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<keyword id="60699" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Diwali-festivities">Diwali festivities</keyword> are right here, but have you done all that is needed to make these holidays perfect? No, we are not talking about offbeat home décor or great gift buying or the gourmet dishes cooking in the kitchen. Let’s face it – preparing for the festivities is a tough task with so many things to manage. Family time with friends and relatives can be stressful enough and stretching your budget for some last-minute spending takes its toll as well. Then there are the <keyword id="54214" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Fireworks">fireworks</keyword>, Diwali feasts and a little bit of <keyword id="6366684" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="gambling">gambling</keyword> – must-do things but must be done with some care and caution. If you are already feeling a bit panicky, here are 5 tips to keep you happy and safe this Diwali. 
 
Play it safe: With loads of fireworks around, that’s the best thing to do, especially if you have kids at home. Gather the people beforehand and tell them all about the safety rules. Keep an eye on potential trouble-makers – even grown-ups tend to behave irresponsibly at times. Also, make sure all power points at home are working fine and don’t overload them with <keyword id="1924083" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="Decorative-lighting">decorative lighting</keyword>. Finally, keep a first-aid box ready and the emergency numbers handy, along with some heavy blankets that could easily put out flames. This way, you can act fast in case of an accident or mishap. 
 
Watch your money: There are <keyword id="1689680" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="offshore-casinos">offshore casinos</keyword> and private house parties for diehard gamers, but even the neighbourhood <keyword id="16035" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="100" keywordseo="Teen-Patti">teen patti</keyword> parties can burn a big hole in your pocket. Delhi card parties are (in)famous for big-bet gambling, but other metros have also caught up with it. Rumour mill says lakhs, even crores, are lost and won in card games across the national capital, and farmhouses, cars and jewellery are staked by owners. It reminds one a little about Mahabharata and Yudhisthira’s disastrous game of dice. So keep a wary eye on your money and possessions, and go slow on shopping and gambling. 
 
Keep a tab on food: Foodgasm is the latest buzz but don’t go overboard with enticing, spicy and oily food. Cook healthy as far as possible and try baking the bhujias or the chaklis (popular <keyword id="1924077" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Diwali-snacks">Diwali snacks</keyword>), instead of deep-frying them. It also makes sense to keep the mid-day meal simple if you are having an elaborate dinner every night. Cut down on alcohol, aerated drinks, high-sugar diet and extensive smoking – all these will clog your system. Now that the winter is setting in, drink a lot of water and try a cuppa or two of green tea. It will keep your system toxin free, keep you hydrated and boost your energy. 
 
Walk to wellness: A brisk walk in the morning is a great stress-buster and keeps those extra kilograms away. There’s a nip in the air, so you will enjoy the cool sojourn to a nearby park. Do some deep breathing, enjoy the greens and drive away any negative thought that pops up in your mind. If you can’t go for a walk, try some yoga exercise or practise meditation in the morning/evening. It is the ultimate de-stresser and will boost your mood in no time. 
 
Relax and connect, it’s rejuvenating: Staying happy and relaxed is the <keyword id="490344" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="holiday-season">holiday season</keyword> mantra, so try and get into that mental frame. After all, too many outings and parties are bound to wear you down. So plan smart and keep a little ‘me’ time just for yourself – to do anything you like. And last, but not the least – connect, connect and connect. As one hardcore tech professional just told us in his Diwali message: This festive season, forget your mobile, laptop, tab and smart TV. Celebrate with real people who need your time and attention. They have been waiting for it throughout the year. 
 
