Madame And Tara Sutaria: A Fashionable Collaboration Extended For 2023-24

Madame, the leading western wear fashion and lifestyle brand, has renewed its collaboration with the effervescent Bollywood sensation, Tara Sutaria, for the year 2023-24. As an established provider of pret styles and looks for the modern-day woman, Madame's designs reflect a perfect blend of classic and contemporary trends, allowing them to articulate their individuality and create a mood that resonates with them.

The Madame x Tara Sutaria collaboration showcases exclusive designs from the Spring/Summer '23 and Autumn/Winter '23 collection. The Spring/Summer '23 collection takes its inspiration from the vividness of the season and boasts a fresh and exotic appeal. The collection exudes an air of charm and freshness, with floral essence at its core. The silhouettes comprise flowy dresses with puffed and fluttery sleeves, coupled with eye-catching necklines, making them perfect for the quintessential fashionista. The fabrics include flowy, plain, and textured, embellished with modern details, to ensure that every woman feels empowered in her skin.

Tara Sutaria, who has carved a niche for herself in the Indian entertainment industry, is thrilled to continue her association with Madame and showcase their new collection. On this she added that "I am thrilled to continue my affiliation with Madame and unveil their new collection. The right look paired with confidence can help every woman take on the day, and Madame provides precisely that”.

Ms. Sumedha Jain, Marketing Head, Madame expressed her delight on the renewal of the collaboration, saying that "We at Madame are proud to support modern Indian women who dare to achieve their dreams and inspire them to feel confident about themselves. Our designs aim to provide an immersive experience, making our customers feel more empowered, confident, and ready to take on the world. We are confident that our new collection and collaboration with Tara Sutaria will elicit excitement among our loyal clients and attract new buyers”.

Madame's latest collaboration with Tara Sutaria is a perfect representation of the brand's vision and values, empowering the modern Indian woman to embrace her individuality and channel her energy into creating a statement. With a fresh take on classic and contemporary fashion trends, Madame's designs are the ultimate reflection of the sophisticated, yet edgy, woman of today.

About MADAME

Madame is India’s leading western-wear women’s fashion brand that offers young fashion-conscious woman, looks for every season and styles for every reason. Madame celebrates this woman’s spirit to live each day as an occasion and treat each look as an expression. Launched in 1993, Madame offers hottest international trends at coolest price points - from denims to dresses, tops to jackets, festive edits to lounge-wear, vacay styles to work-wear. 

Owned by the Jain Amar Group (one of India’s multi-brand fashion conglomerates), and with quality as its hallmark, Madame engages over 2,50,000 women every week, across 500 retail touchpoints, including 150 Exclusive Branded Outlets (EBOs), Large Format Stores (LFS), and other leading Retail Outlets. Madame is also available on leading fashion portals and its own online store www.glamly.com. 

Blue Dart Focuses On ‘Bharat’; Increases Its Reach In “Tier 2 & Tier 3 Cities”

Blue Dart Express Limited, South Asia's premier express air-integrated transportation and distribution express logistics company, launched its new campaign capturing the wide reach of its services, including in Tier II & III cities of the country. Through its efforts on customer centricity, Blue Dart is available across 55,400+ locations in the country, including its underserved markets.  

Digitisation, affordable data, and smartphones are bridging the long-standing gap between India, which resides in cities, and Bharat, which is home to the country's Tier II and III cities. The impact of this can be seen  in  the spike in the number of e-commerce platforms,  which  serve nearly all the PIN codes in the country, bridging geographic, linguistic, and social divides along the way, benefitting both buyers and sellers. The market share of tier 3 cities, in e commerce industry, grew from 34.2% in 2021 to 41.5% in 2022, while that of tier 2 cities rose from 19.4% to 21.4%, during the same period.  Also, Government’s programs like Make in India, Vocal for Local, have fuelled this growth, leading to an increase in the logistics requirements of smaller towns in the country.  

