New Year Resolutions to be taken by e-commerce companies in India

2014 had been a year for e-commerce industry which has benefited customers across India. Both – customers and e-commerce sites – have learned a lot from each other in 2014. Now with the New Year, starting from January 1, 2015, customers hope the e-commerce companies should incorporate many changes that require to make the buying process easy and faster. And so, a group of e-commerce customers have come up with a list of The New Year Resolutions, to be taken by the online stores is released. This will not only reduce the number goods or items returned, but it will also make transactions more successful.

The New Year Resolutions to be taken by e-commerce companies...

1) Start awareness programme on 'How to buy the product and that too at best rate?'

Currently, several customers are still new to the Internet world and may end up buying wrong products. For them, the e-commerce companies should start an awareness programme on how to buy the right product with the best price from e-commerce sites. This will drastically reduce the customer complaints.

2) Consistency of product types and categories

Of the total customer complaints, the most of them are of receiving wrong product such as different colour or different shape or different design. Whatever is showed on the websites, only that product must be delivered.

3) Improve the process of customer feedback

Instead of sending just one mail to rate the product, if possible, without spamming, e-commerce companies can send text messages or also make a call to get the genuine feedback. Sometimes the customer may not have time to rate or fill the forms online. Hence, by keeping objective questions, feedback can be taken by making calls.

4) Stick to commitments

By giving advertisements, e-commerce companies are communicating about the heavy discounts being offered. But from now onwards they should also start disclosing inventory. This may not disappoint customer. For an instance, 'xyz brand black mobile phone is available with 30% discount. Only 200 pieces are available in the stock. Hurry up'. If this is also communicated in the advertisements the customer may not get disappointed if he misses the opportunity to buy that product online.

5) Logistic companies should not be lenient

Many customers have complaint that the courier guy delivered the product either to security guard or the neighbour without informing the customer. As the logistic companies have all the details of the customer, they should try to call the customer and with his or her permission the courier boy can deliver to neighbour or security guard.

Beaches hot destination in chilling winter

Beautiful beaches, sunny weather, music, cocktails and parties, is sufficient to attract entire world to come here and celebrate Xmas and New Year. Like every year, beaches is once again the most favorite and hot touring destination in the India in the last fortnight of the year ending on 31st December, 2014.

All the agents across country have booked planes, trains, bus tickets for Goa, Kerala and Andaman & Nicobar islands. Meanwhile, many travel freaks have decided to use their own vehicle to reach to their favorite respective destinations. But hotels are almost booked. It is now very difficult to get a room at a budget hotel in Goa.

Who says there is recession or slowdown? Starting from travel agents, hotels, guides, flights, railways, DJs, sound system providers and others connected to tourism are very busy entire week. Forget discounts, at some places the prices are beyond tariff as the demand is exceeding the supply.

For lucky ones rooms are still available but tariff are skyrocketing. However, travel enthusiasts does not care for high tariff. They just prepare and take the first step towards their touring destination.

As per travel agents, the second most popular touring destination for next ten days, is Kerala. Here the backwaters, beaches, spa and several things attract the tourists. Visiting Kerala may be expensive but still it is one of the favorite destinations for tourist for New Year.

Further more expensive touring destination, Andaman & Nicobar Islands is too hot touring destination during this period. The hotel rooms at one of the most beautiful islands and beaches, Havelock Islands are believed to be full for the entire week ending on first Sunday of January 2014.

There are also travel freaks who have decided to go for some adventurous place by choosing Himachal Pradesh or Sikkim or any chilling place which has snow and much below zero degree celsius. Among them, Shimla is most popular, followed by Dharmsala, Dalhousie, Sikkim and others. Flights to all the freezing touring destinations are full. Even the room tariffs have gone up and occupancy is almost full.

For international trips, Thailand remains on top. As being one of the most economical, Thailand, Dubai, Singapore, Indonesia and surrounding areas are the most favorite touring places during New Year Vacation.

This year apart from Goa and Kerala, people want to feel below zero degree temperature, said Priyanka Menon from Kesari Travels. “Shimla, Kullu, Manali, Dharamsala and other places from Himachal Pradesh have got one of the largest inquiries this year in winter. People are also according spending good money during their vacation,” she said.

To take a feel of seeing the moon like land, people also prefer Kutch to participate in the Rann Utsav. However, people prefer staying in hotels which are economical compared to the tents.

In India people mostly visit three place Goa, Kerala and Mumbai for New Year parties, believe Laxmikant Bhatt of Lipi Tours and Travels. “People visit Goa for Feast of St Francis Xavier and Sunburn,” he said.

During December Kerala has awesome weather with drizzling at times, he said. “Tourist visits Kerala specially to celebrate boat race where the most exciting and colourful water sport festivals held. Even the boat houses are very popular,” said Bhatt.

Interestingly, Mumbai is most crowded during this time as it is famous for beach parties in its surrounding areas and also for its most affordable shopping. Many have also decided to go to Mumbai and attend Bollywood parties.

Wish you all Merry Xmas & New Year from Infibeam family.

Infibeam Becomes Exclusive Online Reseller for Airtel's TV On-Demand Wi-Fi Dongle

Airtel is set to revolutionize digital entertainment with its latest TV On-Demand Wi-Fi Dongle. This Wi-Fi enabler allows Airtel Digital TV HD users easily experience the On Demand TV service.

Digital entertainment will now reach a new height with Airtel's Digital TV On-Demand Wi-Fi dongle. Recently, Airtel, India's leading telecommunication brand, has launched a Wi-Fi Dongle, which allows Airtel Digital TV HD users easily experience the On Demand TV service.

With this Wi-Fi enabler, HD users can enjoy a video library of more than 1000+ movie titles including the latest movies, sitcoms, TV shows, fitness guides and also catch up on last 6 days of pre-recorded TV shows across 35 top rated channels by just plugging this device in their STB and having a handy Wi-Fi connection. This device is for HD/HD+/HD-DVR boxes to be used with a Wi-Fi connection > 2Mbps speed.

This Wi-Fi dongle is packed with lot of benefits. Users can experience superior quality entertainment in digital world of Airtel. It's just a few touches away of your remote control. Watch episodes, movies and trailers. Pause, rewind and fast forward! A rich library of Hollywood classics and Bollywood latest hits is at your disposal. Not just this; give your eyes a visual treat with animated movies, devotional videos, cookery shows to yoga and aerobics.

The Wi-Fi dongle enables you to download and watch any of the hundreds of titles from Airtel library, when you want to, on-demand. No matter which part of India you belong to, our library has rich entertainment content served in English, Hindi and several other regional languages. DVD-like control of your TV: pause, play, rewind, fast forward or play in slow-motion.