Image: Wikimedia

5 Ways To Drive Away Diwali Woes

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced on Wednesday that compulsory COVID-19 tests required by overseas travellers no earlier than 48 hours before arriving in England will be scrapped from Friday morning. Addressing the year's first Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs) session in the House of Commons, Johnson said the government is also lifting the requirement for international travellers, including those flying from India, to self-isolate on arrival in England until receiving a negative PCR test result. Instead, people can take a cheaper lateral flow test on day two of their entry into the <keyword id="6354868" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="uk" source="Orion">UK</keyword>. "When the Omicron variant was first identified, we rightly introduced travel restrictions to slow its arrival in our country; but now Omicron is so prevalent, these measures are having limited impact on the growth in cases, while continuing to pose significant costs on our travel industry, Johnson said in his COVID-19 update to Parliament. "So I can announce that in England from 4am on Friday we will be scrapping the pre-departure test, which discourages many from travelling for fear of being trapped overseas and incurring significant extra expense, he said. "We will also be lifting the requirement to self-isolate on arrival until receipt of a negative PCR, returning instead to the system we had in October last year, where those arriving in England will need to take a lateral flow test no later than the end of Day 2 and, if positive, a further PCR test to help us identify any new variants at the border, he added. It came as the UK continues to record very high daily infections with another 194,747 COVID cases on Wednesday, down from Tuesday's 218,724 cases. Johnson highlighted in his statement that as many as 90 per cent of those in intensive care with COVID have not had their booster vaccine dose and over 60 per cent have not had any vaccination at all. He urged members of Parliament to spread the vaccination message in their constituencies as he confirmed that no further lockdown measures will be imposed over and above the Plan B measures involving mandatory face coverings, work from home where possible guidance and COVID vaccination certificate checks for larger events. "Together with the evidence that Omicron causes less severe disease than previous variants, and the way the public have conscientiously changed their behaviour in response to Plan B, this level of protection means we are in a very different position than during previous waves," he said. Johnson also confirmed an earlier announcement by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) of a change in COVID testing rules within the country, amid concerns of massive staff absences due to lengthy self-isolation even among asymptomatic cases. Thanks to the sheer size of the Omicron wave, we still need to take steps to ensure our testing capacity reaches those who need it most. So we will be suspending the need to do a PCR to confirm the result of a positive lateral flow test, said Johnson. Lateral Flow Devices (LFDs) are made available for free by the National Health Service (NHS) for home testing and are believed to be a reliable indicator of an individual's COVID infectiousness level, requiring them to self-isolate following a positive test. They can end their isolation after a week if they test negative on day six and seven consecutively, or carry on isolating for 10 days. SEE ALSO <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/retail/news/diwali-and-christmas-may-have-saved-dmarts-quarter/articleshow/88718606.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Diwali and Christmas may have saved DMart’s quarter</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/retail/news/amazon-vs-future-vs-reliance-delhi-high-court-stays-singapore-arbitration-proceedings/articleshow/88713142.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Delhi high court stays Amazon arbitration proceedings against Future-Reliance deal</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/telecom/news/elon-musks-starlink-faces-its-first-setback-in-india-even-before-launch/articleshow/88702976.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Elon Musk’s Starlink faces its first setback in India even before launch</a>