Equipped to service these needs, Blue Dart is available in towns and villages like Saifai in Uttar Pradesh, Dhar Kalan in Punjab, Ani in Himachal Pradesh to Balua in Bihar, Zunheboto Sadar in Nagaland, Haflong in Assam to Khammam in Telangana, Sringeri in Karnataka, Manamelkudi in Tamil Nadu to Vadali in Gujarat, Quepem in Goa, Sonhat in Chhattisgarh and Ashti in Maharashtra, among many other locations that are part of the nation’s geography. Blue Dart, as a provider of choice for its customers, has dedicated and specialised infrastructure required for handling shipments, from sending a document to a charter load of aircraft. The company has a fleet of 6 Boeing 757 freighters, 2 Boeing 737 aircrafts (to be inducted soon), 12,000+ on-ground vehicles along with 2,347 facilities across the country. Additionally, as part of Deutsche Post DHL Group’s DHL eCommerce Solutions division, Blue Dart accesses the largest and most comprehensive express and logistics network worldwide, covering over 220 countries and territories.  

Commenting on the reach, Ketan Kulkarni, Chief Commercial Officer, said, "Blue Dart is serving the length and breadth of the country, particularly the underserved markets in Bharat, with an emphasis on customer delight. Hence this campaign rings true to our commitment of being ‘The Logistics Company of Bharat’.  Our continued focus remains on being the Provider of Choice for all our customers, across markets.”  

Through its services, Blue Dart is enabling effective and efficient operations for SMEs and MSMEs across all the pin codes, by working with them to expand their services to reach even the remote pockets of the country. When it comes to operational efficiency, Blue Dart acts as a catalyst in facilitating business for sectors such as Ecommerce, Pharmaceuticals & Medical devices, BFSI, Consumer Electronics and Automotive among others.  

Blue Dart, a market leader in technology and digitisation, uses application programming interface (API) integration-based solutions to improve the exchange of manifests at the most detailed levels, ensuring an automated and seamless supply chain. Teams operating using this real-time solution can command nationwide activity, which involves the first mile, network connection, and last mile delivery, including returns and reverse logistics. 

“39 Students From Aakash BYJU’S Qualify” For OCSC / IMOTC 2022

4 students Qualified for APMO/IMOTC (including 1 for EGMOTC) 

7 students Qualified for OCSC-Junior Science 

8 students Qualified for OCSC-Astronomy 

1 student Qualified for OCSC-Astronomy-Junior 

13 students Qualified for OCSC-Biology 

3 students Qualified for OCSC-Chemistry 

3 studentsQualified for OCSC-Physics 

Yet again inking another stupendous result, Aakash BYJU’S the national leader in test preparatory services, recorded 39 students qualifying for the Orientation Cum Selection camp (OCSC) of the prestigious Indian National Olympiad (INO) 2022 in Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics and Junior Science, and for Asian Pacific Mathematics Olympiad (APMO) / International Mathematical Olympiad Training Camp (APMO/IMOTC). The examination is organized by the Association of Teachers in Biological Sciences in association with Indian Association of Physics Teachers (IAPT) and Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (HBCSE). Each year over 30,000 students of 12th Standard or below, sit for these examinations. 

A total of 13 students Qualified for OCSC-Biology, 8 students for Astronomy, 3 each for Physics and Chemistry, 7 students for Junior Science, 4 students for APMO/IMOTC, including 1 student for EGMOTC and 1 student Qualified for Astronomy-Junior. This year a whopping 201 students of Aakash BYJU’S qualified for various INOs.  

Congratulating the students on the impressive results, Mr Abhishek Maheshwari, Chief Executive Officer, Aakash BYJU’S said: “We are very proud of our students who have qualified for OCSC/IMOTC. This will be a confidence boosting step for them toward achieving their NEET/JEE dreams. The credit goes to the hard work put in by our students, their parents and Aakash faculties aided by the quality test preparation imparted at the institute. I wish the students all the best for their future endeavours.”     

