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Google Play has revealed its annual Best of 2024 awards for India, celebrating the apps and games that defined the year. With five of the seven top apps developed by Indian creators, the awards underscore India’s rising prominence in the global tech ecosystem. Mobile gaming also continues to boom, as the country solidifies its position as the second-largest market for gaming downloads worldwide. In a blog post announcing the winners, Google also shed light on how India is the world's second largest market in terms of mobile gaming downloads. "On the gaming front, the Indian gaming scene continues to thrive, with India adding 23 million new gamers in FY24, reaching a total of 590 million. In fact, India now boasts the world's second-largest market for mobile gaming downloads, with average weekly playtime increasing by 30%." Leading Apps: India at the Forefront of AI Innovation The blog post revealed that this year’s top apps showcased India’s innovative spirit, particularly in harnessing AI to meet user needs. Alle - Your AI Fashion Stylist, developed by Hey Alle, emerged as the year’s Best App and also won the Best for Fun award. Leveraging AI, Alle provides personalised fashion advice tailored to users’ occasions, body types, and preferences, reflecting the growing trend of AI-powered app experiences in India. Prateek Agarwal, Co-Founder &amp; CEO, Alle, said in a statement, “We noticed that the recent developments in Gen AI, combined with evolving consumer preferences for visual inspirational content, will create a massive opportunity to reimagine &amp; rebuild how people discover and shop for fashion. This realization led us to start Alle...As a new startup, Google Play has been crucial in helping us reach our early users organically. The platform's detailed analytics and crash reporting have been invaluable - they've helped us quickly identify and fix issues, improving our app stability.” Other app winners included: • Headlyne: Daily News with AI (Best for Personal Growth), offering curated news tailored to individual preferences. • Sony LIV: Sports &amp; Entertainment (Best for Large Screens), delivering immersive content on tablets and other big-screen devices. • WhatsApp Messenger (Best Multi-device App), enabling seamless communication across devices. • Fold: Expense Tracker (Best Everyday Essential) and Rise: Habit List (Best Hidden Gem) also captured user interest with practical and engaging features. The blog post added that India’s dominance in the AI app space is significant, accounting for 21% of global AI mobile app downloads this year, with nearly 1,000 Indian apps and games incorporating AI. Games that thrilled millions India’s gaming industry continued its upward trajectory, adding 23 million gamers this year, taking the total to 590 million. With gaming preferences increasingly reflecting local culture, many award-winning titles integrated Indian storylines and visuals. Squad Busters, a fast-paced multiplayer game, won Best Game for its simple yet engaging design. Meanwhile, Indus Battle Royale Mobile by SuperGaming earned the Best Made in India title for the second year running. Roby John, Co-Founder and CEO of SuperGaming, said in a statement, "We are committed to making Indus a standout Battle Royale experience. Our team has spent over three years thoughtfully crafting its characters, environments, and gameplay features to represent Indian Art and Culture authentically. The community's enthusiasm validates our vision of Indian games thriving globally. Winning this award is an incredible honor, not just as a milestone but also a motivation to keep striving for excellence. Google Play’s expertise and responsiveness have empowered us to deliver world-class gaming, pushing the boundaries of Indian gaming. We’re more committed than ever to raising the bar and making Indian gaming shine on the global stage.” Other top games included: • BGMI (Battlegrounds Mobile India) (Best Ongoing), for its India-centric updates featuring cricket, festivals, and celebrity collaborations. • Bloom – A Puzzle Adventure (Best Indie), for its unique mechanics and creativity. • Clash of Clans (Best Multi-device Game) and Yes, Your Grace (Best Story) also stood out for their engaging gameplay.

