BW Businessworld Magazine - December 28, 2024

In this issue

WE GO TO PRESS in the midst of the national mourning for the architect
of India’s 1991 economic reforms, Manmohan Singh, then finance
minister. Serendipitously, our cover feature in this edition is India’s
dynamic retail industry, which was opened up to foreign direct investment
– with strictures – durng Singh’s second term as Prime Minister in 2012.
India’s retail sector has since contributed significantly to the country’s
overall economic growth. From the rise of ecommerce to embracing Omni
channel strategies, direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands, and innovative
marketing approaches, the sector is reimagining consumer engagement.

SINGH WAS KING OF MANY HEARTS IN INDIA

THE UNION government announced a sevenday state mourning for Manmohan Singh, who his media advisor Sanjaya Baru, has described as a An Accidental Prime Minister in a book in April 2014.

1 min

The Bitter After-Taste

YES, THE DEBATE over the three-tiered tax structure for popcorn by the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council has reached a crescendo nationwide, making Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman the brunt of much sarcasm.

1 min

A Popcorn Tax Paradox

POPCORN A SIMPLE, fluffy snack that often enhances the joys of movie nights - is now at the centre of a popcorn-tax paradox that is almost as entertaining as the blockbuster through which you were munching it.

1 min

THE POWER AND PARADOX OF CHOICE: UNDERSTANDING BIASAND BEHAVIOUR

WHY DOWE so often prioritise instant gratification over long-term goals, even when we know it's detrimental to our future?

3 mins

Why Do We Normalise Corruption?

WE BRIBE TO CUT queues, evade taxes without shame, and cheat systems with pride, yet act outraged when scandals make head lines as if corruption were despicable only when committed by others.

3 mins

UNPLUGGING THE NEXT GENERATION: IS IT TIME FOR INDIA TO ACT?

AS WE ARE LIVING in times when toddlers are Instagram stars, it is indeed difficult to imagine a world where your kids' first social media post is a proud announcement of their 16th birthday.

3 mins

Will NCR Residents Never Breathe Clean Air?

THE GOVERNMENT of India (GOI), the National Green Tribunal (NGT), the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and even the apex court, seem to have given up on the issue of cleaning up the air in the national capital region (NCR).

4 mins

ROCKWOOL: A BEACON OF SUSTAINABILITY AND INNOVATION

From its inception, ROCKWOOL International has championed the idea that insulating buildings and industrial facilities goes beyond mere energy savings

5 mins

Wondrous Workouts, Enjoyable Exercises

ZUMBA, A DANCE FORM created in Colombia, being taught to a multinational group by an expat Japanese instructor in Gurgaon, through Bollywood film music: what better example of fusing fitness with fun in the age of globalisation!

2 mins

"INDIA POISED TO LEAD URBAN AIR MOBILITY"

In an exclusive conversation, AMIT DUTTA, Chairman of the CII Task Force on Advanced Air Mobility and MD, Hunch Mobility, discusses India's transformative strides in Urban Air Mobility.

3 mins

Remembering Shashi Ruia

A silent philanthropist, SHASHI RUIA was also a member of 'The Elders', a group of such luminaries and humanitarians as Nelson Mandela, Kofi Annan and Jimmy Carter and worked alongside them to address the world's most pressing problems

3 mins

SECOND INNINGS

The second-largest carmaker in the country, Hyundai Motors India (HMIL), has been reenergised post listing on the bourses. How is HMIL gearing up for a life as a listed auto company? What can consumers expect from it in 2025?

5 mins

WATER CREDITS FORA SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

In recent times, the water crisis has emerged as a key environmental challenge.

2 mins

INSIDE PROJECT STARLIGHT: ONEPLUS' RS 6,000 CRORE INVESTMENT PLAN FOR INDIA

OnePlus' Project Starlight aims to address reliability concerns in India, focussing on product improvements, customer service, and innovation

6 mins

'IRB Prioritises Environmental Responsibility'

IRB, India's largest multinational transport infrastructure developer managing 26 highway projects across 12 states, plans to capture significant share of future road projects with the aim to triple its revenues in coming years. VIRENDRA D. MHAISKAR, Chairman and Managing Director, IRB Infrastructure Developers, shares with ASHISH SINHA the company's plans and strategies to achieve that goal. Excerpts

3 mins

TRUMP 2.0 BIG GAINS FOR INDIA-USA TIES

Donald Trump's second term could significantly energise US-India trade ties, thereby strengthening economic collaboration between the two nations.