UK lifts pre-arrival COVID-19 test rule for overseas travelers

Following <keyword id="3658" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="india" source="Orion">India</keyword>'s <keyword id="624" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="women" source="Orion">Women</keyword>'s <keyword id="386125" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="asian-champions-trophy" source="Orion">Asian Champions Trophy</keyword> title win, legendary cricketer <keyword id="6354267" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sachin-tendulkar" source="Orion">Sachin Tendulkar</keyword> and Union Sports Minister <keyword id="6364468" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="anurag-thakur" source="Orion">Anurag Thakur</keyword> congratulated the team on their victory. India captured its second women's Asian Champions Trophy title after beating <keyword id="6355311" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="japan" source="Orion">Japan</keyword> in final on Sunday. Sachin took to X (formerly Twitter) to laud the Indian women's team. "With a sparkling 4-0 win in the #AsianChampionsTrophy, our women's hockey team has brought Diwali early this year. Congratulations to the champions!" tweeted Sachin. https://twitter.com/sachin_rt/status/1721435831104311621?t=o5lOSEsmRJ3A1Hu9jszaUQ&amp;s=19 Anurag Thakur also lauded the women's team for their "historic moment". "What a historic moment for Bharatiya women's hockey! They dethroned Japan and are now the Asian Champions Trophy winners! The final in Ranchi was pure brilliance, with a 4-0 victory over the two-time champions. Our women's team is on fire, and we're so proud of their achievement!" tweeted Anurag. https://twitter.com/ianuragthakur/status/1721409278215598385?t=chjbn8D_ZnzvdLij5UCDqg&amp;s=19 Sangita Kumari (17'), Neha (46'), Lalremsiami (57'), and Vandana Katariya (60') netted a goal each for India. In recognition of their exceptional performance, marked by an undefeated streak throughout the tournament and their title victory, Hockey India declared a reward of Rs 3.00 Lakhs for each member of the Indian Women's Hockey Team and Rs 1.50 Lakhs for each member of the support staff. Earlier in the match, India began by exerting continuous pressure on Japan, in an effort to disconcert the reigning champions. The hosts made a promising foray toward the goal when Deepika positioned herself perfectly to secure an early lead, but her shot was saved by Japan's goalkeeper Eika Nakamura. India maintained their offensive pressure, consistently penetrating the circle and testing Japan's steadfast defence, which remained resolute, frustrating India's endeavours to break the deadlock. As the first quarter concluded, the score remained level, and the match remained goalless. Nevertheless, India persisted in their efforts to shatter the deadlock, and their determination bore fruit early in the second quarter, with Sangita Kumari (17') delivering a superb finish to put her team in the lead. However, this setback urged Japan, prompting them to mount counterattacks and apply pressure on the Indian squad. Japan even delivered a nerve-wracking moment for India when Shiho Kobayakawa appeared to score a goal, but a successful video referral by India revealed that the ball had touched Shiho's hand before she found the back of the net, thus leading to the goal being disallowed. Furthermore, Japan earned three consecutive penalty corners, but India's resolute defence denied any potential comeback, allowing the hosts to enter halftime with a 1-0 advantage. With the intention of broadening their advantage, India commenced the third quarter with an intensified offensive, displaying relentless determination. Nevertheless, Japan not only showcased formidable defensive strength to thwart the Indian onslaught but also seized control of possession, attempting to turn the tide of the game in their favour. Amidst these efforts, the Indian squad persistently probed Japan's defensive lines at regular intervals to sustain their momentum. Simultaneously, Japan intensified their offensive endeavours, yet neither team managed to breach the opposing goal in the penultimate quarter, concluding with India maintaining a 1-0 lead. The fourth and final quarter commenced with India securing three consecutive penalty corners, and on the third attempt, they finally found success as Neha (46') deftly deflected the ball into the net, extending the Indian team's lead to 2-0, providing them with a much-needed cushion. Nevertheless, Japan kept the Indian defenders on alert, and they earned a penalty stroke in the last eight minutes of the match. But India's Captain, Savita, exhibited remarkable skills, making a crucial save to preserve her team's two-goal advantage. Moreover, in the closing moments of the match, Lalremsiami (57') delivered a goal via a penalty corner, while Vandana Katariya (60') executed a splendid field goal, sealing a commendable 4-0 triumph for India. (ANI)

Sachin Tendulkar, Anurag Thakur laud Indian women's hockey team for Asian Champions Trophy win