This On-Demand Wi-Fi dongle is exclusively available on Infibeam – one of the fast growing online shopping portals in India. The dongle is available at Rs.849/- at Infibeam. Now go for this On-Demand Wi-Fi Dongle and experience entertainment like never before.

Order Now: http://www.infibeam.com/airtel-digital-tv-exclusive

GOSF: Traffic at Infibeam hits all time high

The wholesale price index (WPI) was zero in Novemeber 2014. Can it go further down and can WPI go negative in December? Quite possible. Thanks to Great Online Shopping Festival (GOSF) which offered heavy discounts for 72 hours. Jokes apart, but GOSF is a big success. Many items were sold for discounts of even up to 80%. As an impact, consumer has saved a lot and also spent a lot.

This year, without any interruption, the GOSF started from 0000 hours of 10 December, 2014 and lasted untill 23.59 of 12 December 2014. People have bought many items including unusual ones like house, groceries products, bridal wear and many.

But the most popular buying happened on the GOSF at 'Rs299 corner', where everything was on sale for Rs299 only. Interestingly almost none of the items went out of stock. Moreover, many e-commerce partners of GOSF including Infibeam extended the 'Rs299 corner' for two to three additional days.

Compared to normal days, Infibeam had witnessed multiple growth in number of visits, number of transactions and sales too during GOSF. On the e-commerce portal of Infibeam, the traffic was eight times more in three days of GOSF compared to other days. It is believed that the traffic at Infibeam was at peak during these three days. Overall the customer base of Infibeam has also increased in the festival.

Even the number of orders have increased by 10 times during the festival. Usually books top the chart of most items sold, but during the three days of GOSF, the trend was different. The most common and popular items that were sold on Infibeam during GOSF were bags, necklaces, power banks and watches.

It is estimated that the revenue of Infibeam has also jumped by seven times. On normal days, the discounts are not so high and so the sale is always low. But during GOSF, as many products were sold with discount at Rs299, the number of transactions shot up and hence, the revenue is expected to grow seven times during span of three days of GOSF.

Who can buy what on GOSF!

It has been not even two months after Diwali and consumer is all set to spend more eyeing several new opportunities of buying different products and items with heavy discounts. Starting from apparels, electronics, gadgets, gaming tools and home, all products are offered at heavy discounts at over 420+ brands in over 20 categories at www.gosf.in.

As estimated by different brands and Google, 'Great Online Shopping Festival (GOSF)', starting from 10 December, 2014 is expected to get over millions of hits for three days, untill midnight of 12 December, 2014. Compared to previous two years, the number of transactions is expected to see multi-growth of over 10 times.

By profession he is a doctor but by heart he is a consumer. Dr Kunal Jhaveri from Mumbai is keen and prepared for GOSF to buy so many things before going to a destination wedding scheduled in January 2015. He wants to buy gift for bride and groom, apparels for immediate family attending wedding, a luggage bag and warm wear.

"I have already studied the physical markets and checked the prices of the various brands and product. I am cocksure that I will get what i want at much lower price from GOSF. I am expecting to save up to 30% by buying online," said Jhaveri.

For housewife, Mamta Shah from Ahmedabad, GOSF is a timely event to fulfill her needs. For kids she wants to buy sweaters and jackets. In coming days, she is expecting guests at home and before that she wants to change the curtains, bed sheets and other items. "I have already done alots of shopping in Diwali. But thanks to GOSF, my appetite for shopping has increased. I think it is not shopping but it is one kind of savings," she believes.

It has been six months, the banking professional from Bangaluru, Siddarth Wodiyar is seeking a beautiful affordable house in the city. "For me the most challenging part is to get an affordable house in Bangaluru. I am confident that I will get a best affordable house in the desired destination, only through GOSF. Different options in the 'Real Estate' category is going to help me," he said.

Biker Anshuman Dutta loves to explore new destination across country on his bullet. He is expecting some good automobile accessories and best hotel deals in coming days from GOSF. "As Christmas vacation is just ten days away and I am planning to buy some good decorative stuff for my bike and book some hotel rooms at tourist destination. Only GOSF can help me out at this moment,
" said Dutta.

Rs299 CORNER to be the Centre of GOSF

For the first time, Google has come up with an interesting and innovative concept for consumers under the name of 'Rs299 corner' at Great Online Shopping Festival (GOSF). It is expected that among all sections, this part 'Rs299 CORNER' is going to be the main attraction of GOSF.

Each and every item in this part of the portal will be sold at flat Rs299. Most interesting part of this corner is, free shipping and even COD is available. Usually, shipping is charged in many cases, and COD is unlikely for such low priced items.

There are hundreds of retailers, who are set to offer products in different categories. Consumers will get good branded stuff in different categories such as jewellery, watches, kitchenware, travel accessories, home furniture, wall clocks, mobile accessories, automobile accessories and many more, for just Rs299.

This experiment is going to be a big hit as several numbers of products will be available at very economical price. As over 400 brands are participating, the consumer is going to get a wide range of products.

It is believed that Google is expecting very high number of hits for this section compared to all sections at www.gosf.in. The rain of discounts at GOSF will begin from 00:00 hours of 10 December, 2014 for three days.

Last year, GOSF got overwhelming response and server could not manage the traffic. Hence, the GOSF was extended for one more day. This year, Google is believed to be all set to manage all kinds of hurdles.

The e-commerce war between all companies participating in GOSF and other e-com sites is going to be aggressive. The heavy discounts being offered by e-com sites and GOSF have already become talk of the town. The TV commercials are already on air. And, the print media is expected to be flooded with full page advertisements of e-com sites offering heavy discounts.

However, the winner is going to be the consumer.

GOSF 2014: 23 categories, 420+ Brands, 3 Days & Heavy Discounts

Let Reserve Bank of India (RBI) keep the interest rates unchanged. Let the consumer price inflation be above 5.50%. But the consumer is all set to save a lot for three days. These three super big days for Indian consumers are just few days away.

The big annual three-day event, initiated by Google, 'Great Online Shopping Festival' (GOSF) is all set to kick off from 10 December, 2014 on www.gosf.in. This time it has more categories and higher number of brands participating in the event. In the third annual event in India taking place in December every year, GOSF has 420+ brands participating in about 23 different categories.

In last one year, the online buying has seen growth of over 100% growth and hence huge demand is expected this year. Not only the brands, but every single consumer is keen and eagerly waiting for GOSF. Interestingly, on an average over 8,000 consumers each in top 14 cities of country have participated in 'The Game' on www.gosf.in.

What's new this year?

This is the most important question being raised in every consumer's mind. What is new on GOSF this year? Last year 'Real Estate' and few others were the new categories. This year many consumers have found new interesting categories like 'Education', 'Luxury Premium Products', 'Bridal Collection' and many more exciting categories.

