Top Trending Advertising/Media News & Highlights


Travel boom in India: A record number of Indians will be traveling the world in 2024
The Mastercard research emphasizes how rising middle-class travel is driving the expansion of global tourism. A record number of Indians are traveling abroad at the same time as India is growing in popularity as a travel destination.An unparalleled increase in the number of Indian tourists experiencing international places has been observed in 2024, a year of great significance for the travel industry in India. Data from the most recent report on travel trends (2024) by the Mastercard Economics Institute, "Travel Trends 2024: Breaking Boundaries," indicates that India's expanding middle class, along with more routes available and a larger traveler base, has helped the country reach new heights in international tourism.A decade ago, it would have taken a full year to reach the astounding 97 million passengers that Indian airports welcomed in the first quarter of 2024. This increase is a result of India's strong economic growth and increased per capita disposable income, which are fueling the country's residents' strong desire to travel abroad.India's domestic travel industry has experienced a notable surge, with passenger volume up 21% from 2019 levels. Furthermore, there has been a notable surge in foreign travel from India, with a 4% rise in passenger traffic as of March 2024.In March 2024, Chennai accomplished a noteworthy milestone when total passenger traffic surpassed pre-pandemic levels. This was a critical turning point in the tourism industry's ongoing recovery. Over the previous year, Bengaluru has continuously kept its domestic passenger traffic numbers above that of 2019. This resilience is partially explained by the city's service industries seeing a renaissance and the progressive return of employees to their offices.
Published 06 Jun 2024 11:36 AM

OnePlus Open 2 with Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 SoC is expected to launch in Q1 2025.
The company's first folding smartphone, the OnePlus Open, debuted last year with triple back cameras bearing the Hasselblad name and a high-resolution cover display (Read our Review). There are already rumors that a foldable's replacement is in the works. Thanks to a tipster, we now know some additional information regarding the impending foldable. The OnePlus Open 2, which may be a repackaged Oppo Find N5, is rumored to operate on the unreleased Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 SoC.A well-known Weibo tipster named Digital Chat Station (whose username is translated from Chinese) stated that the OnePlus Open 2 is expected to launch in 2025's first quarter. It is rumored to be powered by Qualcomm's upcoming Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 SoC. In October of this year, Qualcomm is anticipated to introduce the chipset.The anticipated OnePlus Open replacement is expected to include a slim design, a high-resolution cover screen, an updated hinge to minimize weight, and a "ultra-flat" inside screen. It is probably going to be slim, and it might keep the OnePlus Open's periscope camera. It is very likely to launch as the Oppo Find N5, rebranded. The Find N3 was rebranded as the predecessor.In October 2023, the OnePlus Open made its debut in India, retailing for Rs. 1,39,999 for the 16GB RAM + 512GB storage model alone. It sports a 6.31-inch (1,116x2,484 pixels) 2K LTPO 3.0 Super Fluid AMOLED cover screen and a 7.82-inch (2,268x2,440 pixels) 2K Flexi-fluid LTPO 3.0 AMOLED inner display. It is powered by a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC and has 16GB of LPDDR5x RAM.The Hasselblad-branded triple rear camera arrangement on the OnePlus Open is powered by a 48-megapixel primary camera. Its two front cameras include a 32-megapixel secondary camera and a 20-megapixel primary selfie camera. The 4,800mAh battery within the foldable allows for 67W SuperVOOC charging.
Published 06 Jun 2024 11:26 AM


Advertisers may design advertising more easily with Metas latest generative AI features.
On May 8, Facebook's parent company Meta expanded its paid verification program and revealed new generative AI-based advertising tools to help businesses grow.The massive social networking site has given advertisers access to full-image and text production tools to enable them produce ads more quickly and develop a variety of ad versions that will boost ad performance.With text overlay capabilities, businesses can now develop whole image variations based on the original advertising creative. The prior features of enlarging photos to better fit numerous surfaces and creating new backgrounds surrounding product photographs—first presented in October 2023—are now enhanced.According to the company, the picture expansion feature—which enables companies to modify creative assets to match various aspect ratios on various surfaces—will now be accessible on Reels and Feed on Facebook and Instagram. As a result, advertisers are able to create ads for various formats in a more efficient manner.For example, a coffee company promoting a cup of coffee can utilize this functionality to generate additional background variations, such as ones that represent a lovely farm, and can even modify the coffee cup to give more imaginative designs. According to Meta, in the upcoming months, advertisers will also be able to specify their preferred images through text prompts.Additionally, businesses will be able to add text overlay to AI-generated photos, giving them the choice of twelve of the most well-liked font typefaces.Marketers will be able to produce headline variations for their ads in addition to the main text thanks to the new text generating capabilities. By stressing the major selling points based on their past campaigns and the language inputs from businesses, Meta said the company is currently testing the generated text's ability to replicate the voice and tone of the brands.According to the firm, new functionalities will soon be developed using Meta's most recent large language model, Llama 3, which will enhance ad performance and yield suggestions of a higher caliber.By the end of the year, Meta hopes to have these generative AI features available globally, having begun to roll them out to marketers.The Advantage+ creative function, which automatically optimizes the images and videos to versions that the brand's audience is more likely to interact with, will make these features available in the company's Ads Manager."By bringing all of the generative AI features together in one place, businesses will be able to see the benefits of automation and generative AI at the same time" according to the business.
Published 04 Jun 2024 10:36 PM