Google Play announces best apps and games of 2024 in India: All you need to know

<keyword id="19895063" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="India" source="keywords">India</keyword>'s <keyword id="22863440" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Animation-and-VFX" source="keywords">Animation and VFX</keyword> segment is expected to surge from USD 1.3 billion in 2023 to USD 2.2 billion by 2026, according to a CII GT report released on Wednesday. This will increase the share of the Animation and VFX segment India's Animation and VFX segment to reach at USD 2.2 billion by 2026: reportin the <keyword id="20018821" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="media-and-entertainment" source="keywords">media and entertainment</keyword> (M&amp;E) industry from 5 per cent to 6 per cent during the same period, the report added which was released by Information and Broadcasting secretary, Sanjay Jaju on Wednesday. Currently, the <keyword id="22345339" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="AVGC-XR" source="keywords">AVGC-XR</keyword> sector accounts for approximately 20 per cent of India's media and entertainment (M&amp;E) industry and is poised for further expansion, as per the CII GT report. AVGC-XR stands for Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics, and Extended Reality. The report further anticipated that the Indian <keyword id="20349295" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="online-gaming-industry" source="keywords">online gaming industry</keyword> will reach to USD 4.6 billion by 2026, with its contribution to the M&amp;E sector rising from 10 per cent to 13 per cent. Currently, the online gaming industry is valued at USD 2.62 billion, as per the report. The report underscores the sector's potential as a major employment driver. The sector is expected to create of over 160,000 new jobs annually, with a total of 20 lakh new jobs anticipated by 2030. The report calls for the swift implementation of the National Draft Policy Framework for AVGC-XR. The report further added that a push in the AVGC-XR sector could accelerate growth, paving the way for a larger, more vibrant creative economy. India's AVGC sector had an overall market size of USD 2.3 billion in 2019, which was about 0.7 per cent of the global market size. The sector is expected to grow 2.2 times over the next four years driven by market forces and constitute about 1.5 per cent of the global AVGC market as per Draft National Policy, AVGC-XR, according to the report. Further, the CII GT report advocates for enhanced Intellectual Property Rights to retain talent and content and the introduction of clear regulatory definitions within the gaming industry. The report also calls for enhanced support for AVGC-XR entrepreneurs through Start-Up India and strategic investments in the National Centre of Excellence to foster innovation and global competitiveness. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/telecom/news/reliance-jio-and-airtel-gained-over-3-million-subscribers-in-june-vi-lost-nearly-a-million/articleshow/112670406.cms">Reliance Jio and Airtel gained over 3 million subscribers in June, Vi lost nearly a million</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/the-iphone-pro-models-will-be-made-in-india-for-the-first-time-this-year/articleshow/112653019.cms">The iPhone Pro models will be made in India for the first time this year</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/webstories/orient-technologies-ipo-price-band-to-risk-factors-all-you-need-to-know/slidelist/112646237.cms">Orient Technologies IPO – Price band to risk factors, all you need to know</a>

India's Animation and VFX segment to reach at $2.2 billion by 2026: report

<ul><li>The Indian EV (electric vehicle) industry reported nearly a 100% increase in sales in 2023.</li><li>The sale of EVs is expected to grow by 66% in 2024 and double its share when it comes to the overall passenger vehicle (PV) segment.</li><li>EVs are expected to account for nearly a third of the overall PV shipments by 2030.</li></ul>Indian EV makers had a great year in 2023, nearly doubling their sales compared to 2022, despite the overall passenger segment reporting only a 10% increase in sales. According to a report by Counterpoint Research, Indian <keyword id="19914921" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="EV-sales" source="keywords">EV sales</keyword> nearly doubled in 2023 and now account for 2% of the overall passenger vehicle (PV) sales. The reason for the increase in shipments includes government initiatives such as the FAME subsidy (Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of <keyword id="19895203" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="electric-vehicles" source="keywords">Electric Vehicles</keyword>), infrastructure development, concerns over climate change and more. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Tata Motors leads the EV race" comment="subhead" text="Tata Motors leads the EV race"><keyword id="19906967" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Tata-Motors" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Tata Motors" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Tata Motors">Tata Motors</keyword> leads the EV race</cmsannotation> Tata Motors leads the electric vehicles race in India, accounting for 70% of the electric cars sold in India in 2023. The company reported a year-on-year growth of 58% in 2023, but its share declined from 87% in 2022 to 70% in 2023. <keyword id="19993198" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="MG-Motor" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="MG Motor" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="MG Motor">MG Motor</keyword>, which had a share of 9% in India in 2022 reported a growth of 186% and accounted for 14% of the sales in 2023. Mahindra &amp; Mahindra has emerged as the fastest growing brand in 2023, reporting a 2476% growth and accounting for 7% of the market share. Mahindra sells the XUV400, the only electric car in the country. BYD also reported excellent growth in the Indian electric vehicles industry, recording a growth of 1538%. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="EV sales to double in 2024" comment="subhead" text="EV sales to double in 2024">EV sales to double in 2024</cmsannotation> According to Counterpoint, the share of electric vehicles in the overall passenger vehicles segment will double from 2% to 4% in 2024. EV sales in India are expected to grow by 66% in 2024. According to the report, the share of electric vehicles is expected to rise from the present 2% to 29% by 2030. “The EV ecosystem is in a fairly nascent stage. As the infrastructure and consumer traction develops, we will see the entry of newer players such as Tesla and fast-growing Chinese brands like Xiaomi, which will catalyze innovation and competition in the world’s fourth-largest PV market,” said Neil Shah, research vice president, Counterpoint Research. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="India’s new EV policy to give a boost" comment="subhead" text="India’s new EV policy to give a boost">India’s new EV policy to give a boost</cmsannotation> The Indian government’s recent<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/new-ev-policy-elon-musks-tesla-may-soon-enter-india-as-import-taxes-slashed-for-electric-vehicles/articleshow/108527306.cms"> EV policy</a> is expected to boost the EV industry, making it easier for international companies to enter the market. As part of the policy, the companies will be allowed to import 8,000 completely built-up (CBU) electric cars per year at an import duty of 15% on cars costing above $35,000 (approx. ₹28.99 lakh). At present, India levies a tax of 70% to 100% on imported cars, based on their value. This means that the import duty has been reduced by up to 85% for companies under this scheme. Tesla is expected to soon enter the Indian market, with the company reportedly searching for appropriate places for its factory in the country. Vietnamese EV maker VinFast recently announced its plans to invest $2 billion in India and has started constructing its first factory in Tamil Nadu. “Government initiatives such as the PLI scheme for Advanced Chemistry Cells (ACC) and the recent reduction in import duties on EVs under $35,000 to 15% are game changers. All this not only opens doors for Tesla but also signals India’s readiness to welcome significant investments and foster a new ecosystem for EVs and their component suppliers,” said Liz Lee, associate director, Counterpoint Research. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/electric-scooters-get-a-price-hike-of-up-to-16000-as-fame-subsidy-ends/slidelist/109136771.cms">Electric scooters get a price hike of up to ₹16,000 as FAME subsidy ends</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/ather-rizta-electric-scooter-launched-in-india-starting-at-rs-109999/articleshow/109128809.cms">Ather Rizta launched in India as the Hero MotoCorp-backed EV forays into the family scooter segment</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/webstories/top-selling-cars-in-india-in-march-2024/slidelist/109066534.cms">Top selling cars in India in March 2024 – Tata Punch leads the pack</a>

EV sales expected to grow by over 65% in 2024, double its overall market share