This year's GOSF has also come out with 'Rs299 corner'. In this section, a variety of products will be sold for just Rs299 that too without any shipping and COD cost.

Similarly, Google has kept a dedicated section 'exclusive launch offer' in which the Indian consumer will be able to buy such products which are never sold in India ever before. These products will be exclusively launched only on GOSF and its partners.

Being year 2014, there is an encouraging offer for consumers. Partnering with 14 brands, GOSF is giving opportunity to 14 winners free shopping for 14 min worth up to Rs2.5 lakh.

Apart from that, contesting in game is already on. Since 25 November, 'Play the game and Win a GOSF Deal' has begun and thousands of consumers across country are participating in it every day.

Infibeam Appoints Hiren Padhya as CFO

The fastest growing e-commerce technology company of India, Infibeam gets new Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Hiren Padhya. As one more further step towards hitting capital market, Infibeam appoints Mr Padhya as CFO, who, is going to play a key role in the company.

By profession, Mr Padhya holds degrees in Chartered Accountant (CA), Cost Accountant (ICWA) and Company Secretary (CS) after completing bachelor of commerce from H L College, Ahmedabad. He has been a hardcore finance professional with 21 years' solid experience mainly in Finance, Accounts, Project, Business Plan, SEZ formalities and its implementation, MIS and Taxation.

Despite being tough task master Mr Padhya is also a good motivator with excellent interpersonal skills in dealing with subordinates, peers, and superiors. So far, he has gained rich experience in Management Report and controls, reporting to Managing Director, Finance Director and Chairman.

Started his career as Manager (Finance) in 1993 in Ashima Limited with total tenure of almost a decade. In 2002, he joined Elecon group as General Manager (Finance) where the additional portfolio over and above Finance & Accounts, was related to Purchase, Excise and implementation of Oracle.

He was fortunate to have an opportunity to work in big trading group, Adani Exports Limited in 2004 where he got the complete exposure of large scale imports of Coal, exports of Iron Ore, Power trading and Port development project. In two years, Mr Padhya moved to pharmaceutical sector and joined Unimark Remedies Ltd as Vice President (Accounts). In the short-run, he was promoted to Corporate Financial Controller in the company.

Meanwhile, SEZ rules were framed in 2006 and all tax benefits were given to SEZ. Mr Padhya got an opportunity in SEZ of Jubilant group at Bharuch as CFO and Company Secretary in 2008. During his tenure, he developed SEZ and two SEZ Units ensuring all legal compliance and Tax benefits. Then, he came back to Ahmedabad in early 2011 to join an MNC – Duravit India Pvt. Ltd. again as CFO. He was responsible for all compliances including Secretarial over and above Finance, Taxation and Accounts. His last assignment was at Rubber King Tyres as CFO before joining Infibeam.

Mr Padhya brings rich finance experience and will be an invaluable asset to Infibeam. Apart from reading financial books, annual reports and financial statements, Mr Padhya is passionate about making friends, helping others and involved in Brahmakumaris at spiritual level.

Infibeam welcomes Mr Padhya to the family.

The iPad Story: Why You Should Buy From Infibeam?

Take an advantage of getting iPad Air 2 or iPad Mini 3 deliveries on same day by buying from the authorised reseller of Apple iPads, Infibeam.com. Register, pre-book and get delivery of iPad on Saturday and become one of the first iPad Air 2 or iPad Mini 3 users in the country.

Infibeam is all set to deliver the product on November 29, 2014 in all top cities of the country including Delhi, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Bangalore, Jaipur, Noida, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Gurgaon, Pune, Nagpur, Faridabad, Secunderabad and others. It is an opportunity first time users of iPads to log in and pre-book as early as possible.

There is yet another advantage of buying from the authorised reseller of Apple, Infibeam.com, that is customer can get it with 24-month of EMI. Through credit card payment, customer can get an EMI option for minimum three months and maximum is 24-months.



For iPad Air 2 Wi-Fi, the minimum EMI option starts from Rs1,741 per month to Rs12,226 per month. While for iPad Air 2 Wi-Fi + Cellular, the range of EMI begins from Rs2,226 per month and rises to Ra18,106 per month.

In case of iPad Mini 3 Wi-Fi, the lowest EMI option starts from Rs1,401 per month and the maximum is around Rs13,000 per month. Meanwhile the EMI for Wi-Fi + Cellular of iPad Mini 3 ranges between Rs1,886 and over Rs18,000 per month.

This time, Apple introduces the new variant 18% thinner as iPad Air 2 is 6.1 inch mm thin and light too. The weight of iPad Air 2 is just 40% of a 1 litre drinking water bottle. It is just 437 grams. With 9.7 inch display, it is not only thinner but better too, with more vivid colours and greater contrast as it has got 2048 x 1536 resolution.

The product is lot more powerful as it is designed in a new chip, the A8X, that delivers substantially better CPU and graphics performance than its predecessor. In fact, with its 64-bit desktop-class architecture, iPad Air 2 is as powerful as many personal computers. It’s power efficient too, with a 10-hour battery life that lets you work, play, surf and shop all day long.

In case of iPad Mini 3, one can shoot video and photos that are unbelievably crisp, clear and vibrant. It has everything you need, including new iOS 8 features like Panorama and Time-lapse mode, to capture stills and videos that are as memorable as the moments themselves. Even better, you also get this same great picture quality when making video calls.

iPad Mini 3 keeps one connected faster than ever in more locations than ever. Two antennas and MIMO technology give iPad Mini 3 incredible Wi Fi performance. And the Wi Fi + Cellular model supports fast mobile networks around the world. So one can download content, stream video, browse the web and share documents with AirDrop at amazing speeds.

Online Retail in India to Grow 11 Times in Next Four Years

Call it e-tail or online retail, it is all set to see 11 fold growth in next four years. According to various market reports, at present, the size of e-tail in India is estimated to be around $1.6 billion (around Rs.9,900/- crores) which is expected to swell to over $17.6 billion (about Rs1.08 lakh crores wherein a $ = Rs.61.67/-), by the end of 2018.

Online shopping is not new to India as e-commerce companies existed even before the dot com bubble got burst in year 2000. But it was much before the time as India did not have much Internet penetration. In last five years, the internet penetration has seen steep growth from less than 40 million (4 crores) to over 200 million (over 20 crores) net users at present.

Of the total population of the country, it is estimated that currently 16% of that is accessing internet, that used to be less than 4% until 2007. Now, it is expected that the number of internet users in India will grow by 2.5 times in next four years. India is likely to see that almost one third population of the country will be accessing the internet. Number of net users are expected to grow to 500 million (around 50 crores).