Nykaa Q4 Results: Net profit soars 187% YoY; GMV growth in the beauty industry reaches its greatest level in six quarters; five salient features
Results for the January-March quarter of fiscal 2023–24 (Q4FY24) were released by Nykaa's parent company, FSN E-Commerce Ventures, on Wednesday, May 22. The results showed a massive four-fold increase in the quarterly net profit attributable to shareholders, with a preference for customer retention over steep discounts. In the fourth quarter of FY24, the net profit increased by 187% to ₹6.9 crore from ₹2.4 crore during the same period the previous year. The company headed by Falguni Nayar had a 28% increase in operating revenue in the March quarter, totaling ₹1,668 crore, as opposed to ₹1,302 crore during the same period the previous year. The inclination of wealthy customers for high-end cosmetics and fragrances from names like Dior, Bobbi Brown, and Estee Lauder drove the sales.
Published 04 Jun 2024 10:34 PM


Advertising/Media
Advertising and Media are the essential verticals in any country and both goes parallely while deciding any strategy for promotions. Advertising has been segregrated between Online & Offline advertising which has further wings under them whereas the Media is also categorize in Offline which is Traditional Media like TV, Newspaper, Magazine and its Online Media form which is through digital platforms like Websites, Social Media, Video Channels and others.

Media companies rise sharply as election advertisement spending soars.
Expectations of increasing ad sales during the next election season, together with other stock-specific factors like lowering newsprint prices, have propelled media companies to an incredible five-day run.The Bennett, Coleman and Co. subsidiary Entertainment Network India Ltd (ENIL), which runs Radio Mirchi, has increased by 17% during the last five trading days. Rival print media company HT Media Ltd, which publishes Mint and Hindustan Times, saw a 2.65% increase over that time.DB Corp., the publisher of Dainik Bhaskar, and Network18 Media & Investments Ltd. and Sun TV, the television network operators, spearheaded the first boom. However, investors are now banking on print and radio companies as well. Over the last half-year, Network 18 and TV18 Broadcast Ltd have had gains of 87% and 53%, respectively, while DB Corp has experienced a 63% increase and Sun TV has seen a 35% increase.Moneycontrol spoke with analysts who linked the recent jump to anticipation of increasing ad revenues in the run-up to the elections, but stock-specific factors also played a part.Among the largest gainers from political party expenditure in the run-up to elections have been media corporations. Television, print, and radio media companies are expected to benefit from the upcoming advertising frenzy by the Bharatiya Janata Party and its competing political parties over the next six months.According to Karan Taurani, Senior Vice President at Elara Capital, "there is an expectation that advertisement spending will see a strong momentum over the next six to eight months due to the elections." He also added that the rally in media stocks is a result of the general elections' positive impact on radio, television, and print advertising.According to Ashish Goel, Managing Partner and CEO of InvestSavy PMS, political parties are expected to provide media firms with significant revenue growth.Indeed, the rise in advertising revenue in the last quarters of the fiscal years 2014 and 2019 (which happened to be years when there were parliamentary elections) was essentially the same as in years when there were no elections. According to a Moneycontrol research, in the fourth quarter of 2013–14, advertising sales climbed for Jagran Prakashan, HT Media, and DB Corp, respectively, by 12.7 percent, 14%, and 14.3 percent over the same period the previous year. These increases were consistent with the growth observed in non-election years.


In the midst of merger negotiations, Disney Star and Viacom18 will compete for IPL ad dollars.
Though merger negotiations between their parent firms are still ongoing, Disney Star and Viacom18 are gearing up for a fierce war for IPL 2024 ad money. Disney Star is looking for sponsorships and is providing specific-rate advertising choices for SD and HD channels. On the other side, Viacom18 has maintained its advertising pricing and intends to continue offering free IPL viewing on JioCinema.Even as merger negotiations between their parent firms continue, Disney Star and Viacom18 are preparing for a fierce competition for advertising dollars in the next Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024.Disney Star and Viacom18 have inked a non-binding term sheet to merge, as ET has reported. Right now, both are going through a process of due diligence.In the second encounter of the three-match series, India and South Africa square off at Gqeberha after the first T20 match was abandoned due to rain in Durban. Rain is a threat once more for the second Twenty20 match. The game is set to begin at 8:30 p.m. (IST). Both countries would be anticipating the T20 World Cup, which will be held in the US and the West Indies, after the series. However, before the World Cup, both teams have very few games remaining. However, Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav stated that the IPL will provide a lo."The World Cup is a short time away from T20 matches. But the IPL consists of 14 league games. There shouldn't be an issue. Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav stated, "The T20 series victory against Australia was a tremendous lift, but the loss to Australia in the ODI World Cup final was disappointing.


