Vega Ties Up With RCB Eves As Official Hair Styling Partner For WPL 2023

* Recently the company was adjudged India’s No. 1 Hair Styler Appliance Brand by AZ Research

Vega, a forerunner in Personal Care Appliances (PCA) and Beauty Care Accessories (BCA) Categories, today announced its first ever sports partnership with Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) women’s cricket team for the Women’s Premier League (WPL), the players are in for effortless styling both on and off the pitch.

Under the association, the players’ lead trousers will feature Vega as part of the RCB Jersey, during all the matches that the Bengaluru squad will play in the days and weeks to come. The WPL began on March 4 with the inaugural match in Mumbai. RCB played its first match against Delhi Capitals in Mumbai on March 5.

Vega was recently declared ‘No. 1 Hair Styler Appliance Brand’ in the country. According to research by AZ Research, Vega has been recognized not only as the ‘Most Recalled Brand’ but also as the ‘Most Owned Brand’ with the ‘Most Satisfied Users’ in the Hair Styler Appliance sub-category. Vega has been a leading player in Hair Brushes and Hair Combs for over 2 decades and has a wide range of offerings in Men’s PCA categories featuring easy-to-use, innovative and travel-friendly head-to-toe grooming and styling products.

Commenting on this strategic partnership, Ms. Eiti Singhal, Chief Marketing Officer, Vega said, “Our association with RCB will enable us to propagate our shared values of supporting women cricketers to inspire others to follow their hearts and passion. This partnership is particularly special as it is the first of its kind platform for women to play bold at such an unprecedented scale. Vega is a brand synonymous with women being India’s No. 1 Hair Styler Appliance Brand and delighting millions of fans with our products already. And this collaboration will springboard our endeavour towards commitment, self-focus and self-love for all.”

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Rajesh Menon, Head & Vice President of Royal Challengers Bangalore, said, “We are happy to be associated with Vega, a brand that has a strong presence in the target market of the WPL. We hope to build and consolidate this into a longer-term partnership.”

Vega offers an unparalleled range of over 600+ products for men, women and children that includes Hair Straighteners, Hair Dryers, Hair Curlers, Hair Stylers, Face Care, Men’s Trimmers, Groomers, Hair Brushes, Hand-Made Combs, Bath Accessories, Makeup Brushes, Sponges & Puffs, Pedicure & Manicure Tools, etc. The brand is dedicated to helping millions unleash the best of what they are, not by changing them, but by empowering them.

India Celebrates Women’s Cricket With A Billion Plays On Reels From The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup

* Smriti Mandhana was one of the most popular players and the India vs. Pakistan match was one of the most popular matches in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup last month.

* 150,000 Reels with over 140 million engagements related to the matches show the strong support young people in India have for women’s cricket.

Ahead of International Women’s Day, we are sharing insights about the way India celebrated the players and teams at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in South Africa.  Smriti Mandhana was one the most popular players and the India vs. Pakistan match was one of the most popular matches on Instagram, with over a billion plays on Instagram Reels throughout the tournament from India.

Instagram is a place where people can connect, build community and follow the things they love – and Reels is a great way to do that. Cricket is a popular youth interest in India, so the robust conversation and engagement on Instagram during the event was unsurprising. More than 150,000 Reels, with over 140 million engagements related to the matches have been created about the tournament from its start on February 10th to its end on February 26th.

Sandhya Devanathan, Vice President, Facebook India (Meta), said, “We’re excited that our platforms are the home where people can express themselves and support each other. In context to International Women’s Day, that’s very important because we believe in empowering women – whether you’re a consumer, a creator, a business owner, a sportsperson or a fan. We’re happy to see an entire nation backing women in a sport traditionally dominated by men, and that we’ve been able to play a small role in it.”

While a lot of the action was posted from the   @icc, @t20worldcup and the cricketers’ Instagram accounts, a squad of content creators were also sent to the host nation, South Africa, to cover the tournament. These creators – Rida Tharana, Saloni Gaur and RJ Kisna – shared reels from a spectator’s lens and collaborated with various teams to create content in a fun way for their audience. You can follow #ReelsSquadIndia hashtag to see more.