This 2.5 times growth in internet subscribers in four years is likely to lead the growth of e-tail size in India by 11 times. At this moment, of the total number of internet users, up to 70 million (7 crores) are estimated to have access to faster data downloading speed. As the next generation of mobile technology, 4G is expected to expand its penetration in India by mid-2015, the number of people using fast data downloading speed will increase to over 150 million (15 crores) in next two to four years.

As per market reports, Indians spend majority of their time on news, information, sports and retail portals. Time spent on online retail is still lowest. Computers and electronics contribute maximum in the online retail subcategories, followed by apparels, books and consumer electronics.

The total size of e-commerce  in India is estimated to be over $11 billion (around Rs. 68,000/- crores), of which e-tail contributes about 15%. Travel has the maximum share of over 70%, while e-tail is second largest in the category. The remaining 15% share is shared between financial services, classified and others.

Source: IAMAI-IMRB, Elara Capital & Other Industry Reports

World's Leading Registrars Joins hand with Infibeam to Offer Global Top Level Domain .OOO ( dot-tripe-O)

Infibeam today announced that it has executed Registry Registrar  Agreement (RRA's )  with world leading Registrars to make the new generic top level domain .OOO available to millions of customer worldwide. All the Registrars are accredited registrar with ICANN, having over 15 years of experience in distribution and management of domain names and specializes in offering the very best domain services from trademark protection to DNS protection to corporations and general customers. 

Among the large global registrars with whom Infibeam signed agreement are: Bigrock(India), Comlaude (London), CSC Global (USA), Enom (USA), EuroDNS (Luxembourg), GMO (Japan), Markmonitor(USA), Name.com (USA), Network Solutions (USA), Uniregistry (Cayman Islands), 101 Domains ( USA).

In today's domain industry, there are a lot of pain points for domain buyers and domain users. One of the major concerns for the buyer today is to get choice of domain name as most of the names either have been taken or have been hoarded. .OOO will unfold the opportunity for the users to have name of choice and will fulfil all internet related business needs.

.OOO is the new generic top level domain and will be available for customers worldwide for creating global business and identity. .OOO will now open the scope for millions of SME's, enterprises and brands who struggling to get right digital identity and get visibility globally. Infact today .OOO is the most credible global domain available in terms of its scope, availability and will offer opportunity for all legitimate purpose on Internet to everyone worldwide.

Partnering with global Registrars will help Infibeam leverage to reach out to a broader customer base worldwide for .OOO and will continue building broad base of global registrars.

Infibeam has launched the sunrise phase on 22nd September, 2014 (12 UTC-5.30 am IST) for trademark holders to safeguard relevant registrations before it opens for general availability from 23-10-2014.

On this occasion Soumya Iyer - Project Manager .OOO said that  “We are happy to partner with one of the most credible and experienced companies in domain industry and we are confident that using their sales platform, we will be able to reach out to millions of  potential customers. Users will have unprecedented choice to make their brand identity recognised online.”

.OOO is a new global generic Top Level Domain, which is SEO friendly, Keypad Friendly as it’s easy to remember and easy to type (specially on a mobile). Being generic, .OOO has no restrictions and is available for everyone.

About .OOO:
.OOO is a subsidiary of Infibeam Inc., a leading and fastest growing Indian e-commerce technology company. .OOO is a new generic Top Level Domain and its Infibeam's latest venture which aims at redefining online for any and every business across the world.

Infibeam launches Generic Top Level Domain dot-tripple-O (.OOO)

Infibeam, India's leading and world fastest growing e-commerce technology company has announced that it has launched a new Generic Top Level Domain dot-tripple-O (.OOO). The new GTLD is a new and major business development in the digital space by Infibeam and is the first of a kind initiative by any e-commerce company.

In the process Infibeam has also become the first credible technology company from India to launch GENERIC TOP LEVEL DOMAIN (GTLD) globally.

The domain will be made available for corporation and general public worldwide through credible and experienced global channel partners with whom it has signed Registry Registrar Agreement (RRA's).

The sunrise phase has opened on 22nd September, 2014 (12 UTC-5.30 am IST) for trademark holders to safeguard relevant registrations before it opens for general availability from 23-10-2014.

Infibeam has cleared all the compliances required and received licence from Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) to own Internet root and become a part of a very secured and credible community i.e INTERNET.

Introducing domains under a new extension is a multi-step process that's designed to include protections for trademark holders and give average users a fair shake at getting the digital identity they want.

India expected to be one of the largest domain name markets by 2017, there are a number of tremendous market opportunities for various stakeholders to get in early and leverage new domain names.

As the Internet is becoming more diverse, more personalized,2014 will be going to be remarkable year for most basic form of user online navigation as extensions i.e. domain. 

​

About .OOO

.OOO is a subsidiary of Infibeam Inc., a leading and fastest growing Indian e-commerce technology company. .OOO is a new generic Top Level Domain and its Infibeam's latest venture which aims at redefining online for any and every business across the world.

Infilicious: Food Festival at Ahmedabad Branch of Infibeam

One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating. Isn't it okay, once in a blue moon, to give a break to our brains and do something that our tummy would approve of? After all, belly rules the mind. And Infibeamites at Ahmedabad office decided to celebrate their love for food.

It all began with a casual chit-chat after lunch on a lazy afternoon. Somebody popped up with a suggestion - Potluck; and others were waiting to catch the pot. As luck was in our favour, Addy...oops, +Advit Sahdev - Marketing & Promotion team head, waved go-ahead. Then plan, plan and plan. +Rachna Rawat took the initiative to engage the entire floor; she personally went to each desk and asked what they (or their moms & spouses) could cook the best. A lavish menu was prepared on July 11th and each person was assigned with some tasks. Those who were not able to bring anything from home, got something from food stores. Our design team supplied crockery and cutlery: thermocol dishes, bowls, spoons and forks.

On July 12th, everything was in apple-pie order. The conference room on 7th floor was filled with the delicious aroma of irresistible food. As the clock struck 1 pm, all invitees including Mr +Vishal Mehta, CEO - +Infibeam and Mr Malav Mehta - Director, Infibeam made their way to 7th floor conference room. The spectacular event began with smacking of lips and ended with licking of fingertips.

Finally, the team Marketing & Promotion got a pat on the back from Vishal Mehta. And also got the nod for more such events every month. Special thanks to Rachna, Vineeta, +Naresh Koshti and +Jigar Gondalia, who put their heart, soul and hunger to make the entire show a stunning spectacle.

Our ace photographer +Praful Vaidya captured some foodful pics and also employed his creativity to design the invitation. And last but not the least, +Jayesh Purohit & +Advit Sahdev penned the copy for invitation; +Vishal Shastri contributes to circulate this blog.