There is a designated statewise quota for INOs according to which the students are selected for the next stage. On the basis of their performance in INO, approximately 30-35 top students in the merit list have been are selected for OCSC/IMOTC. For Science Olympiads, the student undergoes some theoretical and experimental sessions in the camp. The selected member Indian team undergoes a rigorous training programme at HBCSE in theory and experiments. Special laboratories have been developed at HBCSE for the purpose of experimental training. For Mathematical Olympiad, several tests are held during the training camp to provide orientation to students for IMO, followed by 8-10 days of rigorous training in Pre-Departure (PDC) for the selected team. Resource persons from HBCSE and different institutions across the country train the qualified students. 

The Olympiad programme culminates with the participation of the Indian students (4-6 in each subject) in the International Olympiads.   

Aakash BYJU’S aims to help students in their quest to achieve academic success. It has a centralized in-house process for curriculum and content development and faculty training and monitoring, led by its National Academic Team. Over the years, students from Aakash BYJU’S have proven selection track record in various Medical & Engineering Entrance Exams, Competitive exams and Olympiads. 

School Children Lagging In Health, Fitness Parameters: Sportz Village’s “Post Covid Health Survey” Reveals

Sportz Village, through its award-winning EduSports in-school Physical Education & Sports program has been working to improve sports education in India since 2009 and has been assessing children’s health on a national level for the past 12 years. The post-covid survey revealed that children are displaying alarmingly poor fitness levels across India. The nationwide study has covered children in the age groups of 6 to 16 years from 120 schools across 20 cities and towns. The children were assessed on various parameters in both private and public schools across India. The parameters assessed were Body Mass Index (BMI), Aerobic capacity, Anaerobic capacity, Core Strength, Flexibility, Upper body strength and lower body strength. 

The covid-19 pandemic did disrupt many aspects of the daily life of children, including physical activity levels and has had a negative impact on the health and well-being of many individuals globally. During the pandemic, schools were closed for extended periods of time, which led to reduced opportunities for physical activity and outdoor play. Additionally, restrictions on movement and social distancing guidelines may have limited the ability of children to participate in organized sports or physical activities outside of their homes. 

Speaking on the findings Saumil Majmudar, CEO & Managing Director, Sportz Village, said “Last year, schools resumed in-person classes. At that point in time, the long-term effect of the pandemic on the physical fitness of Indian children was still unclear. The findings prove that the school closures, due to the pandemic, had an adverse effect. The lack of health and fitness among such a large number of children yet again proves that physical activities in schools are of great importance and are needed for the overall development of children. Schools need to view sports as an integral part of education and should provide opportunities to engage in structured physical activities to ensure that each and every child is engaged Sportz Village’s EduSports program aims to bridge this gap and is integrated into the school timetable and calendar.” 

Key findings 

Total number of children surveyed 20,000 across India  

2 in 5 children do not have a healthy BMI 

2 in 3 children do not have the adequate upper body strength 

3 in 5 children do not have the adequate lower body strength 

2 in 5 children do not have the desired abdominal strength 

1 in 4 children do not possess the desired flexibility 

Fitness levels comparative analysis: Boys versus Girls   

The survey also showed the difference in performance between boys and girls with boys performing better in lower body strength, core strength & aerobic capacity & girls performing better in upper body strength. 

Private schools versus Public schools  

The survey further compares the fitness levels of children in public/government schools to the children in private schools. Children from Private schools outperformed government school children in most categories with significantly better performances (more than 5 %) in upper body strength, flexibility & core strength. 

Impact of Covid on children 

The survey also compared the performance of 3000 children before and after covid to study the impact of school closures on children’s health. It was found that performance in all parameters except flexibility had gone down. This highlights the importance that schools play in maintaining children’s health. 

Parameters description: 

Body Mass Index (BMI): A value derived from the weight and height of an individual and is used to gauge whether a person is within a healthy weight range. 

Aerobic capacity: The ability of the heart and lungs to get oxygen to the muscles. 