<ul><li>After India lost to Pakistan in their T20 <keyword id="8984629" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="world-cup-2021" source="Orion">World Cup 2021</keyword> opener on October 24, 2021, the internet flooded with heartbreak tweets and disappointment memes.</li><li>On Sunday, India suffered their consecutive defeat as they were hammered by New Zealand.</li><li>It is almost Diwali and yet nobody, at least on the internet, is in the mood to celebrate. The internet is still trying not to revisit their memories of Sunday.</li><li>India’s loss against New Zealand has pushed them towards the brink of a league stage exit. Most of us are now hoping that Afghanistan will beat New Zealand and India will win their remaining three fixtures against Scotland, Namibia and Afghanistan.</li><li>As the consumer sentiment plummeted, brands and advertisers also suffered. We speak to media experts to find out how India’s loss at the T20 World Cup will impact brands that have invested in the game this time and what it means for its airing partners.</li></ul>Cricket, undoubtedly, is still the most popular sport in India and it is the best way for brands to connect with their audiences. And when it is T20 World Cup, consumers in India are extra excited to cheer for the men in blue. They order merchandise, invite friends over or go to a sports bar to catch the tournament. It is more like a festival of sorts, where a whole family or group of friends get together and enjoy the game. Brands also go overboard, investing on the sport, to be where their fans are. However, what happens when the team you are cheering for fails? Consumers are heartbroken and if you are an advertising agency, all your post-victory campaigns, which you worked on for weeks, will now rot in your archives. It only takes one bad game to spoil the party and this time, our country lost twice. The India-Pakistan match dampened consumer sentiment and on Sunday, India suffered their successive defeat as they were hammered by New Zealand and consumers lost their will to work on Monday. FoodTech platform Zomato mirrored India’s sentiment in this push-notification yesterday and all I want to do is say, “Same, bro. Wait, who is chopping onions?” <div type="image" title="Screenshot_20211101-111427_One UI Home" msid="87468689" hostid="261"></div> India’s loss against New Zealand has pushed them towards the brink of a league stage exit. Now the only hope is if Afghanistan beats New Zealand and India wins the remaining three fixtures against Scotland, Namibia and Afghanistan. Vikram Sakhuja, Partner &amp; Group CEO, Madison Media &amp; OOH said, “With cricket being a national passion, the fallout is that fans swing in extremes. India's wins leads to high ratings, and losses to poor ratings. In the 2016 T20 WC the super 12s (with 5 India games) had rated 4.4 amongst males audiences. This time round I won't be surprised if India's poor performance in the crunch games leads to a tournament average of sub 3 ratings. For Advertisers who pay top dollar to advertise on this platform it will be a reasonable setback. However if India does manage a top 2 position, the interest and ratings will spike. So fans and advertisers need to pray for New Zealand getting upset by the lesser ranked teams, and India dominating over these same teams.” Sharing how this low consumer sentiment is likely to impact brand performance and viewership for the rest of the World Cup tournament this year, <keyword id="512646" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ambika-sharma" source="Orion">Ambika Sharma</keyword>, Founder and MD, Pulp Strategy said, “Match viewership will decline and by some estimates, it may go down by 50% or more as a fall out of India’s exit from the World Cup. ICC having anticipated the disappointment of fans has already decided to allow full refunds, fans are relieved I’m sure. Advertisers, on the other hand, will see a drop in viewership for the next set of matches. However, towards the flag end of the World Cup, most advertisers would have received their visibility via the spots in the matches up to the point of India’s exit. The media team may have some difficulty in selling the last-minute inventory which goes at a premium.” On the other hand, Mohit Joshi, CEO, Havas Media Group India is confident that the interest levels won't dip. He said, “India is a cricket-loving nation with a huge fan following for the sport and the legends of the cricketing world. While there are sentiments with team India involved and the loss is a huge disappointment, there are bigger sentiments associated with the game, and as a nation, we've always appreciated good cricket and good talent. As we move towards the semis and the finals, we expect to see great cricket, therefore I don’t see the interest levels going down and the love for the game should keep the viewership ticking.” Sujay Kar, EVP- Commerce, CRM, and Media, VMLY&amp;R India said that some advertisers might be in for a shock. "These defeats can lead to an early exit for India, which would have an adverse impact for brands that have invested their Advertising Dollars and the Advertising Mediums. Without India in the Knockout rounds, the viewership might go down significantly, which means lesser impressions served and lower business impact. Given that it’s peak festive season and there are no big showpiece events involving India in near future, some of the advertisers have invested heavily hoping for a big post-pandemic