WondrLab establishes a base in Europe and purchases the Polish firm WebTalk.
WebTalk is a Polish agency that Wondrlab purchases in a cash and stock transaction. WebTalk acquires an unknown financial stake in Wondrlab. WebTalk clients gain from the acquisition since it gives them access to Wondrlab platforms. The largest acquisition made by Wondrlab to date, this is its sixth. Wondrlab has raised $7 million and intends to acquire 26 acquisitions. The company has opened its European base and aims to generate revenue of Rs 200 crore. The Supervisory Board's new chairman is Jarek Ziebinski.CEO Saurabh Varma of marketing technology startup Wondrlab told ET that the company has acquired WebTalk, a Polish digital agency, for a combination of cash and shares, marking its first international acquisition. WebTalk is a B2C digital marketing agency in the Central and Eastern European (CEE) region that was founded in 2010. Serving over 40 clients in Poland, CEE, and Central Asia, it employs 100 specialists.The acquisition of WebTalk, a Polish digital marketing business, has been announced by Wondrlab Network, an Indian platform-first digital network. With this transaction, Wondrlab has acquired five companies and entered foreign markets for the first time since its founding in 2020.In addition to this purchase, Wondrlab has opened a European Hub in Poland, demonstrating its continued dedication to providing comprehensive solutions and outsourcing for global brands. Clients will have instant access to services in critical areas like digital video, content and community, digital media and data, and digital business transformation through the European hub.With a staff of 100 experts, WebTalk is a results-driven B2C digital marketing agency that was created in 2010 and is run by Michal Dunin. Serving more than 40 customers in Poland, Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), and Central Asia, the agency has a solid clientele that includes well-known brands like Kia Motors, BNP Paribas, Heinz, Bosch, Volkswagen, Total, and Siemens. Michal Dunin will oversee the newly formed Wondrlab European Hub following the acquisition. Wondrlab has designated Jarek Ziebinski as Chairman of the Supervisory Board to manage the company's expansion into Europe. In addition to leading the agency's network in Central and Eastern Europe and acting as CEO and chairman of Leo Burnett, Ziebinski has over thirty years of expertise in marketing, media, and advertising.The CEO and creator of Wondrlab Network, Saurabh Varma, expressed his excitement over the deal and emphasized the historical significance of an Indian company purchasing a multinational corporation. He underlined that Wondrlab's goal of building an elite network with international standards that originates in India has reached a significant turning point with this acquisition. In addition, Varma disclosed intentions to make 21 more acquisitions over the course of the next 36 to 48 months, with a strategic emphasis on developing hubs in Poland, Vietnam, the Middle East, India, and the Middle East. "This is our fifth acquisition and we'll be looking at 21 more acquisitions in 36-48 months," Wondrlab Network Founder and CEO Saurabh Varma stated. Europe is only the beginning for us.


What is the meaning of happy customers?
The ICC Cricket World Cup helped India's economy by increasing consumer spending across a number of businesses, with hotels, restaurants, and sports goods retailers benefiting most. Local cafes, fine-dining establishments, and small enterprises also saw growth. Retailers might expand business hours, hold freebies and contests, use social media platforms for engagement, start advertising campaigns, and push specials in order to take advantage of the increase in spending. A comfort.People had plenty to celebrate in 2023, from large-scale athletic events to significant concert tours. During the ICC Cricket World Cup, India hosted a multi-week athletic spectacular that was loved by legions of spectators. Companies planned trips, friends and family got together to support their teams, and fervent supporters traveled to destinations like Chennai and Delhi, just two of the several host towns that were humming with enthusiasm. There were numerous knock-on repercussions on the Indian economy. Consumer spending increased in all sectors of the economy, although it benefited hotels, restaurants, and sports memorabilia stores the most. Small companies, neighborhood eateries, mom-and-pop shops, and upscale eating establishments all experienced growth. With the World Cup, India's economy gained ground.Here are some strategies used by brands to capitalize on significant events: Increase business hours to satisfy those who wish to purchase before or after the event Organize competitions and giveaways, like trivia games, where victors can get gifts, deals, or complimentary merchandise. Use social media to promote user-generated content, engage customers with contests and real-time updates, and launch advertising campaigns that capitalize on the event's popularity. Encourage offers,... Visit this link for additional information: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/services/advertising/unravel-the-impact-of-major-events-on-consumer-spending/score-big-with-consumers/articleshow/106883402.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppstUsing a new digital food offer that offered a discount for buying large meal bundles during the event, a convenience store in the market sought to increase food sales over a significant weekend of broadcast sports events. Following the campaign's end, the shop sought to determine its effectiveness and which customers benefited the most from it.Introducing Mastercard Test & Learn®, a cloud-based tool that assists businesses in designing and analyzing market trends to identify the incremental impact of their initiatives and decide how best to target and customize their rollout in order to optimize return on investment.