TV18 Broadcast Launches India’s First Gujarati Business Channel

Becomes world's first and only truly diversified Business News Network Sanjay Pugalia to be Editor-in-chief

From small-time traders to business leaders, the Gujarati community is India's most dynamic business community. Born entrepreneurs and risk takers, they have been driving the Indian economy with their ambition and putting India on the global business map. It has always been a part of their DNA to give birth to pioneering business ideas, capitalize on opportunities and create a glorious future. It is for this community that we are launching CNBC BAJAR, India's first Gujarati Business Channel- A channel that speaks the real language of business. Designed for India's most vibrant community, dedicated to the original entrepreneurs and global Indians CNBC BAJAR is a tool for Gujaratis to make most of every business and trading day. It's a tool almost as powerful as the Gujarati community itself.

CNBC Bajar is partnered by Infibeam.com, in association with Adani and Ganesh Housing.

Backed by the editorial might of the CNBC Universe - CNBC TV18 and CNBC AWAAZ, CNBC BAJAR is the newest jewel in the crown of India's only business news network. The channel has found endorsement from various personalities.

Mr. +Narendra Modi "It is truly a BIG IDEA to have initiated a business channel in Gujarati. You have understood the mindset and lifeline of Gujarati and I believe this Gujarati channel will get you the highest profit, as compared to all other channels of your Network. Even in the Diamond market, an Israeli is learning Gujarati, in order to conduct business with a 5th standard pass out Gujarati businessman. In the entire world, Gujarati language is accepted as the language of business. It is a form of currency. It is reflective of the economy. And that is why the tagline, "Business Ni Matrubhasha" is easily relatable to Gujaratis."

Mr. Uday Kotak : "First of all - Congratulations. CNBC BAJAR has been launched at the right time. I would say that "Share Bazaar" and "Gujaratis" are synonymous."

Mr. Deepak Parekh: "I'm very happy and delighted to learn that the TV18 Group is starting a new channel called CNBC BAJAR. It is important that we have a business channel in Gujarati, because every Gujarati is a businessman. Business is in the veins of every Gujarati individual."

Ms. Chanda Kochhar: "Gujarati businessmen have two stellar qualities. One is their entrepreneurial spirit and the other is their inherent ability to work hard. When the circumstances are good, they go out of their way to find business opportunities. But when they face challenges, they seek innovative methods of facing them."

Mr. Vallabh Bhansali: "In Mumbai, particularly in the textile market, the wholesale markets, the stock market, the primary language is very much Gujarati. That's why now a Gujarati channel starting in Gujarati language is a very good thing, and my best wishes are with it."

Mr. A.M. Naik: "I think Gujaratis can make business out of nothing. And apart from their entrepreneurial bent of mind, they are devoted to what they do. And that is a deadly combination."

Mr. Adi Godrej: "Gujarat has always played a very strong role in the business affairs of our country. Gujaratis have been entrepreneurial and pioneering. A disproportionate part of the investment into the Indian Stock Market, both primary and secondary, comes from Gujarat."

For the detailed bytes of all the dignitaries, please visit the Annexure.

The channel is anchored and driven by some of the biggest names in Indian news and television. Mr. Sanjay Pugalia is the editor-in-chief and reputed anchors, Mr. Pradeep Pandya and Ms. Aashka Goradia will be the face of the channel.

The channel offering will be a mix of live markets coverage from NSE, BSE, commodities, currency, etc. and feature shows on aspects such as personal finance, entrepreneurship, property, lifestyle, etc.

Editor in chief, Mr. Sanjay Pugalia had this to say on the launch "The kind of programming plan that CNBC BAJAR has, the channel is armed with a global attitude and the pace of a general news channel. We have added stronger doses of content around SME, retail, bullion and commodity into the typical mainstream mix of business news. We will focus both on the micro markets within Gujarat as well as the global markets which affect the investment and business decisions of the business savvy Gujaratis."

CEO of CNBC channels and Forbes India, Mr. Anil Uniyal spoke about the business rationale behind starting this channel "On every economic parameter, from industrialization to GDP per household, Gujaratis are top performers today. However, there isn't enough content being created to serve this hugely affluent set of viewers. It was thus a very simple decision for us when we decided to start this channel. Not only that, no other community devours content revolving around finance, markets, business and economics the way this community does.

With the launch of CNBC BAJAR, our company has become India's only truly diversified business news network with unmatched presence across platforms. We can only go upwards from here."

Speaking on the partnership, "Gujaratis are entrepreneurial and well known for their business acumen. This channel in Gujarati will be worthwhile for their business and new vision. It will be truly their own channel"

Since Gujaratis are perhaps the most global community in the country today, the channel will not only find interest in its home state but also all over the country and beyond that as well.

The marketing campaign of the channel is centered around the thought "The mother tongue of business". It brings out the centricity of business in the life of Gujaratis and how extensively the language is used even today in the numerous dealings of business. The campaign has been designed by Piyush Pandey's O&M.

At a time when the TV industry is going through wholesale changes, this channel targeting a specific niche of affluent viewers is an example for the rest of the industry on the way forward for everyone.

CNBC BAJAR is available on Tata Sky channel 896, You Scod channel 286, GTPL channel 263.

About +Network18 - The Network18 Group is a media and entertainment company with interests in television, internet, films, e-commerce, magazines, mobile content and allied businesses. Through its subsidiary 'TV18 Broadcast Ltd.' [BSE: 532800, NSE: TV18BRDCST], the group operates news channels - CNBC-TV18, CNBC Awaaz, CNBC-TV18 Prime HD, CNN-IBN, IBN7 and IBN-Lokmat (a Marathi regional news channel in partnership with the Lokmat group). TV18 also operates a joint venture with Viacom, called Viacom18, which houses a portfolio of popular entertainment channels - Colors, Colors HD, MTV, Comedy Central, Vh1, Nick, Sonic, Nick Jr./Teen Nick and Viacom18 Motion Pictures, the group's filmed entertainment business.

About +Infibeam  - Infibeam.com is an Ahmedabad based leading e-commerce company with offices at Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore. The Company is retailing more than 1.5 million products across 30 categories online. Infibeam today is not just a preferred online shopping destinations for the millions of customers but also runs another remarkable platform BuildaBazaar, which was launched in 2011 with the objective to offer technology platform through which any retail brand, big or small can build its own web store in just a few minutes. Today, BuildaBazaar is hosting more than 15000 retail stores online over its platform.

Annexure-

Mr. Narendra Modi: "It is truly a BIG IDEA to have initiated a business channel in Gujarati.