boost and they might be in for a rude shock," said Kar. Grashima Sahni, Senior Director- Planning and Strategy, Carat India told us about brands that might benefit from investing this year despite the early exit. She said, “With team India seeing an unpredictable early exit from the T20 world cup 2021, the invested brands are reaping lower than what they sowed and expected to reap. Investment in live cricket is more about associating with the spirit than pure media metrics. With the early exit and defeat from Pakistan, the mood in fans is dim. The deal deliveries may match the bought media metrics eventually but the qualitative factor of 'context' the brands were hoping to ride turned flat with this exit. Brands that balanced their investments with festive entertainment buys this season will benefit over the highly skewed and only cricket investing brands.” <keyword id="12452300" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sushil-anatharaman" source="Orion">Sushil Anatharaman</keyword>, Media Director, Gozoop Group said, “Brand who have taken fixed deals like title, associate and other sponsorships will definitely suffer because the reach they would have expected in the next round will go low if India doesn't qualify. However, if we miraculously do enter the next round, then again there will absolutely be no problems for these brands. Other brands who do spot buying will really not be affected by this.” Shrenik Gandhi, CEO and Co-founder, White Rivers Media reminded us that brands who spent on digital media can easily pull back their spends. He said, "Sports marketing comes at a risk-reward ratio, subject to team’s performance. There are times when teams perform really well. Those are the times when brands benefit disproportionately. And then there are times like these, when teams don't perform - those are the times when brands can pull back their expenses. Digital has the power wherein a lot of spends can be controlled on a real-time basis. That may not be the case when it comes to ATL and outdoor media. That's the benefit where there is plug and play possible. Hence, the brands that are investing heavily on digital may not suffer as much. Of course, it's a big opportunity loss because bad performance results in lesser attention and lesser attention results in lesser impressions and lesser impressions results in lesser opportunities to sell and hence lesser advertisement budgets spent." This time, the T20 World Cup has aligned with the festive season and brands are extra generous to spend on TV and OTT platforms during this time of the year. According to media reports, broadcaster Star Sports sold inventory worth more than Rs 1,000 crore this year. It has onboarded Byju’s, Dream 11, Coca Cola, Vimal, PhonePe, Havells, Netmeds, CoinDCX, JioMart, Skoda, Mondelez, Reliance Trends, Pernod, Upstox, Samsung and Cred as key sponsors. On its streaming platform Disney+ Hotstar, Dream11, Vimal Elaichi, Coinswitch, Oppo, Swiggy, Maruti, AMFI, PhonePe, Mondelez and Upstox have invested this season. During the ICC <keyword id="1268840" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="world-cup-t20" source="Orion">World Cup T20</keyword> held in 2015, the India-Pakistan match rated 11.9 TVR (TAM data M15+ ABC) on the STAR network and 2.9 TVR on Doordarshan and had garnered 288 million views. This year too, cricket dominated the conversation on Twitter. Between 01 July 2020 - 01 July 2021, there have been over 75 million conversations about cricket on the service in India. However, this time, the Twitterati is too disappointed. Yesterday, #BoycottIPL was trending on Twitter because fans alleged that the Board of Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) has commercialised cricket and is prioritising the Indian Premier League over an International League. <div type="twitter" handle="gauravmondal14" handlename="Gaurav" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/916250813063823360/dcjy4Ndh_normal.jpg" favoritecount="120" retweetcount="20" status="#BanIPLothers team mixed strategy during the break ...and then there comes indian team ..&quot;chal time mila hai ad… https://t.co/eoR5aNwFSq" createdat="1635748606000" id="1455061234961633280"></div><div type="twitter" handle="Depress7S" handlename="Samreen" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1454307245425143811/zbszQqUY_normal.jpg" favoritecount="1881" retweetcount="279" status="Indian fans on airport: Congratulations India . #BanIPL #IndiaVsNewZealand https://t.co/QQtSetHXoy" createdat="1635704110000" id="1454874604720332804"></div> <div type="twitter" handle="SardarSajid786" handlename="M . S A J I D 🇵🇰" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1439137172263682048/ihbnmQha_normal.jpg" favoritecount="0" retweetcount="0" status="Please @ICC ban IPL kun k IPL se cricket tabah ho rahi hai .#BanIPL https://t.co/Hw6tKka0nf" createdat="1635767412000" id="1455140113088983041"></div> Commenting on this Twitter outburst, Anatharaman said, “The Twitterati in India is very less if we compare to the advertising universe size of products and services advertised during IPL. Also, trends on Twitter can end in an hour too and hence people will forget these trending hashtags soon. It doesn't really affect the IPL in any way. In fact, it's been a tournament that has been associated with worse controversies like spot-fixing etc. but the tournament has still continued growing year by year and has also benefitted the brands associated with them.”