Insights from ICC Women’s T20 World Cup:

Some of the most talked about players:

Smriti Mandhana

Harmanpreet Kaur

Ellyse Perry

Richa Ghosh

Jemimah Rodrigues

Some of the most talked about teams:

India

Australia

Pakistan

England

South Africa

Some of the most talked about matches:

IndvsPak

AusvsInd

EngvsInd

IndvsIre

WivsInd

Some of the most popular hashtags: (apart from matches)

#t20worldcup

#Womencricket

#womeninblue

CII Karnataka Annual Meeting 2022-23:: Beyond Bengaluru – Karnataka Government Is Committed To Decongesting Bengaluru.

* Plan to avail 50000 acres of land for industrial development within 6 months: Dr. Murugesh Nirani

* New office Bearers for CII Karnataka: 

* Mr Vijaykrishnan Venkatesan elected as the Chairman and Mr Venu Nuguri elected as Vice Chairman

Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Karnataka organised the Annual Meeting 2022-23 in the city today. The meeting was marked by an engaging discussion on“Karnataka@100: Sustainable Futures - Digital Transformation and Upskilling. Dr. Murugesh Rudrappa Nirani, Hon’ble Minister for Large & Medium Scale Industries, Government of Karnataka delivered the inaugural address. 

CII Karnataka released the vision document Towards Karnataka@100 in collaboration with IIM Bangalore at the Inaugural Session. The vision document prepared in consultation with the stakeholders from across the state, capturing their inputs and aspirations for Karnataka@100 brought out a collective vision of an inclusive sustainable future powered by innovation.

CII Karnataka also announced the election of new office bearers for CII Karnataka State Council for the year 2023-24.Mr. Vijaykrishnan Venkatesan Managing Director of Kennametal India Limited (KIL) elected as the new Chairman while Mr. Venu Nuguri, Managing Director & CEO of Hitachi Energy will serve as the Vice Chairman.

Dr. Murugesh Rudrappa Nirani, Hon’ble Minister for Large & Medium Scale Industries, Government of Karnataka stated that Karnataka is number one in ease of doing business and in receiving FDI in the country at 38%. In Aerospace and Defence also, Karnataka is number one in the country with more than 63% share. All major multinational companies in the aerospace sector have set up their R&D centre in Karnataka.

Dr. Nirani shared that Karnataka Government is committed to decongesting Bengaluru and developing infrastructure in Karnataka as a top priority. The Government is looking to build around 17 or 18 airports in Karnataka each within a radius of 100 kilometres from the other. Road connectivity is also being improving with the objective to enhance the industrial connectivity across Karnataka with other states. According to him, Beyond Bengaluru will become a reality soon.

Speaking about the Global Investors Meet 2022, Dr. Nirani stated that Rs. 9.81 lakh crores worth of MOU were signed which would generate 7 to 8 lakh jobs in the State. He said that government is in sync with CII’s Beyond Bangalore concept, and highlighted that only less than 10% of these investments (during GIM) were for Bangalore, with 90% directed outside Bangalore, in Tier 2 and tier 3 cities. He further said that 50% to 60% of the MOUs signed during the Global Investors Meet will be operational within 5 years. Making land available for industrial development is of high priority for the government and the process of availing land parcels of 50000 acres in the State including 20000 acres in Bengaluru and over 30000 acres of land outside the city will be available within 6 months.

Ms. Suchitra Ella, Chairperson, CII Southern Region & Managing Director Bharat Biotech International Ltd said that the industry is currently in the early stages of a sustainability Revolution. To prepare for the sustainability revolution, companies need to rethink their approach on new skills and new jobs and academic institutions to bridge that gaps in R&D.

Mr. Kamal Bali, Deputy Chairman, CII Southern Region & President & Managing Director, Volvo Group India Pvt Ltd emphasised the need for India to focus on its transition to sustainable manufacturing not just by the large players but also within the MSME sector. Promoting sustainable manufacturing as a thrust area will be the need of the hour to be visible as a leader in the Global Value Chain. 