Anaerobic capacity: The total amount of energy from the anaerobic (without oxygen) energy systems. It is useful during high intensity short duration exercises or tasks such as sprinting.  

Abdominal or Core strength: The strength of the muscles of the torso which helps to determine posture. 

Flexibility: The ability of one's joints to move freely.  

Upper body strength: The strength of muscles such as Pectorals (chest), Rhomboids (upper back), Deltoids (outer shoulder), Triceps (back of upper arm) and Biceps (front of upper arm). 

Lower body strength: The strength of muscles in the legs such as quadriceps (the muscles on the front of the upper leg), Hamstrings (the muscles on the back of the upper leg), Gluteals, Hip Flexors, and Calf muscles. 

Zee News-DNA Analyzes The 'Give Plastic And Take Gold' Campaign; Encourages Citizens To Take Up The Social Initiative Across India

* Zee News' Rohit Ranjan Analyzed The Unique 'Give Plastic And Take Gold' Campaign In South Kashmir's Sadiwara Village

DNA, one of the leading shows well-known for its inclusive reporting, investigative journalism and 360-degree coverage, successfully presented a detailed analysis on the unique 'Give Plastic and Take Gold’ campaign. This campaign is an initiative by the village panchayat of South Kashmir's Sadiwara, with an aim to save the environment. 

The reportage of the 'Give Plastic and Take Gold’ campaign being initiated in South Kashmir's Sadiwara village received widespread acclaim. It created a social impact as the Panchayat encouraged the villagers to donate 20 quintals of plastic waste in order to win a gold coin. After 15 days of the campaign's launch, the entire town was deemed plastic-free. The initiative has received widespread acclaim, is well-liked by all, and has even been adopted by other panchayats.

The village with heaps of plastic thrown on the roads, is now completely clean and all the plastic collected is handed over to the Panchayat members. This village is setting an example for all other villages and the government is also trying to replicate the same idea in every village of the Union territory. RDD Anantnag| District Anantnag, Government of Jammu & Kashmir, latest tweet on the news reportage of the campaign by Zee News-DNA team, also further states, ‘This is to be replicated in every village of our beloved District in the Land of Springs.’ He also further announced that this village plastic free. The gold that is being rewarded, is from the plastic being collected from villagers and sold.

Commenting on the success of the impactful campaign reportage, Rajnish Ahuja, Editor, Zee News said, “Zee News's Flagship show DNA has a dedicated team of reporters and researchers who have been consistent in their research, analyzing and presenting far-fetched social impact stories for the wider audience. The reportage and analysis of the 'Give Plastic and Take Gold’ campaign is a step forward towards spreading social awareness on the hazardous impact of plastic waste on the environment, enabling many more villages to become plastic-free.”

About Zee Media Corporation Ltd: ZMCL is one of India's leading media and entertainment companies with a strong presence in the news and regional entertainment genres with 13 news channels in 7 different languages, touching more than 528+ Million viewers through its linear and digital properties like Zeenews.com, dnaindia.com, india.com and others.

Magicbricks Launches India’s First “AI Powered Marketing Solution Tool: Project Market Scanner” (PMS)

* A cutting-edge AI-powered PropTech tool, PMS unlocks fresh opportunities for developers by linking potential buyers with the right property.  

*The self-correcting algorithm enhances lead-to-impression ratio by 82% and expands reach by 65% 

Magicbricks, India's leading real estate platform, announces the launch of India’s first “AI-powered marketing solution tool: Project Market Scanner” (PMS) for developers and real-estate agents. This unique tool sets Magicbricks apart as the first in the industry to offer an artificial intelligence tool that matches buyers with the right properties in real-time. 

The AI-powered PMS tool helps developers access relevant and high intent homebuyers by using sophisticated algorithms and data analytics to personalize and automate search results, increasing reach by up to 65%.  

Project Market Scanner (PMS) acts as a reach maximizer, predicting results based on customers' previous search history, so that each project reaches its maximum Response Generation Capacity. It also takes into account buyers’ preferences for specific property attributes and optimizes images that they are most likely to respond to. This can lead up to 82% increase in lead-to-impression ratio and helps close the gap between what buyers expect and the projects activated on the portal offer, creating a win-win situation for both. 