I know someone who had an English newspaper, which was running into losses and was low on circulation. He was worried about how to keep it afloat. Then he started a newspaper in Gujarati, which focused only on news about the share market. You won't believe, even teachers and farmers started buying the newspapers as they were interested in the share market. As compared to the several pages of English newspapers, this 4-page Gujarati newspaper made a profit that made up for the whole. You have understood the mindset and lifeline of Gujarati and I believe this Gujarati channel will get you the highest profit, as compared to all other channels of your Network. Even in the Diamond market, an Israeli is learning Gujarati, in order to conduct business with a 5th standard pass out Gujarati businessman.

In the entire world, Gujarati language is accepted as the language of business.

It is a form of currency. It is reflective of the economy.

And that is why the tagline, "Business Ni Matrubhasha" is easily relatable to Gujaratis."

Mr. Uday Kotak : "First of all - Congratulations. CNBC BAJAR has been launched at the right time. I would say that "Share Bazaar" and "Gujaratis" are synonymous. The way the country's future is poised, good times are sure to come. And this, I believe, this will be a marathon and not a mere 100 meter sprint. I, thus, advice all your viewers that if they are planning to enter the share market, they should plan their investments from a long-term perspective. For the Gujaratis' time has come."

Mr. Deepak Parekh: "I'm very happy and delighted to learn that the TV18 Group is starting a new channel called CNBC BAJAR. It is not Bazaar, it is BAJAR. And this channel is going to be in Gujarati. It is important that we have a business channel in Gujarati, because every Gujarati is a businessman. Business is in the veins of every Gujarati individual. The Gujarati community has presence all over the world.

Gujarati language has become more or less a part of business language in India. After English, Gujarati language is spoken in all parts of the country, but particularly in business circles."

Ms. Chanda Kochhar: "Gujarati businessmen have two stellar qualities. One is their entrepreneurial spirit and the other is their inherent ability to work hard. The state of Gujarat has undergone development, primarily for two reasons. One of course is the entrepreneurial spirit of Gujaratis and the second is the policies of the Gujarat Government. The Gujarat Government's policies are investment-friendly and this is why Gujarat has experienced ample investment and development. As our business has grown in Gujarat, we have seen investments and savings potential across rural and urban areas. Over and above that, I have some great experiences associated with Gujarat, like sarees from Panetar, sarees of Bandhej and Gujarati food. I think these are some unique experiences. My experience with Gujarati businessmen shows that they seek opportunities and face challenges with equal flair. When the circumstances are good, they go out of their way to find business opportunities. But when they face challenges, they seek innovative methods of facing them. As we have seen frequently, Gujarat has faced several challenges such as earthquakes and more, but even in tough times, Gujaratis have worked hard, overcome these challenges and come out stronger."

Mr. Vallabh Bhansali: "As for success, I think indeed in business, Gujaratis succeed quite a lot. Their business attitude and aptitude, both are very strong. When they fall, stand up again to fight and this is the reason behind their success."

In Mumbai, particularly in the textile market, the wholesale markets, the stock market, the primary language is very much Gujarati.

That's why now a Gujarati channel starting in Gujarati language is a very good thing, and my best wishes are with it.

Mr. A.M. Naik: "I think Gujaratis are entrepreneurs by birth. Every Gujarati has in their DNA the knack to run a business. They see business in anything. I think Gujaratis can make business out of nothing. And apart from their entrepreneurial bent of mind, they are devoted to what they do. And that is a deadly combination.

And what I love most about them is that they not only know how to make money, but also know how to enjoy life. They are great food lovers and travel all around the world.

Mr. Adi Godrej: "Gujarat has always played a very strong role in the business affairs of our country. Gujaratis have been entrepreneurial and pioneering. A disproportionate part of the investment into the Indian Stock Market, both primary and secondary, comes from Gujarat. Some of our largest companies in the country have been started by people from Gujarat. Gujaratis have always been global...in their mindset and in their actions." 

Father's Day Gift Ideas to Make Your Dad Feel Special

It is quite common that people eulogize sacrifices made by mother and role she plays in shaping our life. But quite often we underrate countless sacrifices made by our dear father and despite that, not for once he makes his kids feel that whatever he has done is done for them. Your father has got a very soft heart under that tough skin. This Father's Day, say thanks to your dear dad, give him a warm hug and a beautiful gift.

So here are some cool Father's Day gift ideas for you...

Vacation

An unforgettable experience is one of the best Father's Day gifts you could give to your dear ones. And what could be a better experience than a small vacation spent on an exotic destination? This Father's Day, surprise your dad by sending him to an exotic location to spend some memorable moments, of course with your dear mom. If you are not able to pick the right destination from the bewildering list of locations on the earth, take help of your mom and ask her about your father's choice. Or if you want to send your dad to your choice of destination, you need to consider his health and age as he might have some climate allergies or nausea.

Membership of a Club

This could be another joyful experience for your father. Whether the club locates within the ambit of your city or on the outskirts, time spent with like-minded folks would keep him energetic and excited. If health doesn't permit your father to commute, club situated in city would be preferable. A club membership can vouch for lot of benefits & facilities like networking, health club, swimming pool, yoga & mediation and more.

Your Fingerprints On Play-Doh

During your childhood years, you might have created weird shapes with Play-Doh only to receive happy smile and a pat on your back from your dad. Now with the same Play-Doh you can delight your father to the core. Get a Play-Doh and put your fingerprints on it, and get the same framed. Hurray!!! He would cherish this masterpiece forever as the gift is now priceless.

Personalized Photo Books

A picture speaks thousand words and countless emotions. This Father's Day, create a collage of your photos taken with your dad and get the collage framed to gift your father. A word of advice: don't forget to include your childhood memories with your family. This would surely make his day as he would love to walk down memory lane; this will also give him a chance to relive his own childhood.

Audio/Video DVDs

Perhaps the easiest way to wish your dad Happy Father's Day is to give him a collection of audio and video DVDs of movies and songs of his choice. Either download movies/songs or purchase DVDs online - this could be one of the cheapest but nicest gift to your father. Let him dance and sing with his favourite movie stars and melodious songs.

Electronics

If you are running short of options, electronics can provide you gift options galore. Check out any online portal and you have countless electronic items on your finger tip. Tablets, Smartphones, Laptops, iPods, iPads, Cameras, Gaming Consoles, Home Theaters, DVD Players...The list is endless. Take a tour of online shopping portals in India and use the best deal to shop perfect gift for your dad.