Ankita Lokhande provides the following shocking revelations from her chat with her mother-in-law:
Ankita Lokhande revealed shocking information from her talk with her mother-in-law, Ranjana Jain, who made a fleeting cameo in the house, during the most recent episode of Weekend Ka Vaar.The turbulent relationship between Ankita Lokhande and her husband Vicky Jain within the Bigg Boss house has recently made news. Ankita revealed startling information from her chat with her mother-in-law, Ranjana Jain, who made a fleeting cameo in the house, on the most recent episode of Weekend Ka Vaar.It was revealed in the previous episode that after Ankita hurled a slipper at Vicky, Vicky's father had called Ankita's mother, Vandana Lokhande, to ask if she would respond in the same way toward her deceased husband. Ankita went into further detail about her heated conversation with Vicky.He replied, "Aapki aukat kya hai" (My mother was called by Papa to inquire if she had ever beaten her husband with her slippers). He also made her feel inferior by raising doubts about her social standing. Ankita said, "I gently informed mummy [Ranjana Jain, Vicky Jain's mother] that she was by herself because my father just passed away.Ankita Lokhande and Vicky Jain, a pair from Bigg Boss 17, are the buzz of the town thanks to their turbulent relationship. During the current Weekend Ka Vaar episode, Ankita disclosed surprising details from her talk with her mother-in-law, Ranajan Jain, who made a brief cameo in the house.Ankita Lokhande and Vicky Jain are currently in control of Bigg Boss 17. Even outside of the program, people are talking about the conflicts between the two. Additionally, the TV personality frequently brought up her late partner, actor Sushant Singh Rajput, in the program, which strained relations with Vicky's mother-in-law. In addition, Ankita has faced trolling for repeatedly using Sushant's name within the Bigg Boss 17 house. In the meantime, Vandana Lokhande, the actress's mother, has revealed a significant detail regarding her interaction with the Rajput family.Vandana Lokhande, Ankita's mother, recently spoke candidly about Ankita and Sushant's relationship in an interview. She claimed at the time that she had lived with Sushant and Ankita and could personally attest to their close friendship. I've known them as a couple for seven years and we've shared the same residence. Ankita cherished him dearly. It was not as simple to go on in such a circumstance. Ankita is a highly sentimental individual. Sushant was an exceptionally kind and intellectual person. Shweta and Rani, Sushant's sisters, still speak with Ankita over the phone. Every few days, Ankita receives a call from her father, KK Singh.


Celebrates the 12th failure of Vidhu Vinod Chopra
In a lengthy post on social media, Anurag Kashyap praised Vidhu Vinod Chopra and his most recent film, 12th Fail.Vidhu Vinod Chopra, a fellow filmmaker, has Anurag Kashyap utterly in awe. Kashyap praised Chopra on social media, saying that the movie 12th Fail had mesmerized him. The Kennedy director added that he has optimism for making wonderful movies because of Chopra, who is 71 years old."Probably the best mainstream film I've seen in 2023," he said at the beginning of his post. "At 71 years old, @vidhuvinodchoprafilms has crafted a masterpiece out of a simple story of an adamant man wanting to be more than what life gives him." He goes and gets what he wants, whatever he pleases.12th Fail: The most recent film by Vikrant Massey has been a huge box office success and has garnered positive reviews from reviewers, trade analysts, and even the biggest names in Bollywood. The excitement surrounding 12th Fail is still going strong even after the movie has been out for more than two months. Notable directors like Rohit Shetty and well-known star Ayushmann Khurrana have already bestowed many commendable awards upon the movie. Anurag Kashyap, a Bollywood director, has expressed his appreciation for Vidhu Vinod Chopra's film on social media. Look at the post that's underneath. See Also - 12th Failed: 10 Images of IPS Manoj Kumar Sharma and Shraddha Joshi demonstrate why they are the ideal role models for the Generation Z today.Citing Vidhu's 12th Fail as a ground-breaking accomplishment, Anurag put himself in the company of other filmmakers who might be feeling a little lost. He praised it as the greatest mainstream movie of 2023 and posted the movie's poster along with his commentary on Facebook.The most recent well-known person to commend Vidhu Vinod Chopra for his movie 12th Fail is filmmaker Anurag Kashyap. In a lengthy letter, Anurag recounted meeting Manoj Kumar Sharma, the IPS officer the movie is based on, and expressed his inability to picture his narrative as it is presented in the movie. The movie has actor Vikrant Massey in the prominent role. See also: Rani Mukerji faces backlash for declaring Indian movies to be the best in the world

Chandigarh schools are closed from January 8 to January 20.
Chandigarh closed its schools: Due to the current weather, the UT Chandigarh Director of School Education has extended winter breaks for classrooms up to the eighth grade. The Indian Metrological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for Punjab and portions of Haryana. With safety precautions in place, the Delhi government has declared that all students would resume attending in-person courses.The Director of School Education of Chandigarh has ordered that the winter vacation for courses up to eighth grade be prolonged until January 20. It has been suggested that schools offer these classes online to their students. will instead begin on January 20, 2024."As a result of the current unfavorable weather and to protect kids from the intense cold, there won't be any in-person classes for students up to Class VIII at any government, government-aided, or recognized private schools in UT Chandigarh until January 20, 2024. For these subjects, the schools may set up online courses for their pupils," the official announcement stated. The notification goes on to say, "Until January 20, 2024, all Government, Government-Aided, and Recognized Private Schools of UT Chandigarh shall open for students not earlier than 9:30 AM and close no later than 4:00 PM. This applies to Class IX through XII." When setting the schedule for these sessions, the schools must consider the duration of the cold snap, particularly in the early morning and late evening, as well as the time the students need to spend traveling to and from school.In addition to giving school staff a break, the announcement enables schools to modify staff schedules as necessary.The Indian Metrological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for Punjab and portions of Haryana for the next 48 to 72 hours due to the ongoing cold wave in northern India.