Mr. Arjun Ranga, Chairman, CII Karnataka State Council & Director, NR Group & Managing Director, Cycle Pure Agarbathis said that CII Karnataka has been working towards inclusive and sustainable growth by focusing on the development of Tier-2 cities and will continue to work on enhancing the ease of doing business, especially for MSMEs and strengthen the ecosystem for entrepreneurship and youth engagement.

A CEOs Perspective on Sustainable Future, Globalization to Localization moderated by Mr. Ramesh Ramadurai, Managing Director, 3M India Ltd saw a lively discussion on the key trends and actions that are being taken in India to drive sustainability in different sectors by a panel which included Mr. Sandeep Maini, Chairman, Maini Group; Dr Venkata Ramana Akkaraju, Chairperson, New Mangalore Port Authority; Mr. Venu Nuguri, Managing Director & CEO, India & South Asia, Hitachi Energy India Ltd, Mr. Arvind Mediratta, Managing Director & CEO, Metro Cash & Carry India and Mr. Dilip Jose, Managing Director & CEO, Manipal Hospitals.

The CII Karnataka Annual Meet 2023 brought together thought leaders from industry, government, and academia to facilitate dialogue and learnings for co-creating and working towards a sustainable and inclusive future for Karnataka.

Profile of CII Karnataka new office bearers

Mr. Vijaykrishnan Venkatesan, Chairman of CII Karnataka State Council 2023-24.

Vijaykrishnan Venkatesan is the Managing Director of Kennametal India Limited (KIL) since September 2020. He spearheads the infrastructure business of Kennametal Inc. for the APAC region in addition to his role as the MD of Kennametal India. Prior to joining Kennametal, Vijaykrishnan accumulated over 23 years of work experience with Saint Gobain and 3M. He has held leadership roles in India as well as the APAC region. He served as Vice President - Abrasives systems Division, and as Executive Director – Strategic Planning, 3M India.  In his current role, he is leading efforts to drive growth for Kennametal in India and create value for its stakeholders with focus on enhancing ESG standards for the company, Manufacturing & operational excellence. He champions DEI & ESG initiatives within his frame of work. Vijaykrishnan is a Graduate of Madras University with a degree in Mechanical Engineering and an MBA with specialization in Marketing.

Mr. Venu Nuguri Vice Chairman of CII Karnataka State Council 2023-24

Venu Nuguri is Managing Director & CEO of Hitachi Energy in India and South Asia. He has been the Managing Director of India since December 2019 and head of the South Asia region since Jan 2016. Venu has over 25 years of experience across Business Units in the company. He has held several leadership positions in sales, marketing, account management, business development, customer relations, and operations. Venu has a degree in Electrical Engineering from the National Institute of Technology (NIT), Warangal, and he has also attended management courses at the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, Indian School of Business, Hyderabad, and the International Institute of Management Development, Switzerland.

DNA Women Achievers Awards 2023 Honours Top 18 #SheAchievers

* The inaugural Zee-DNA Women Achievers Awards 2023 identified and honoured top achievers in 18 different fields. Here’s the complete list.

The first edition of the Zee-DNA Women Achievers Awards backed by IndiaDotcom Digital Private Limited (IDPL, a Zee Media company) and DNA India, saw women winners from different walks of life receiving awards in a scintillating ceremony at Delhi’s Le Meridien on March 3. Smt. Anupriya Patel, Minister of State for Industry and Commerce, was the Chief Guest of the programme. Renowned spiritual guru BK Shivani delivered the keynote address at the event.

Here's the list of the winners:

Young achiever in Auto – ShriyaLohia (14 Year Old Indian Racing Driver) 

Gamechanger of the Retail industry- KirtiPoonia (Founder, Okhai)

Leaving a mark in the Real Estate sector- Anushka Singh (Board Member, DLF)

Breakthrough in healthcare- NeerjaBhatla (Head Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, AIIMS) 

Pivotal change in E-commerce – Radhika Ghai Aggarwal (Co-founder, ShopeClue)

Inspiring leadership in FMCG – FalguniNayar (Founder and CEO, Nykaa)            

Business leader of the year – Vineeta Singh (CEO, Sugar Cosmetics)       

Voice of the voiceless in media- Karishma Mehta (Founder & CEO at Humans of Bombay)

Entertainment Personality of the year- Ekta Kapoor (Indian television producer, film producer & director)           