Commenting on the launch of Project Market Scanner, Rohit Manghnani, Chief Product Officer, Magicbricks said “The residential demand for homes increased 8.5% in 2022 and will continue to grow at a rapid pace in 2023 as well. With lots of available options, matching interested homebuyers with the right property is a classic Big Data problem for the real-estate industry. Project Market Scanner is a customer-centric solution that enables developers to sell faster in this highly competitive market.  This is a significant step forward for Magicbricks in the realm of proptech, delivering accurate and comprehensive search results to our users while maximizing returns for the advertisers.” 

Ashu Gupta, National Sales Head at Magicbricks, believes that Project Market Scanner is a cutting-edge technology and a game-changer in the real estate industry. “We are constantly pushing the bar on innovation at Magicbricks by bringing new tools at the disposal of our customers looking to sell their properties. One of the biggest challenges that developers face is to access high intent, relevant customers and we aim to improve their lead generation efforts with this high-utility innovation.” 

Magicbricks has pioneered many industry-first innovations and with the PMS tool, it continues to empower its 55,000+ strong community of developers and real-estate agents to sell over 2 lakh projects and maximize their revenue.  

Tech Mahindra Ltd; Announcement Of Mohit Joshi As MD & CEO Designate

BUY

CMP: Rs1061 

Target Price: Rs1270

 * TechM appoints Mohit Joshi as MD & CEO designate; he will take over the role post the retirement of CP Gurnani on 19-Dec-2023. Mr Joshi will join TechM well before the said date to allow for sufficient transition time. His tenure will be for 5years, w.e.f. 20-Dec-2023.

*   Mr Joshi will be making his transition from Infosys, where he has been President; effective 11-Mar-2023, he will be on leave and his last working day with Infosys is 9-Jun-2023. Mr Joshi has over two decades of experience in the Enterprise technology software & consulting space, having worked with the largest global corporates in driving digital transformation and building thriving businesses.

* At Infosys, Mohit Joshi was head of the Global Financial Services & Healthcare as well as the Software businesses, including Finacle (Infosys's global banking platform) and the AI/Automation portfolio. Mr Joshi also led Sales Operations and Transformation for Infosys and held executive responsibility for all large deals across the company. Further, he was responsible for the Internal CIO function and the Infosys Knowledge Institute.

* This is the second big exit for Infosys within 5 months, after Ravi Kumar S (associated with Infosys for >20 years) left the company to become the CEO of Cognizant; such attrition is likely to lead to reorganization of Infosys's management. However, given its strong mid-level management, peer Infosys would not see much near-term impact.

* Our view: TechM remains strong in communications, but lacks scale in BFSI and other verticals compared with large peers. Mr Joshi would bring in a vast & competent experience as well as fresh energy, ideas & perspectives to TechM which would be a vital appendix to its traditional strength in communications. He has an impeccable track record of scaling business as a strategic thinker and as a strong delivery leader. TechM, in its recent Analyst Meet, indicated that growth strategies are unlikely to materially modify with a leadership change, as these are driven by customer input. Mohit Joshi's experience in digital transformation, new technologies and large deals will complement TechM's strategies and continue to build on business-mix diversification. During a recent M&M analyst meet, Anish Shah (MD & CEO - M&M) mentioned that Management is not happy with TechM's current margin & RoE profile of TechM and indicated that the Board will ensure smooth leadership transition and drive overall turnaround in performance, particularly an improvement in margin and RoE, over the next 1-2 years. TechM has so far failed to capitalize on its strength in the areas of communications, ER&D, BPO, XDS, etc, or deliver a consistent performance. We believe Mr Joshi's selection gives more credence to the company's overall turnaround efforts and the stock may potentially see a re-rating. We maintain BUY on the stock with a TP of Rs1,270, at 16x Mar-25E EPS.