Because of the cold, Uttar Pradesh extends its school breaks.
According to media reports, the winter break for kids in grades up to eight has been extended by an additional two days because of the local weather. The Gautam Buddh Nagar administration had earlier ordered all Noida and Greater Noida schools to announce breaks for pupils in Class 8 through January 14. The directive was given by Rahul Panwar, the District Basic Education Officer, and it applies to all schools that are approved by the state board, CBSE, ICSE, IB, and other organizations. Because of the frigid weather, the Uttar Pradesh administration has decided to prolong the school holidays by a few more days. In some areas, like Agra and Meerut, the school holidays have been prolonged until January 20, while in Gautam Budh Nagar, Ghaziabad, and Lucknow, they have been extended for an additional two days.Due to heavy fog, poor visibility, and a cold wave in the area, all Gautam Budh Nagar schools, from nursery to standard 8, would be closed until January 16, 2024, according to the department of basic education there. According to media sources, the winter break for Noida pupils up to class 8 has been prolonged until January 16 due to the current weather. But as of right now, no announcement has been made by the authorities. Before, all schools in Noida and Greater Noida were told by the Gautam Buddh Nagar administration to declare holidays for pupils up to Class 8 until January 14."In compliance with the instructions given by District Magistrate Maneesh Kumar Verma in view of the dense fog and extreme cold, all the board (CBSE/ICSE IB, UP Board and others) affiliated schools (from Class nursery to 8) running in the district Gautam Buddh Nagar, will observe holiday till January 14," according to the official announcement. For the next five days, North India is expected to see dense to extremely dense fog, according to the IMD's forecast on Friday. Additionally, it had forecasted three days of cold day to extremely severe cold day wave conditions over the plains of Northwest India, followed by a decrease.No school, including double-shift institutions, is allowed to start courses earlier than nine in the morning, per the instruction. Furthermore, until further instructions are given, schools are not allowed to hold classes past 5 p.m. The winter vacation for classrooms up to the eighth grade in Chandigarh has been extended to January 20, 2024.


PM Modi starts unique 11-day rites and fasting in advance of the dedication of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.
The Prime Minister began an unusual 11-day fast last week in anticipation of the pran pratishtha of the Ram Temple. He followed a strict schedule that involved giving up solid meals and only consuming water.On Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that he would perform a series of rites that are necessary before the statues at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya are dedicated on January 22.On Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that he would perform a series of rites that are necessary before the statues at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya are dedicated on January 22. He will fast for eleven days in addition to rising at the Brahamamahurata and visiting Panchavati in Nashik, where Lord Ram spent a large portion of his banishment.Modi claimed in an audio message that the consecration had brought forth emotions he had never experienced before. "I am fortunate to be present for this important event as well. During the consecration, I am an instrument of the Lord to represent all of India's people, he declared.According to Modi, people have been waiting a long time for the temple to be built and have asked for their blessings in advance of the opening ceremony.Despite his busy schedule and obligations, Modi pledged to adhere to all the regulations on the day of the inauguration and in the lead-up to it with the rigor required by the scriptures.As per an informed source, he has commenced the 11-day pre-consecration practice of adhering to Yama-Niyam. "In his daily routine, the Prime Minister consistently adheres to the Brahmamuhurta Jagran, Sadhana, and Satvik diet. "The scriptures stipulate that a thorough and elaborate procedure must be followed in order to consecrate a deity's idol. "...certain guidelines that must be adhered to for a few days before to the consecration have been provided. The Prime Minister is committed to building and dedicating the Ram temple in the spirit of spiritual practice since he is a devotee of Ram, the source stated.The prime minister also said prayers on Friday at the Shree Kala Ram Mandir, which is located in Nashik's Panchavati neighbourhood near the banks of the Godavari. According to the scriptures, Lord Ram lived for several years in the Dandakaranya jungle, which is located in the Panchavati district, with Sita and Lakshman. "The land of five banyan trees" is the meaning of the name Panchavati.The prime minister also said prayers on Friday at the Shree Kala Ram Mandir, which is located in Nashik's Panchavati neighbourhood near the banks of the Godavari. According to the scriptures, Lord Ram lived for several years in the Dandakaranya jungle, which is located in the Panchavati district, with Sita and Lakshman. "The land of five banyan trees" is the meaning of the name Panchavati.

Noah became the first Indian to win a Dakar stage.
Harith Noah, an Indian rider, won a stage at the renowned Dakar Rally on Monday, making history as the first Indian to do so.In the Rally 2 class, the German-born Kerala racer, who competes for the Sherco TVS Rally Factory squad, won Stage 8.Despite having a cold, Harith placed 16th overall in Stage 7. However, he set the best in-class time on Monday at the very first checkpoint.After Stage 8, Harith is ranked third in the Rally 2 class and thirteenth overall.Stage 8 (overall standing): P11 (458 km). I felt great after riding, and my illness is also improving. When you do well, I suppose everything seems nice. Lost some time trying to find the path in the second portion, but I was focused on navigation and pushed when it seemed comfortable. "The Dakar is far from over, and tomorrow is another day," Noah wrote on social media.Dakar Rally 2024: At stage 8 of rally 2, Harith Noah achieves a historic triumph. Indian rider Harith Noah became the first person from India to win a stage at the Dakar Rally in 2024 when he won the Rally 2 class's Stage 8.Indian racer Harith Noah has shown a lot of promise in the 2024 Dakar, continuously improving from his Prologue finish of 29th. Harith is now ranked 13th overall following Stage 8 and third in Rally 2. Harith became the first Indian to ever place on the podium at Dakar when he finished third in the Rally 2 class earlier this year in Stage 3. To make matters worse, Harith became the first Indian to win at Dakar today when he won stage 8 in the Rally 2 class.Even though Harith had a cold, she managed to finish 16th in Stage 7. The Sherco TVS Rally Factory rider set a new class record at the first checkpoint of the day after feeling better. The top six riders were all within one minute of one another, indicating that the competition was fierce. Bradley Cox (BAS World KTM Racing Team) had taken the lead by 111 km, but Harith was not far behind. At the 165-kilometer point, Harith regained the lead for the last time, placing him 10th overall and fewer than seven minutes behind Ricky Brabec, the overall stage leader. Subsequently, Harith led his class all the way to the finish line, placing eleventh out of all the bikes in competition, seven minutes and nine seconds behind overall winner KevinHarith, who was born in Germany, is a native of Shoranur, Kerala, and is competing in his fifth Dakar Rally. Harith finished the Dakar season in 2021 in 20th place, better than any Indian rider to have ever competed in the race. The 29-year-old's next two years weren't so good, including a terrifying collision in 2023 that resulted in a fracture of his fifth thoracic vertebrae (T5). However, it appears that he has grown from his errors. Harith won the 2023 TransAnatolia Rally while competing for the Petronas TVS Factory Racing Team. Harith has also been incredibly steady this season, and with four stages remaining, there is still enough time in Dakar for Harith to win a few more titles.