Fashion Icon of the year- Ritu Kumar (Fashion designer)      

Invention in Jewellery – Anu Merton (Handmade Indian jewellery designer)     

Outstanding contribution to the Hospitality sector- Anahita Dhondy Bhandari (Chef & Author of The Parsi Kitchen)        

Powerful voice for Social change – NeelamKrishnamoorthy (Chairperson of the AVUT (Association of the Victims of Uphaar Tragedy)           

Changemaker in Education- ShaheenMistri (founder CEO of Teach For India)           

Impactful contribution in Sports – Deepa Malik (Paralympian)              

Dynamic leadership in Political Change- Swati Maliwal (Chairperson, DCW)   

Innovative Digital Creator- KushaKapila (Digital creator)     

Entrepreneur of the year- Anisha Singh (Founding Partner She Capital, Founder- Ex CEO mydala.com)           

The DNA Women Achievers Awards 2023 witnessed insightful panel discussions among Industry stalwarts emphasising on the themes: ‘The role of Indian successful women in boosting Indian economy and elevating the society’ and ‘Is Homemaking the first step towards Entrepreneurship for women?’

Commenting on the success of the inaugural DNA Women Achievers Awards 2023, Mr.Devadas Krishnan, CEO, Indiadotcom Digital Pvt. Ltd. said, “It is a moment of great pride for the entire nation to celebrate the achievements of women gamechangers and inspire the society at large. Women are known for their multi-tasking skills and IDPL has taken a step forward to appreciate the women power and excellence, which can further motivate the next generation. It gives us immense joy that the event has been graced by eminent women champions of the nation.”

“With the success of DNA Women Achievers 2023, we look forward to roll out a second edition soon, to celebrate the never give-up and go-getter attitude of women from different walks of life. Rewarding the champions allows the channel to focus on a human-centric narrative and further engage stakeholders in exploring new horizons,” added Mr. Shridhar Mishra, CRO, Indiadotcom Digital Pvt Ltd.

About IndiaDotcom Digital Pvt Ltd: IndiaDotcom Digital Private Limited(A Zee Media Company)is one of India’s leading media technology companies with strong presence in the news, information and entertainment genres. It is India's second largest Digital Entity touching more than 300 million monthly users and owns 30 plus digital properties including India.com, Zee news, Zee Business, Zee Hindustan, WION news, Bollywoodlife.com and more

MADAME's SS'23 Collection Launch Stuns With Vibrant Colors

MADAME, one of the leading fashion brands in India, recently launched its Spring Summer'23 Collection in a glamorous event held at Hotel Sheraton in Saket, New Delhi. The poolside venue provided a chic and stylish setting for the much-anticipated event that was attended by top influencers, fashion enthusiasts and industry leaders.

The Spring Summer'23 Collection is set to become the talk of the town with its unique approach to fashion. As per the Marketing Campaign there will be a moodboard for every month, in sync with the styles. The collection offers an extensive range of designs and prints, allowing women to effortlessly pick their mood of the day without a second thought. The #SelfLove mood of February depicts a pink and floral color scheme, while the #SummerSolace of March exudes bright summer hues. April's #BossBabe collection offers co-ord sets, and May's #VacayVibe line features a sustainable holiday collection. The brand's vision is clear: to empower women and encourage them to keep their fashion choices classy and sassy.

The highlight of the event was the launch of MADAME's premium perfume range, Lueur by MADAME, by the brand's Head of Marketing, Ms. Sumedha Jain. The brand also unveiled the fresh face of their newly launched perfume range, Shanaya Kapoor. 

During the event, Ms. Parika Rawal, MADAME’s Design Head, addressed the audience and spoke about the new collection. "We are thrilled to launch our Spring Summer'23 collection, which celebrates the different moods of every fashionista," said Ms. Rawal. "Our new collection is versatile, chic, and will keep you in style, no matter the occasion."

To make the event even more exciting, MADAME conducted a DIY activity where influencers were asked to create their own t-shirts by pasting various spring-themed patches. The activity was a hit among the attendees, who enjoyed the fun and creative experience.