How India's loss at the T20 World Cup will affect Indian brands

<ul><li>As the year draws to a close, it is important to pause and reflect.</li><li>We speak to industry leaders about the year gone by and a few lessons they learnt from 2021.</li></ul>It was during the peak of the pandemic in 2020 when doctors across the world were still trying to figure out what the novel Coronavirus is, I lost my grandmother. Shortly after, my father tested positive for the virus. His oxygen dropped to 78 mm. We struggled to find a bed for him and found a hospital 50 kms away. He was still mourning the loss of his mother, fighting a deadly virus, struggling to form sentences but he had a huge smile on his face when I taught him how to video call on WhatsApp. He was there for two weeks but those weeks definitely felt like a decade to me. I had the nurse's number on my speed dial, I called her first thing in the morning to ask, "How is my father breathing today? Has his oxygen picked up?" She would respond patiently, "Yes, we are doing our best." To escape from this, I buried myself in work, binge-watched violent movies to numb the pain I was actually feeling. After we heard the news that he is coming back, we decorated the house. I put up some fairy lights, made a rangoli, bought his favourite sweets -- Kaju Katli. After all, we were welcoming Ram back into his home right before Diwali. It took me a while to process the horrendous month that I had spent. Thankfully, I had a very supportive team at work. I remember texting my editor a week later, "I will be submitting my story late today, I am too anxious and panicked." She responded, "Sure, take your time, Karuna." So, if 2020 was about self-isolation, making sure our older family members stay safe and prioritizing their physical health, 2021 taught me the importance of mental health. After months of working from home -- away from our loved ones, seeing the country battle a deadly virus and our medical industry getting crippled, 2021 was all about healing from the storm. It was about finding comfort in little wins and reminding ourselves that we are all in this together. Change can be scary, sure, and not knowing what the future holds is scarier, but resilience is stronger. As we enter a new year with a lot of uncertainty yet again because no one knows what variants COVID-19 will throw at us, it is important to remember that we have survived the worst. By now, we know what works and what doesn’t. The impact of 2020 and 2021 will be felt next year too but remember to take care of yourself first if you want to be able to show up for other people too. And most importantly, double mask up, people! Here's what our industry experts learnt from the rollercoaster year that 2021 turned out to be: <keyword id="1193084" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="rana-barua" source="Orion">Rana Barua</keyword>, Group CEO, <keyword id="7001513" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="havas-group-india" source="Orion">Havas Group India</keyword>: <div type="image" title="Rana Barua, Group CEO, Havas Group India" msid="88587279" hostid="261"></div> The pandemic has completely altered our perspective of what the future should be. CEOs across the world have redefined their leadership skills based on this reality. If the pre-pandemic stage was all about merging the technology trends and diversity with an added edge of GenY disrupting the way of working; the post-pandemic world is now ushering in the dynamic social age. The upcoming era will be a lot about meaningful relationships within the gamut of the collective human experience, and the bedrock of this will be the trust factor. So, the one leadership lesson that I will cherish from 2021 is the greater meaning of ‘trust’. It has taken a new meaning in my life. And if we were able to sail through the last two years, it is only because I 'trusted' my teams to display unprecedented resilience and commitment. And that trust converged into amazing results. As the leader of this organization, I knew my teams 'trusted' me that I will do everything in my power to navigate them through this storm. And I must say we have a lot to be proud of as it has yielded positive and encouraging results. Dr. <keyword id="248570" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sandeep-goyal" source="Orion">Sandeep Goyal</keyword>, Managing Director, Rediffusion: The pandemic has taught me the power of resilience more than anything else. So many of us personally, and so many businesses have suffered such severe setbacks in the past few months - yet we have been patient, we have persevered, we have buffeted challenges, we have overcome. My belief is that true adversity brings out hidden reservoirs of grit, determination and ability to confront even insurmountable challenges. It is when you discover your real friends. It is when you discover your inner strengths. You also discover the power of love; power of caring; power of sharing; power of prayer. The pandemic has helped each one of us to emerge stronger. It has helped us to realise how finite life is and how we must value all that we have: our health, our happiness, our family, our friends, our relationships … even our work and livelihoods. I hope the pandemic goes away soonest. But the learnings it has bestowed stay. Challenges are a part of life and standing up to them is the true test of every human. Anil Nair- CEO, VMLY&amp;R India: For most of us, the pandemic was a bolt from the blue. It forced us indoors, changed a lot of our behaviour and also made us introspect about the fragility of our existence. For me, personally, the biggest learnings were about empathy , patience and celebrating small wins. Genuine empathy for the other, be it your spouse, neighbour, co-worker or stranger. The need to put oneself in their shoes and feel for what they might be going through in these trying times. And the patience to be able to