Ankita and Gurjar win senior cross-country championships.
At the one-day 58th National Cross Country Championships held here on Monday, Hemant Gurjar of the Railways and Ankita of the same company became victorious in the men's and women's categories, respectively.The national champion Vidhatri Urs and Mannat Brar, two of the four amateurs competing this week, are scheduled to compete in the Women's Amateur Asia-Pacific early in the upcoming month, so this should be a fantastic preparation for them.The fact that Nishna won last week and Mannat finished tied for fourth shows that amateurs are now a serious contender on the professional Tour. PTI Corr AM AM AM.At the one-day 58th National Cross Country Championships conducted here on Monday, Hemant Gurjar of the Railways and Ankita of the same company were victorious in the men's and women's championships, respectively. However, in the men's team event, Services won with 20 points, placing Railways (28) in second place overall.The one-day 58th National Cross Country Championships were conducted here on Monday, and the winners were athletes from the Railway Sports Promotion Board (RSPB), who took home the men's and women's titles. In the last meters of the men's 10 km race, Hemraj Gurjar of RSPB overtook his competitor to cross the finish line in 29:30.00. In second place with a timing of 29:35.00 was Puneet from SSCB.Later on, Ravi Gulia of Haryana and Sawan Barwal of Himachal Pradesh engaged in a fierce competition for the bronze medal. But in a time of 29:38.00, Barwal defeated his opponent to take home the bronze. And Gulia came in fourth. With 20 points, the Services team was able to secure the team championship, though. Haryana came in third place with 64 points, followed by Railways in second place with 28 points.As anticipated, Ankita won the gold in the women's 10 km race with a time of 34:36.00. With 16 points in the women's division, Railways were victorious as a team. Maharashtra came in third place with 77 points, followed by Uttar Pradesh with 41 points. Conclusions (all finals): Men's 10km: Sawan Barwal (Himachal Pradesh) 29:38.00, Puneet (SSCB) 29:35.00, and Hemraj Gurjar (Railway Sports Promotion Board) 29:30.00. Services scored 20, Railways scored 28, and Haryana scored 64 points as a team. U-20: 8 km: Rohit Choudhary (Rajasthan) 23:54.00, Naresh Chopra (Rajasthan) 23:46.00, and Shivaji Parashu (Karnataka) 23:42.00 in time. Team: Haryana 54, Maharashtra 52, and Rajasthan 42 points. U18: 6km: Mohit Choudhary (Telangana) 18:18.00, Abhishek (Sikkim) 18:13, and Rohit Binner (Maharashtra) 18:11. U16: 2km: Anil Kumar (Uttar Pradesh) 5:39.00, Amit Kumar Mahto (Jharkhand) 5:42.00, Sachin Rawat (Delhi) 5:37.00.

A Deep fake video featuringSachin Tendulkar becomes viral
Sachin Tendulkar asserts in the widely shared video that his daughter Sara uses an app every day to get money.India's legendary cricket player Sachin Tendulkar is the most recent casualty of deepfake technology. The former Indian batter alerted his fans to a phony video purporting to show him supporting a mobile app. Tendulkar asserts in the widely shared video that his daughter Sara uses the app to make money every day. In response to the video, Tendulkar called attention to the increasing abuse of technology and asked his social media followers to denounce the marketing and the video."These are not real videos. The widespread misuse of technology is unsettling. He shared the video and commented, "Requesting everyone to report videos, ads, & apps like these in large numbers.""Social media sites must be watchful and quick to address concerns. The 50-year-old continued, "They must act quickly to limit the dissemination of false information and deepfakes.Sara Tendulkar Demands Action From Social Media Companies Against Deepfakes Sara Tendulkar, Sachin's 26-year-old daughter, had previously voiced her worries about her deepfakes and urged social media companies to take action against such accounts and videos."Social media is a beautiful place where we can all share our daily activities, pleasures, and sorrows. But the misuse of technology, which distorts the veracity and authenticity of the internet, is unsettling. In a now-deleted post, she said, "I've come across some deepfake photos of myself that are far from reality.""It is evident that several accounts on X (previously Twitter) were made with the intention of impersonating me and misleading people. "I hope X looks into such accounts and suspends them. I do not have an account on X," she continued in her statement."The truth should never be sacrificed for entertainment. Let's promote dialogue that is grounded in reality and trust," Sara said.