The MADAME SS'23 Collection Launch was a grand success, with the brand delivering yet another awe-inspiring collection. The launch event showcased the brand's innovative approach to fashion. MADAME has set the bar high for the upcoming fashion season, and we can't wait to see what the brand has in store for us next.

About MADAME

MADAME, a women’s fashion brand of western wear was launched in 1993. It caters to a wide range of apparel, handbags, footwear, and accessories for women. The brand provides fast fashion in-trend merchandise, casual wear, and party wear. In line with its global image, MADAME has 150+ exclusive stores in tier I & tier-II cities. Ever since the start of its first store in 2002, the brand has briskly grown across India and is available in over 500+ retail outlets across the country. Commendably, having achieved the targeted sales this year, the company has set an aim for a 33.3% growth in its overall business in the next financial year. The brand is also vended through online markets including Myntra, Ajio, Flipkart and Amazon, and its own online store, glamly.com.

Vastu Housing Finance Rolls Out Menstruation Leave For Women Employees

Vastu Housing Finance Corporation Limited, a digital-first housing finance company, has introduced a menstruation leave policy effective March 2023. The women employees can avail one full-day wellness leave, or two half-day wellness leaves every month, to prioritise their well-being.

The company focuses on a slew of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies to foster productivity, and innovation to empower women employees across the organisation.

Vastu Housing Finance has partnered with Global Women Connect to enable the participation of their female team members in a global mentorship program. This will provide women at Vastu with a platform to enhance and develop their leadership skills. The program facilitates year-long one-on-one mentorship for career progression with global business leaders.

The firm also offers dedicated training, upskilling, and development opportunities for women employees to build competencies in different business areas, as well as, acquire managerial skills to grow within the organisation.

In line with their commitment to advancing diversity in their workforce, Vastu will soon be launching a ‘Career Returnship’ Program for women. This program is specifically designed for women who have been on a career break for two or more years and is industry and function agnostic. Through this program, the company is committed to providing a mix of on-the-job and classroom training to selected program attendees. Those who successfully complete the training will be offered full-time positions at various corporate functions at Vastu.

Speaking on the DEI policies, Shefali Pathak, Head - People, Diversity and Change, Vastu Housing Finance said, "Since day one of the operations, we have been very intentional about being engaging and inclusive towards all our stakeholders, especially our team members.  We strongly believe that having a diverse workforce enables deeper perspectives and fosters innovation. Diversity facilitates better decision-making, increased profitability, and an engaged work climate. It enables a culture of collaboration, empathy, and agility at work, which is crucial for organisational growth. We are committed to DEI being an integral part of our business strategy.”

About Vastu Housing Finance Corporation Limited

Vastu Housing Finance Corporation is a digital-first housing finance company and has financially included over 60,000+ customers having a monthly income of USD 600. The award-winning proprietary technology platform PULSE has been the game changer in helping Vastu’s customers to estimate and demonstrate their undocumented income to avail credit solutions from the company. PULSE has enabled a completely paperless digital experience for customers which has helped in faster turnarounds to service them better. As on September 2022, Vastu has an asset under management (AUM) of INR 4100 crores with best-in-class asset quality, over 1800 employees, and a presence in 13 states in India with 157 plus branches.

KPL Premiere League Tournament Sponsored By Brookfield Properties And The Leela Palace Bengaluru Concludes In City

Brookfield Properties and The Leela Palace Bengaluru are making a significant stride to elevate the game of golf in India through their collaboration as Title Sponsors for the Karnataka Golf Association (KGA) Premiere League tournament popularly known as KPL. This contemporary format of the game concluded on March 3, 2023, with 24 teams vying for the top spot and the prestigious KPL Trophy. Cauvery Express (Owned by Nirod Kumar Lenka) received the coveted KGA Premier League Trophy while the Fanzart Eagles (Owned by Mr. Anil Lala) was the runner-up. The tournament, designed to be a thrilling experience, with a unique ‘IPL-like Format’ witnessed the participation of over 450 golfers and 500 attendees from the business community, along with members of the KGA.  Several eminent personalities like Geetanjali Kirloskar – Director of Kirloskar Group, Kodandaram Ramaiah – Owner of MSR Hotels and Sitaram Shetty – Chairman of SNC Power Corporation Private Limited were part of the KPL.