To sum up, I would say no matter how tall you have grown, you always look up to your father. He is your friend, philosopher and guide; he is the force behind your energy; he is the reason behind your smile and well-being. Happy Father's Day!

http://www.infibeam.com/fathers-day-gifts

Sony Music Entertainment Buys Strategic Stake in Infibeam Digital Entertainment Pvt. Ltd. (INDENT)

Infibeam Incorporation Pvt Ltd (Infibeam) and global music giant Sony Music Entertainment have announced a definitive agreement, where in Sony Music has bought strategic stake in Infibeam Digital Entertainment (P) Ltd (INDENT). Under this agreement, Infibeam will hold majority stake in the Company and Sony Music will hold a 26% stake post completion of transaction. Indent with its clear strategic focus will offer an attractive platform to large and medium music labels in India and International. Any music label or brand holding rights to content can use the Indent platform to engage customers and monetize by distributing digital as well as physical content under their own brand with payment integrations.

Commenting on the same, Shridhar Subramaniam President India and Middle East, Sony Music Entertainment said, "Indent fills a need gap for all Music rights owners. As the digital eco system keeps evolving, there has been a strong need for an independent technology company that music companies can partner with to build innovative services and offerings. Every content owner has aspirations to reach consumers and brands directly, Indent empowers these labels with a scalable and commerce ready platform."

On this occasion Vishal Mehta, Founder & CEO Infibeam shared that 'INDENT' continues to build state-of-the-art inclusive digital platforms powering music applications installed on millions of mobile phones and providing high quality experience to music lovers. Indent will enable brands, technology and music on common interface with innovative customer engagement models".

+Sony Music India is one of the largest and most integrated music companies in India owning digital music content rights with highly sophisticated marketing and distribution channels. Last year, Sony Music partnered with the new range of Sony Xperia Smartphones to launch 'Sony Music Jive' - a first of its kind music service that allows consumers to download and stream music from the Sony Music Catalog of 2 million songs. Jive is powered by INDENT's Music platform. Post the successful launch of the Jive application on the Xperia smartphones in India, the same application was launched in Indonesia, North Africa and Middle East markets. The service was also extended to Sony VAIO laptops in 2013.

With large repository of music content, INDENT will continue developing applications for many large labels and brands with integrated Telco billing, OEM bundling and Social platforms. Currently, INDENT offers its service to SONY Music, INRECO (The Indian Record Manufacturing Company Ltd), to name a few. Indent is projecting revenues of $3-5mm in current year.

About Infibeam: 

+Infibeam Inc is leading ecommerce technology company, recognized for its innovative approach towards delivering business values and responsive to changing customer needs. Infibeam today is trusted name in ecommerce technology platform services and a partner of choice for global business. Infibeam's retail platform offers more than one crore retail products and 50 lakh visits per month by Indians online. The company endeavors to maintain lowest prices for consumer and trusted merchant selling quality products on Infibeam (www.infibeam.com) in categories like Books, Movies, Music, Mobiles, Electronic, Gadgets & Computers, apparel, Jewellery, footwear, home furnishing & decor, toys & baby care, Auto accessories, wellness & health care and many more. As a part of business offerings Infibeam also provides B2B enterprise platform www.buildabazaar.com, enabling SMEs and retail brands to host their online store.

About Sony Music:
Sony Music Entertainment is a global recorded music company with a current roster that includes a broad array of both local artists and international superstars. The company boasts a vast catalog that comprises some of the most important recordings in history. It is home to premier record labels representing music from every genre and artists like Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson, Santana, Beyonce, Britney Spears, Ke$ha, Avril Lavigne, Shakira, Kings of Leon, Hurts, Foo Fighters, Pink, The Script to name a few.

A wholly owned subsidiary of SONY MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT, SONY MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT INDIA, boasts of an extensive catalogue that comprises of some of the most legendary recordings in history and is home to renowned and celebrated artists and several iconic Bollywood Film soundtracks.

For publishing, Sony Music India has a tie up with Sony/ATV wherein Sony/ATV exploits and manages Sony Music India's publishing works overseas, likewise, Sony Music India manages Sony/ATV's International works across four countries - India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal.

In 2013, Sony Music Entertainment India and Warner Music Group announced a strategic licence deal for Sony Music to represent Warner Music's legendary recording artists' releases and labels in India, Sri Lanka and the other SAARC countries.

Shaili Chopra on Effects of Social Media on Politics

Shaili Chopra

A keen watcher of social media, a golf aficionado and now a writer of a popular book The Big Connect - Shaili Chopra dons many hats during her career in journalism. Winner of The Ramnath Goenka Award, Shaili believes that as journalist, one just can't have a laid-back attitude; rather, a journalist has to be a reporter chasing big stories. She regularly contributes articles on golf and thinks that "the sport deserves tremendous attention as it loses out to cricket". In a conversation with Infibeam, Shaili opens up about her book The Big Connect, her ideas over use of social media in politics and her newly found love for poetry. Read on...

Que: You have been into journalism for a long time. What made you to write a book?

Shaili Chopra: I am a keen watcher of social media. I walked into a store to fetch a book on the subject but i couldn't find one. I was surprised that something that topical, that interesting and so with-the-times was missing a full documented discourse. This led me to think about a book.

Que: You write a special blog on Golf, any specific reason?

Shaili Chopra: I have a few passions and golf is one of them. I believe the sport deserve tremendous attention as it loses out to cricket. It's brilliant sport and can be developed in our country in a big way. I grew up playing it. It's an intelligent sport, needs strategy, mind application and more.

Que: You have received one of the biggest awards The Ramnath Goenka Award- How did you feel receiving it?

Shaili Chopra with her book "The Big Connect"

Shaili Chopra: It was the most special honour for me. I believe as a journalist you cant just be news reader, you have to be a reporter, chase big stories, report on them, do interviews and ask in-depth questions. I was very grateful for the award as it recognised the reporter in me. 

Que: Your list of awards is not ending. FICCI has also awarded you with Young Women's Achiever Award for contribution to media. What was the feeling at that time?

Shaili Chopra: FICCI is A very reputed body and recognises rare talent. I was happy to receive this award with the likes of Vidya Balan, Mary Kom - it meant A lot.

Que: The Big Connect is related to the effect of Social Media on Politics. Do you really Feel that SM will effect Politics in future too?

Shaili Chopra: Yes I believe so. That so-me is now a part of our lives is something reflected in the amount of time Indians are spending online. I think it speaks volumes that we are partially governed today not by our time but our timelines. Our views are a confluence of people we speak to, our friends, our social media space.

Que: Do you plan to write more books? And what will be your subject this time?

Shaili Chopra: I have a couple of them in the pipeline. I will be able to share more details with time.

Que: You have interviewed many Big Shots across the world. Is there any specific person you want to interview and have not got a chance to?

Shaili Chopra: Yes, Tiger Woods. I think he is not only the biggest sportsperson in the world but he also has a discerning business sense. Business + Sport would be a great subject for me to connect with him on.