At the ITF Womens Open, Shrivalli Rashmikaa is in the second round of qualifying.
Out of the fourteen players, three Indians, including Shrivalli Rashmikaa Bhamidipaty, advanced to the second round of qualification in the KPB Trust ITF Women's Open, which got underway at the KSLTA Stadium in this city on Sunday. In the opening round, the 13th seed defeated a determined Ekaterina Yashina 7-5, 7-6 (5). The other Indians that made it to the final qualifying round were Zeel Desai, ranked 14th, and Vaidehi Chaudhary, ranked 11. On Monday, eight qualifiers who will compete in the main draw, which gets underway on Tuesday, will be revealed. Ekaterina started off well, getting a break in the first game itself, and applying constant pressure on her rival. The players decide to play from the baseline, waiting for their opponent to make a In the second set, both the competitors traded a break apiece in the 5th and 6th games respectively before Ekaterina broke the Indian’s serve in the seventh game and held her serve in the next to lead 5-3. The 22-year-old Rashmikaa took advantage of her opponent's errors to win the following three games and secure a break to lead 6-5 in the tenth game. In order to force a tiebreaker, which might have gone any way, Ekaterina held her serve.


Beginning on January 18, there will be the Bangalore International Grandmasters Open Chess Tournament.
The Bangalore Urban District Chess Association (BUDCA), in conjunction with the government of Karnataka, is all prepared to hold the first edition of the Bangalore International Grandmasters Open Chess Tournament at the Kanteerava Indoor Stadium from January 18 to 26.Over 2000 players and over 40 grandmasters from 20 different countries—among them notable figures like Abhijeet Gupta and Nigel Short—are anticipated to compete in the Garden City, which last played home to a major tournament over 40 years ago.The competition, which will offer ₹50 lakh in prize money, will be divided into three categories, A, B, and C based on the FIDE ratings of the players. There will also be an open Blitz competition on January 22.The first grandmaster from Karnataka, M.S. Thejkumar, was happy to participate in a competition at home. “There is a sharp rise in the number of tournaments in India now,” he said during a media event on Saturday."I truly wanted to compete in a tournament of this caliber when I became the General Manager in 2017, but that goal was never realized. This will significantly benefit the younger population.

Imran Khans party in Pakistan loses its cricket bat electoral symbol
The Imran Khan-led PTI Takes Away "Cricket Bat" Symbol When SC Says Internal Polls Are "Null and Void"The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) intra-party elections were declared unlawful by the Supreme Court of Pakistan late on Saturday night, according to PTI. It ended the contentious discussion over the selection of the famous electoral symbol by stripping the party of the "bat" as an election symbol. The verdict of a two-member bench of the Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Wednesday, which confirmed the PTI party's elections and reinstated the cricket bat as its electoral symbol, was challenged by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).A three-judge panel made up of Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, and Justice Musarrat Hilali heard the ECP's petition and then reserved their decision, which was made public late on Saturday night.In a ruling that was read aloud by the chief justice, the highest court declared that it would "set aside the PHC judgement and restore the ECP judgement," which had declared the PTI's intra-party elections null and void and removed the party's 'bat' insignia. The controversy around the election symbol started on December 22, when the ECP rejected surveys conducted within the party, depriving the party of its electoral emblem for the February 8 election.The Peshawar High Court, which received a petition from the party, suspended the ECP ruling on December 26 with an interim order.On January 3, the high court overturned the order when the election administration challenged the verdict. The PHC further declared that a two-judge bench will hear arguments over the PTI bat emblem. The ECP challenged the tribunal's ruling before the Supreme Court, but the two-member panel decided to reinstate the "bat" as a PTI insignia.The PTI has traditionally used a bat as its insignia, and it is said that stripping the party of this iconic image would require its candidates to run on different signs, which would confuse party members in rural areas on election day.In addition, the PTI would not be able to claim reserved seats in the national and provincial legislatures, which are split into parties according to the proportion of seats won in elections, if they did not have a single emblem. Barrister Khan has expressed concern that the PTI would suffer a significant loss if these seats in the national and provincial assemblies were lost in the absence of a party insignia. PTI's Ali Zafar responded to the Supreme Court's ruling by saying that, although history will decide the outcome, the PTI candidate would have to run without a common symbol right away."The symbol has been removed by the court, but the party remains a registered entity." All of our candidates would run as independents in accordance with our policy, he was cited by PTI in its story. PTI chairman Barrister Gohar Khan claimed that the political rights of the PTI and its supporters had been violated and expressed shock at the decision.