As an extension of this association Brookfield Properties and The Leela Palace Bengaluru curated an exclusive 9-hole shotgun format tournament on February 23, 2023, for the CXOs which was teed off by Vijay Amritraj, an ace Indian celebrity tennis player. The tournament also featured prominent names from the corporate world, such as Ranjan Biswas (Director, EY), Arjun Pratap ( a TedX Speaker and the CEO of EDGE, an AI-powered innovative HR tech provider), Dr. Mahesh Reddy (Director, Corporate Affairs & Projects - CSR, Dream Sports), Don Kyu Kim (from the Embassy of the Republic of Korea) and many such who engaged in some high-level corporate power play and kept the spectators on the edge of their seats. Another bespoke event ‘A masterclass with KGA golf champions’ is also on the cards.

Commenting on the initiative, Mr. Shantanu Chakraborty, Executive Vice President at Brookfield Properties, said, “We are excited to bring these exclusive experiences to our clients and partners across India. This partnership with KGA provided a bespoke platform for leaders from various walks of life to come together to connect, collaborate, exchange perspectives and bond over the game of golf.

Madhav Sehgal, General Manager of The Leela Palace Bengaluru added, “We at The Leela Palace Bengaluru are thrilled to be in association. With a shared vision and values, these initiatives promise exciting collaborations. We look forward to standing alongside Brookfield Properties in supporting and contributing to the growth of golf in India.”

Prithviraj Urs, President, KGA commented “I would like to begin by saying that it has been a great privilege for me to have been to be part of this event and most importantly, to be able to play and enjoy the fellowship. I am delighted that Brookfield’s and The Leela, were are title sponsors for our KPL this year. They have brought in a wonderful hospitality angle, and we look forward to their partnership in the year ahead. The team at KGA led by Sanjay have also been simply superb.”

With such initiatives, Brookfield Properties and The Leela Palace Bengaluru are taking their partnership with the KGA to the next level, providing golf enthusiasts and partners with an opportunity to engage with the best golfers and experience the sport uniquely and memorably.

About Brookfield Properties:

Brookfield Properties is a leading global developer and operator of high-quality real estate assets. We are active in nearly all real estate sectors, including office, retail, multifamily, hospitality, and logistics, operating more than 800 properties and over 330 million square feet of real estate in gateway markets on behalf of Brookfield Asset Management, one of the largest asset managers in the world. With a focus on sustainability, a commitment to excellence, and the drive for relentless innovation in the planning, development, and management of buildings and their surroundings, Brookfield Properties is reimagining real estate from the ground up.

In India, Brookfield Properties manages over 50 million square feet of high-quality assets across 8 key gateway cities of which 38.3 million square feet are already operational. Some of the marquee assets in its portfolio include Candor TechSpace in Gurugram, Noida and Kolkata; Worldmark in Delhi and Gurugram; Downtown Powai and Equinox in Mumbai; Ecoworld and Ecospace in Bengaluru; and CoWrks, a leading co-working and flexi office business across India.

For more information about our approach to operating and developing best-in-class real estate, visit www.brookfieldproperties.com

About The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts

Headquartered in Mumbai, The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts is owned by a Brookfield Asset Management-sponsored private real estate fund and operates eleven award-winning properties in major cities and leisure destinations across India. These include the flagship hotel in the capital city of New Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Udaipur, Jaipur, Gurugram, East Delhi, Mumbai, Gandhinagar and now Kovalam. The Leela celebrates each hotel through its unique location, art, culture and cuisine with thoughtful services, celebratory rituals, and immersive experiences. The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts was voted the World’s Best Hotel Brand twice in a row by Travel + Leisure, USA, World’s Best Awards Survey, 2020 and 2021.  The brand is well poised to embrace the next phase in its growth trajectory with upcoming projects which includes a leisure resort in Ashtamudi in Kerala. An epitome of true Indian luxury hospitality, The Leela is committed to providing guests with unforgettable stays in settings that capture the essence of India. The brand has a marketing alliance with US-based Preferred Hotels & Resorts and is a member of the Global Hotel Alliance.

For more information, visit our website www.theleela.com and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.