5 mins

A TIGHT ROPEWALK

With Trump's return to the White House, India faces pivotal choices on energy trade, climate goals, and energy transition

5 mins

CAUTIOUS OPTIMISIM

India's IT and technology industry is preparing for the potential impact on business relations, workforce dynamics and trade expansion between the US and India.

4 mins

"BISLERI LEADS WITH SUSTAINABILITY, INNOVATION, GLOBAL EXPANSION"

In an exclusive interview, Bisleri International CEO Angelo George discusses the company's commitment to sustainability, global expansion, and leveraging technology to drive growth and innovation

2 mins

'Macro Environment Trending In Right Direction'

NITIN RAKESH, CEO & MD, Mphasis, shares his insights on the post-election US business climate and much more in an interaction with Rohit Chintapali of BW Businessworld.

3 mins

"We Will Witness Greater Integration of Education and Skilling in Future"

ATUL KUMAR TIWARI, Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, speaks to BW Businessworld's Resham Suhail about the need to align skilling with education and foster industry collaboration, as well as his ministry's accomplishments and future plans. Excerpts

3 mins

CELEBRATING VISIONARIES SHAPING THE FUTURE OF INDIAN RETAIL

The BW Retail 40 Under 40 Awards celebrate the innovative leaders of India's retail market, projected to reach US$ 1.8 trillion by 2030

2 mins

Visionary Real Estate Leader

AJIL MUHAMMED, CEO of HiLITE Group, stands at the forefront of India's real estate sector, steering the conglomerate toward growth and innovation.

1 min

Innovating Energy Solutions

ABHINANDAN KUMAR, Founder and CEO of Fuel Wings India, is a dynamic leader revolutionising the oil and gas sector with cutting-edge fuel solutions.

1 min

Pioneering B2B Sales Innovation

ALPESH KUMAR is the Chief Operating Officer and Co-founder of FunnL, a pioneering B2B sales solutions provider specialising in sales-qualified meetings and lead generation.

1 min

Leading Retail Excellence

ALKA DEMBLA serves as the Head of Retail at The Indian Garage Co., one of India's fastest-growing homegrown fast fashion brands for men.

1 min

Enhancing Retail Experience

ANNU SHARMA serves as the Manager of Retail Experience at Kohler India, a global leader in kitchen and bath products.

1 min

Taking Business Consulting To New Heights

ANTHONY CYRUS, aged 38, is the Chief Executive Officer of Seller Circle, a premier business consulting firm specialising in scaling brands on Amazon.

1 min

Business Development With Innovations

ASHISH GUPTA serves as the Vice President of Business Development at Pacific Development Corporation, a prominent real estate firm specialising in retail leasing and business development.

1 min

Driving Legacy And Innovation

CHAITANYA V COTHA serves as the Executive Director of C. Krishniah Chetty Group, one of India's most iconic names in retail luxury goods and jewellery.

1 min

Driving Growth, Delivering Value

DIPANJAN BANERJEE is the Chief Commercial Officer at Blue Dart Express, a leading name in transportation, logistics, supply chain, and storage.

1 min

Innovating The Future Of Health And Wellness

KAPIL MITTAL is the Co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Aesthetic Nutrition, a trailblazing brand in the retail health and personal care sector.

1 min

Pioneering Clean Beauty

NAINA RUHAIL is the visionary Founder and Co-CEO of Vanity Wagon, India's premier clean beauty marketplace.

1 min

Driving Excellence In Sportswear Marketing

KARAN ARORA serves as the Director of Category Management and Marketing Operations at Adidas India, a global powerhouse in the sporting goods industry.

1 min

Driving Growth in Omnichannel

NEHA MORE is the Head of Modern Trade at Ferrero India, where she drives strategic partnerships and operational excellence to strengthen the brand's position in the competitive FMCG landscape.

1 min

Making The Brand A Household Name

NISHCHAY BAHL serves as the Senior Vice President of Offline Sales at Honasa Consumer, the parent company of Mamaearth, one of India's fastest-growing personal care brands.

1 min

Innovating Style In Modern Wear

PINKY RAI serves as the Team Lead - Design at The Indian Garage Co., a leading name in the Apparel & Fashion industry.

1 min

Driving The Clean Beauty Revolution

PRATEEK RUHAIL is the Founder & Co-CEO of Vanity Wagon, India's leading clean beauty marketplace.