Pongal Exhibitions The Ek Bharat, Shrestha Bharat Spirit Prime Minister Modi Takes Part in Festivities
Wearing traditional Tamil clothes, which included a black coat and white lungi, PM Modi took part in the rites before speaking to the crowd.At MoS L Murugan's Delhi home, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was present as he celebrated Pongal. Wearing traditional Tamil clothes, which included a black coat and white lungi, PM Modi took part in the rites before speaking to the crowd. "The festival of Pongal depicts the emotion of 'Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat'... This emotion of unity will give strength to the 'Viksit Bharat' of 2047," he remarked, discussing how Pongal represents the feeling of 'Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat'.Moreover, the Prime Minister discussed the Kashi and Shaurastra Tamil Sangamams, where people join with great passion and the feeling of 'Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat' is evident.On the occasions of Makar Sankranti and Bihu, PM Modi also sent greetings to the nation, stating, "Today, the nation observed the Lohri festival." I'd want to greet my fellow citizens on these holidays as some are commemorating Makar Sankranti today, while others will celebrate tomorrow. Magh Bihu is also approaching."Afterwards, PM Modi attended the cultural event hosted at MoS Murugan's home.Besides him, the governors of Telangana and Puducherry, Tamilisai Soundararajan, were also visiting MoS Murugan's house. Nirmala Sitharaman, the minister of finance, was also spotted sitting among the spectators.Participating in Pongal celebrations at Union minister of state L Murugan's home in New Delhi, the PM stated that the strongest factor in creating a "Viksit Bharat" by 2047 is the sense of oneness among people.New Delhi: As he sent his best wishes to all residents for the current holiday season, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated on Sunday that the Pongal celebration embodies the national ideal of "Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat."

According to Sitharaman, Indias GDP will reach $30 trillion by 2047, and PHD calls it the most resilient.
According to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, India's GDP would reach $30 trillion by 2047. She added that 919 billion US dollars in foreign direct investment had been received by India in 23 years, up until 2023, and that the nation's economy will reach five trillion dollars by 2028. Of these, nine years' worth of investments accounted for sixty-five percent. Sitharaman also acknowledged Gujarat's role as the nation's growth engine, contributing more than 8% of the GDP. Sitharaman was speaking at the Gandhinagar Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit. The PM Gatishakti initiative is becoming recognized as a global standard for seamless and integrated multi-modal connectivity, according to a statement made by Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on the same day.At the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit, India and the UAE exchanged four memorandums of understanding, according to Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra. These memorandums of understanding concern investment collaboration in food parks, renewable energy, innovative healthcare, and logistics cooperation. Meanwhile, among the top 10 most powerful economies in 2024 and 2025, the Indian economy has been deemed by an industry authority to be the most robust. In a report following its study, the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry commended the developments in the Indian economy.Key macroeconomic data, such as GDP growth, export growth, gross national savings, total investments, and the debt-to-GDP ratio, served as the foundation for the industry body's study. According to a press release from Sanjeev Agrawal, President of the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the economy is predicted to surpass USD 4 trillion in 2024 and then move to the next orbit in 2025 due to consistent GDP growth rates exceeding 7% over the previous two years and a projected continuation of this trend in the current year as well. According to Agrawal, India is making great progress toward achieving its ambitious growth trajectory. GDP growth is expected to range between 7.4 and 7.5% for the current fiscal year, which ends in March 2024.According to the National Statistics Office's January 5 report, the Indian economy is predicted to expand by 7.3% in the current fiscal year 2023–24, continuing to be the fastest-growing major economy. India's GDP expanded by 8.7% in 2021–22 and 7.2% in 2022–23. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) increased its growth projection last month by 50 basis points to 7% from an earlier estimate of 6.5%, and the statistical office released its first advance estimates of GDP. Despite the challenges facing the world economy, India's economy is still strong, according to the industry association PHDCCI. "World value networks are being disrupted, inflationary pressures are being generated, and geopolitical conflicts are changing the world. International institutions have acknowledged India's growing geopolitical significance, according to Sanjeev Agrawal. Citing analysts, PHDCCI stated that markets are anticipated to stayAccording to the PHDCCI research, the average inflation trend in 2024 is anticipated to be approximately 4.5%. The Reserve Bank of India is predicted to decrease the repo rate by 100 basis points to reach the level of repo rate at 5.5% by the end 2024. At its December meeting, the RBI Monetary Policy Committee unanimously agreed to retain the current status quo at the 6.5% policy repo rate, marking the fifth consecutive meeting in which this decision was made.

The Sports Ministry has approved Kishore Jena and Mirabai Chanus requests for international training for the Olympics in Paris.
The governing board has also approved plans for wrestlers Ronit Sharma (Greco-Roman), Ashu (Freestyle), and Deepak Punia (Freestyle) to train overseas.Olympic silver medallists Mirabai Chanu from the Tokyo Olympics and Kishore Jena from the Asian Games will train overseas in preparation for the 2024 Paris Olympics, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports of India (MYAS) announced on Thursday.While Chanu is traveling to St. Louis, Missouri, for training, Jena will be spending 78 days in training on the Gold Coast of Australia. Dr. Aron Horschig will be her regular practitioner, and chief coach Vijay Sharma will go with her."Jena, his coach, and physiotherapist will have their airfare, boarding and lodging expenses covered by MYAS under its Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), along with the cost of using training and massage facilities, medical and local travel expenses, and medical insurance costs, among other expenditures," the Ministry stated in a release.NEW DELHI: The Sports Ministry on Thursday approved Asian Games silver medallist javelin thrower Kishore Kumar Jena's proposal to train in Australia, while also funding Tokyo Olympic medallist Mirabai Chanu's month-long rehab training in the US ahead of the Paris Games.