Que: You like writing poetry too, what kind of poetry you like to write?

Shaili Chopra: I write rhyming poems for children, other kinds for myself. It's not for public consumption but a person passion.

Infibeam Is Conferred With 'The Game Changing Idea Of The Year' Award By The Economic Times At Et Retail Award-2014

Infibeam is awarded as The Game Changing Idea of The Year at the fourth edition of the ET Retail Awards 2014. ET Retail Award is an annual initiative under the umbrella of The Economic Times & the Retailers Association of India, and is an initiative of the Times Grey Cell. The Game Changing Idea of the Year was conferred to BuildaBazaar, Infibeam's state-of-art eCommerce technology platform which enables small, medium and large retail brands to host their online store. 

Infibeam is Ahmedabad based one of the leading e-commerce technology company in India and offers B2C retail platform www.infibeam.com to millions of online consumer and technology platform for small, medium and large retailers to host their online store. 

Mr +Sachin Oswal, COO & Co-Founder and +Kartik Jain, VP - Corporate Development (centre) Infibeam received the award for Game Changing Idea of the Year from Chandru L Raheja and R Sundar .

Mr +Sachin Oswal said, "The Game Changing Idea of The Year Award is great recognition by The Economic Times as we strongly felt that BuildaBazaar.com since its launch in 2011 has grown at tremendous rate because of its scalable and robust attributes and has been widely accepted by the  retail brands not in India but also internationally."

Everything Becomes A Myth One Day, Says Anand Neelakantan

While many technology and management professionals venture into fiction writing in India, fame rests upon only a few writers, who can make it big in terms of success and reputation. Anand Neelkantan is a writer, who boasts name and fame in the world of fiction writing. His debut novel Asura: Tale of the Vanquished was a breakout hit and hit the list of bestsellers of 2012. In AJAYA: Epic of the Kaurava Clan - Roll Of The Dice, Neelkantan recreated the magic and this too went on to become a successful story. Indian mythology is a pool of inspiration for Neelkantan, who weaves engaging plots to revisit historical events with a complete new perspective. In this exclusive chat with Infibeam, Anand Neelkantan talks about his love for writing, his passion for Indian mythology and why epics like Ramayan and Mahabharat are great source of inspiration for people today.

Que: Many IITians and IIM graduates become writers today. Do you think that you are following the trend? OR writing has been your passion?

Mr. Anand Neelakantan: I am not a graduate from IIT or IIM, I have done my engineering from Government Engineering College, Trichur, Calicut University, Kerala. I believe writing has nothing to do with qualification and writers come from all walks of life. Writing has always been my passion and I did Engineering to get a job and make a living.

Que: Indian Mythology is the flair of the season. After Mehula series, your stories are sold well in book stores.

Mr. Anand Neelakantan: Indian mythology is an ocean of stories and it has always been an inspiration for writers in most Indian languages. A good book will sell irrespective of its genre.

Que: With myth, everything becomes possible. Your comment on Claude Levi Strauss' observation.

Mr. Anand Neelakantan: Everything becomes a myth one day. It is just the play of time.

Que: Bhasa, one of the celebrated Indian playwrights in Sanskrit used to brand villains as heroes in his dramas. How Ajaya is different from plays written by Bhasa?

Mr. Anand Neelakantan: Bhasa's Oorubhanga is a one act play, depicting the last scene of Duryodhana's life. Bhasa is always an inspiration for all mythologists. After two thousand years, his take on mythology appears more modern than most of the present day writers. Ajaya is different in the sense that it is Mahabharata seen from the angle of not only Duryodhana, but also other characters like Karna, Ekalavya, Aswathamma and a common man Jara.

Que: What makes you think (or believe) that ancient scriptures like Ramayana and Mahabharata are relevant even after thousands of years?

Mr. Anand Neelakantan: Look around and one need not think or believe. It is a fact. Ramayana and Mahabharata are a part of day to day life. Without these epics, all Indian languages will lose its colour.

Que: Do you think that fiction based on mythology strikes a chord with Indian youth?

Mr. Anand Neelakantan: A good story will always strike a chord with youth of any time in any country.

Que: What is the biggest challenge before you while writing Asura & Ajaya? Were you apprehensive of themes you have chosen?

Mr. Anand Neelakantan: Counter telling or Prati Vada is a part of Indian culture. Hindu mind has the capability to hold opposing concepts and be in home with both. The questions I ask in Asura or Ajaya are the questions that most of the people would have asked in their youth or most of the youth are asking now. I have just put them in a logical pattern. The questioning of our scriptures is a part of our tradition. There is nothing called blasphemy in Hinduism.

Que: What motivated you to write this book?

Mr. Anand Neelakantan: My love for mythology, my family back ground, the village I grew up where Puranas are still a living tradition and my fondness for the so called villains.

Que: What do you intend to express through the book?

Mr. Anand Neelakantan: If a reader is not able to understand what I am trying to express through the book, it means I have failed as a writer. My book is my expression.

Que: You would like to be remembered as - an engineer or a writer?

Mr. Anand Neelakantan: If I wanted to be remembered as an Engineer, would I be writing stories? Writer, obviously.

Que: Any message for Indian readers?

Mr. Anand Neelakantan: Please read my books with an open mind. I am not only aiming for entertainment, so if the book slows down in some chapters, it is because I want you to think with me. It is in the purest Indian tradition of Vada and Prati Vada.

Indian Consumers' Tryst With Online Book Shopping

While the entire world celebrates World Book Day on April 23 (the date happens to be William Shakespeare's death date) every year, this Infographic on Books touches a right chord with our audience as this information reveals some interesting facts on online shopping of books in India. This information is presented through a beautiful Infographic, which serves details like who are the top authors, which are the top selling titles in India, which Indian city browses more number of books, books in which language are sold more, which region of India orders most books and so on.

Indian Consumers' Tryst with Online Book Shopping from Infibeam.com

As we are living in a highly commercial world, sale of books is the one criterion that supports every fact displayed here. For top 10 authors, we have compiled sales of all their books in a month; and for top selling titles, they are stand-alone books, which are sold most in a month. Top ten personalities listed here may not be writers but they are the people on whom other eminent writers have penned reams of papers and those books are sold in large numbers.

Language and books go hand in hand; we have listed top five languages in which books are sold most. These languages are English, Hindi, Marathi, Tamil and Telugu. Top ten categories of books are also considered with business topping the list. Last but not the least - price range and payment method. Not only consumers but also some business people would like to know how consumers prefer to pay while they shop for books, and between what price range they love to buy books.

So, here is an excellent information on books. Read it, share it and send in your feedback. This Infographic is designed and developed by Infibeam.com after an extensive research.