1 min

Creating High Impact Campaigns

PULKIT AGARWAL is a dynamic Senior Brand Manager at ITC, one of India's largest and most diversified conglomerates with a portfolio spanning FMCG, hotels, paperboards, and packaging.

1 min

Brewing Excellence In India's Coffee Culture

RAHUL AGGARWAL, Founder and CEO of Coffeeza India, is revolutionising the coffee experience for Indian consumers.

1 min

Pioneering Holistic Wellness For Moms And Babies

RIDDHI SHARMA, the visionary CEO and Founder of BabyOrgano, is a dynamic entrepreneur who has become a leader in the wellness and fitness space.

1 min

Focus On Innovation And Sustainability

SALLONI GHODAWAT, the Director and COO of Ghodawat Consumer, is a visionary leader reshaping India's food and beverage industry.

1 min

Redefining Accessible Beauty

SAAHIL NAYAR, the Managing Director and Co-founder of Mila Beauté is revolutionising the accessible beauty retail space in India.

1 min

Transforming The World Of Mobile Retail

SIDDHARTH SHAH, the founder and chairman of SS Mobile, has redefined the mobile retail landscape in India by prioritising customer experience and innovative strategies.

1 min

Redefining Contemporary Ethnic Wear

UDITA BANSAL, the visionary Founder of trueBrowns Lifestyle, is redefining the way modern Indian women embrace ethnic wear.

1 min

Revolutionising The Footwear World

VEENA ASHIYA, Founder & CEO of Monrow Shoes, is a trailblazer in India's retail apparel and fashion industry, reshaping the footwear segment with her unique vision.

1 min

Leading Retail Innovation

VARUN DUTT SHARMA, National Head - Retail at TASVA, ABFRL, is a dynamic leader in the retail apparel and fashion industry, with over two decades of experience.

1 min

Driving Conscious Consumerism

VIDIT JAIN, Co-founder of Kindlife, is leading the charge in revolutionising the intersection of technology and conscious consumerism.

1 min

The Retail Trailblazers

A look at companies that are making a positive impact on India's growing retail sector with their future fit business and marketing strategies.

1 min

Strengthening Middle Management for Organisational Resilience

WHAT HOLDS AN organisation together in chaos? Is it visionary leadership, cuttingedge strategies, or robust technology?

3 mins

"Cooking is a passport to the world"

In conversation with renowned CHEF MANJIT GILL, Advisor at Kikkoman India and President, Indian Federation of Culinary Associations (IFCA). As the former Corporate Chef of ITC hotels, Chef Gill has helped shape iconic restaurants, such as the Bukhara, Dum Pukht, and Dakshin. He has had the privilege of serving former American Presidents Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, George Bush, and the French, Canadian, British and German premiers. In 1992, Chef Gill had the opportunity of being invited to cook for Prince Charles and Lady Diana, at the Palace of the Maharaja of Jaipur. He was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Ministry of Tourism in 2007.

2 mins

"We must be aware of our energy and water consumption"

BW Businessworld caught up with actor, philanthropist, and climate warrior BHUMI PEDNEKAR to chat about climate change and more.

2 mins

PUTTING THE POWER IN THE POWERHOUSE

The Asus ExpertBook P5 is powered by an 8-core 8-thread Intel Core Ultra 7 Series 2 processor that clocks a maximum speed of 4.8 GHz, but it does not have hyperthreading. It is light weight, with a smooth glass touch pad. The laptop almost has all the I/O ports you could possibly need in a business laptop, making it an extremely lucrative option for professional computing, says

3 mins

THE LEGACY OF THE AMARNATHS

IN NOVEMBER 2017 the management committee of the Delhi Cricket Association named the eastern stand of the Feroze Shah Kotla ground the Mohinder Amarnath stand.

3 mins

SORORITY OF WOMEN OF METTLE

Awinter afternoon in mid-December found quite a crowd at the Oxford Book Store on Connaught Place, as bibliophiles congregated at a corner to listen to three women authors, diverse in their passions, but drawn together by an urge to tell their story.

1 min

DECODING RETAIL'S NEXT FRONTIER

As brands pivot towards omnichannel ecosystems and startups challenge legacy frameworks, the focus sharpens on experiential retail, sustainability and data-driven personalisation.

1 min

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BW Businessworld Magazine Description:

BW Businessworld is a fortnightly magazine that has been published since 1975. It is one of the most popular business magazines in India, and it is known for its in-depth reporting and analysis of the Indian business world. It also features interviews with leading business leaders and entrepreneurs. It's a guide to the ever-changing business landscape.

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