

With its data-driven asset selection and a single-window platform to invest in assets across the country Strata brings in transparency, and ease of liquidity to CRE investments. Investors earn superior rental yields and can liquidate the investments whenever required. In a year’s time Strata has funded multiple assets amounting to an AUM of over 500 crore while also managing 80-90 Crores in asset management.

About Mumbai Indians

Mumbai Indians is owned by Reliance Industries Ltd through its 100% subsidiary IndiaWin Sports, and competes in the Indian Premier League having its home ground at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. Over the last decade, Mumbai Indians has emerged as the most consistent cricket franchise maintaining its Number Uno position with seven titles, which includes a record 5 trophies in IPL and two Champions League T20 titles.

The franchise commands immense brand value in the sporting world, with stakeholders trust, brand investment, fan engagement and performance. Brand Finance, a global brand valuation agency has recently accorded AA+ brand strength rating to Mumbai Indians. Mumbai Indians has the reputation of a global sporting club with its far worldwide reach through digital presence, having over 30 million fans engaged digitally across the globe. Follow us on www.mumbaiindians.com

IIE Signs MoU With MoRD To Enhance The Impact Of Start-Up Village Entrepreneurship Programme

In line with the Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat, the Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship (IIE) under the aegis of Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), to promote entrepreneurship at a local level amongst the rural youth.

Under the agreement, the Start-up Village Entrepreneurship Programme (SVEP), the sub scheme of the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM), with the core objective of promoting employment opportunities in rural India, particularly developing self-employment avenues for unemployed rural people.

By developing a sustainable model for Village Entrepreneurship Promotion, the programme aims to enable the rural poor (from the SHG ecosystem) to start their own businesses. This will be accomplished through the use of integrated ICT techniques and tools for training, capacity building, business advisory services, and the provision of loans from banks, SHGs, and federations.

Dr. Lalit Sharma, Director of IIE, and Shri Raghvendra Pratap Singh, Director of MoRD, signed the MoU in the presence of Shri Rajesh Aggarwal, Secretary, MSDE, Ms. Anuradha Vemuri, Joint Secretary, MSDE, and Shri Charanjit Singh, Joint Secretary MoRD.

The Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship (IIE), Guwahati, Assam, will act as a National Resource Organisation (NRO) for the Start-up Village Entrepreneurship Programme (SVEP) and will provide support to the State Rural Livelihoods Mission (SRLM) for the scheme's successful implementation. The NRO is expected to play a two-fold role in the SVEP's implementation, i.e.  Implementation Role, which will include direct SVEP implementation in the blocks as implementing partners with the States, and Programme Scale-Up Role, in which IIE will be responsible for scaling up the scheme based on the blocks' experience with the SVEP and their prior experience with entrepreneurship development programmes.

The main objective of Start-up Village Entrepreneurship Programme (SVEP) is to develop local resources by training a pool of village level Cadre of Community Resource Persons-Enterprise Promotion (CRP-EP) and build the capacity of the NRLM and SHG federations to monitor, direct the work of the CRPEPs. The programme will also help the rural entrepreneurs to access finance for starting their enterprises from the NRLM SHGs and federations, the banking systems including the MUDRA.

Commenting on the MoU, Mr. Rajesh Aggarwal, Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, said, "The Start-up Village Entrepreneurship Programme (SVEP) being implemented by the IIE is a great way to empower the youth of rural India with the relevant skill sets and promote entrepreneurship at local level. With the experience that IIE has, we will ensure strong implementation mechanism and handholding support to State Rural Livelihoods Missions (SRLMs) implementing Start-up Village Entrepreneurship Programme (SVEP). We are certain that this will further boost the employment opportunities in rural India with a step in the direction of Atmanirbhar Bharat and as our Hon’ble Prime Minister states, Start-ups will be the backbone of the New India of our dreams.”

With the MoU in place, the MoRD will inform all states/UTs about IIE's empanelment as an NRO under the SVEP to help accelerate growth. In addition, IIE will work closely with SRLMs to serve as the SVEP's National Resource Organisation. IIE and the respective SRLM will be in charge of allocating SVEP blocks for implementation. Additionally, because MoRD will not be involved in the allocation of SVEP blocks to NRO for programme implementation, a separate MoU should be signed between NRO and SRLM for SVEP implementation.

The Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship (IIE), Guwahati, Assam, established in 1993, is an autonomous organisation under the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship. The institute's main goal is to provide training, research, and consulting services in small and micro enterprises (SMEs), with a special emphasis on entrepreneurship development.

About Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship (IIE) 

The Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship (IIE) was established in the year 1993 in Guwahati by the erstwhile Ministry of Industry (now the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises), Government of India as an autonomous National Institute to undertake training, research and consultancy activities in small and micro enterprises focusing on entrepreneurship development.

About Ministry of Rural Development( MoRD)

The Ministry of Rural Development, a branch of the Government of India, is entrusted with the task of accelerating the sustainable and inclusive growth of rural India through livelihoods opportunities, social safety net and developing infrastructure.. Being the nodal Ministry for most of the development and welfare activities in the rural areas of India, the Ministry of Rural Development plays a pivotal role in the overall development strategy of the country. The vision and mission of the Ministry is sustainable and inclusive growth of rural India through a multipronged strategy for eradication of poverty by increasing livelihoods opportunities, providing social safety net and developing infrastructure for growth. This is expected to improve quality of life in rural India and to correct the developmental imbalances, aiming in the process, to reach out to most disadvantaged sections of the society.