slow down and deal with situations calmly rather than the ‘runaway’, ‘winner-takes-all’ attitude and pace that we were used to in pre-pandemic times. Lastly, to be able to celebrate ‘small wins’ and to live in the moment given the overall uncertainty that the pandemic continues to cast over us. <keyword id="3609466" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="aditya-kanthy" source="Orion">Aditya Kanthy</keyword>, CEO and MD, DDB Mudra Group: The one thing I have missed most and will try not to take for granted ever again is the simple pure joy of meeting people. Like really meeting them. Not on a call, not on a computer, not as a block on the calendar. So much of the fun at work came from being together in the same space. The banter. The unplanned conversations. The energy. So much of the learning and inspiration as well. We lost something elemental and beautiful. I want that back. I miss it. Equally, I learnt how much more we need to do to listen to each other more deeply. The stuff we read off each other, the non-verbal cues. The comfort of a safe environment where one can be heard without judgement. That was gone. There’s also the realization that, perhaps, the old ways were inadequate. When we’re back together, we need to design ways without assuming that everyone is comfortable expressing themselves in the same way. We need to do more to create that space. This is what I have missed and what I have learnt. My hope is to enjoy coming back together again in 2022 and doing so in a way where each of us can be heard. Ashish Khazanchi, Managing Partner, Enormous: The pandemic was a true test of character of people, teams and organisations. While there certainly was a big drop in businesses and toplines, what was at stake was organisations' humanity. People in organisations everywhere dealt with the kind of uncertainty they never were faced before. Uncertainty of livelihoods, careers and sanity amidst surmounting work pressures. The better organisations, in my opinion, made sure that their people were taken care of at least as much as their businesses. When the specter of lockdowns was a little bit behind us, we saw a simple trend both in terms of people and companies. The ones with initiative thrived even in the midst of a terrible external situation. Anyone who did not take easy ways out, like the typical bottomline managers do, by cutting costs rather than working on newer avenues of organisational growth, are going to be the true hero companies of tomorrow. They've tasted success and now when the tides are turning, they're going to be unputdownable. 2022 will see business return to near normal, I would predict the number of pitches to go through the roof from about March. The ones with the best people and processes and creative products, will win 2022 by a mile. Ramanuj Shastry- Director and Co-founder, Infectious Advertising: <div type="image" title="Ramanuj" msid="88597292" hostid="261"></div> 1. Compassion is everything- Never forget we are a people’s business. Always remember that everyone today is under a lot of stress. A kind word and a patient ear will take you far. 2. Treat everyone as adults - Remote working is only possible when all team members behave like mature adults - fully aware of their roles and responsibilities. Treat everyone as adults - delegate, do not micro-manage and don’t breathe down their necks. They will surprise you pleasantly. 3. Hire Talent from everywhere - We are no longer slaves to geography. Celebrate this new-found freedom by hiring talent from literally anywhere. It will add new voices and new perspectives to your narrative. 4. Be nimble and effective - Clients value these two qualities in tough times. Don’t waste their time and their money. They will stick by you through thick and thin. 5. Spend most of your energy on culture - The culture is the unquantifiable ‘Everything’ - the life force of an organisation. Culture is the ethos - the unsaid but universally accepted codes of what’s ‘done’ and what’s ‘not done.' The culture of your company should take most of your time. And it’s more than worth it. 5 things I learnt as a person: 1. Reinvest in relationships- It took a pandemic for me to take a long, hard look at my relationship. And I realised that I have taken a lot for granted. Money won’t buy you your loved ones. Spend time with them. 2. Take care of yourself - Eat well, exercise and sleep for eight hours. You will enjoy life a lot more if you are fit. 3. Be kind to yourself- I am less critical of myself today than I was in 2019. I am comfortable in my skin and happy where I am. Could I have done better? I don’t know. And I don’t care. 4. Invest in yourself - Learn a new skill. Learn a new language. Take up new hobbies. Add new facets to your personality. Reinvent yourself. Be interesting. 5. Practice Gratitude - You are on a piece of rock whipping around a burning star at nearly 40 times the speed of a bullet. Appreciate the miracle . Be thankful for just being alive. Varun Duggirala - Content Creator, Podcaster, an Entrepreneur and the Co-Founder - The Glitch: If 2020 was about survival, 2021 was about reflection and revival. We've all reflected on the time that has passed and moved towards the time that will come. Because there cannot be a return to business as usual, but rather a move towards understanding how we need to change how we operate as professionals, businesses, leaders and human beings as we work towards a world that understands its new reality. We're all on a path of accelerated change in every aspect of our work and life. This rapid pace requires us all to understand the status quo with total clarity before we take each step (even though each step seems to bring with it a whole new set of changes). 2021 has given us many a moment to take a pause and reflect (something we should all do more often) and drive towards a better future.

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