From the time Sir Dorabji <keyword id="19904884" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="tata" source="keywords">Tata</keyword> sponsored a handful of Indian athletes to the 1920 Antwerp Olympics, Tata group has been a constant in India's sporting landscape and the conglomerate's involvement only grew under <keyword id="19981455" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="ratan-tata" source="keywords">Ratan Tata</keyword>, who considered sport a "way of life". The chairman emeritus of Tata Sons died here at the age of 86 on Wednesday after being admitted to a hospital on Monday for "age and related medical conditions". His death triggered an avalanche of tributes from eminent personalities from all walks of life and sports was no different. From being the title sponsor of the glitzy Indian Premier League of cricket to supporting lesser-followed sports like archery to owning a football team in the Indian Super League to sponsoring a high-profile chess tournament, the Tata group has been deeply involved with the country's sporting ecosystem. Most of this involvement grew during Ratan Tata's tenure. "He always believed in 'sports is the way of life' and we are happy to carry forward the legacy. We have been the torchbearer of sports with 19 sporting verticals from football, hockey, archery to horse riding, boxing, karate, racket sports. You name it, we have it," an official involved with the JRD Tata Sports Academy, which was inaugurated in 1991 in Jamshedpur, told PTI. The growth in Tata Group's sporting involvement under Ratan Tata was the continuation of a legacy. After all, Sir Dorabji Tata, who played cricket, tennis and football, was the first President of the Indian Olympic Association (1924). This was after he had financed the Olympic appearance of four track-and-field athletes and two wrestlers at the Antwerp Games, helping organise their trials in Pune as well. Tata Steel Chess, which is also called the 'Wimbledon of chess', is a marquee event on global chess calendar, held at <keyword id="20385206" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="wijk-aan-zee" source="keywords">Wijk Aan Zee</keyword>, the Netherlands. It wasn't always known that. It was Corus Chess Tournament for the longest time before Tata Steel took over the title sponsor company, thereby claiming the rights of this event from 2007 onwards. Five-time world champion and Indian chess legend <keyword id="20221790" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="viswanathan-anand" source="keywords">Viswanathan Anand</keyword> was among the first sports icons to pay tributes to the late industrialist, saying that he "touched all our lives". "It is with profound sadness that we bid farewell to a giant of industry and philanthropy. We received our Padma Vibhushan together, and I was truly touched by his humility and genteel nature," Anand wrote on X. "The chess fraternity owes much to the traditions that are so closely associated with the Tata Group. @tatasteelchess in Holland is an event that made us chess players particularly proud, especially when the Tatas took over Corus, and later starting a new tradition with @tschessindia," he added. "The chess world and I offer our deepest condolences to @RNTata2000, a human being who touched all our lives and always stood for the good of society. Rest in peace," Anand continued. Tata Foootball Academy started back in 1987 under <keyword id="23494114" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="russi-mody" source="keywords">Russi Mody</keyword>, the then chairman of Tata Steel, who had the backing of Ratan Tata for the project. The academy has been supplying national level footballers since early '90s with its some of its noted alumni being current All India Football Federation head and former goalkeeper Kalyan Chaubey, Rennedy Singh, Dipendu Biswas and Kiran Khongsai. "TFA has played a pioneering role in Indian football by focusing on nurturing young talent and contributing significantly to the development of football in the country," the official associated with JRD sports complex said. "He (Ratan Tata) was there at the launch of Jamshedpur FC in the ISL in 2017. he interacted with the players and coaches, took photos with them. They also presented him with a signed jersey. He was very happy to see the team coming up and playing in the top tier ISL," he recalled. The enigmatic businessman was there to launch the hockey academy in Jamshedpur in 2019. "...perhaps for the last time he was here," the official said. Hockey India said Ratan Tata will be remembered as a "shining gem". "Your vision and endless contribution to our nation will never be forgotten. Your legacy will forever live with us till eternity. Hockey India pays tribute to one of Modern India's Pioneers - Ratan Naval Tata," it added. The legendary <keyword id="19919207" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sachin-tendulkar" source="keywords">Sachin Tendulkar</keyword> said Ratan Tata's legacy will continue through his foundations. "In his life, and demise, Mr Ratan Tata has moved the nation. I was fortunate to spend time with him, but millions, who have never met him, feel the same grief that I feel today. Such is his impact," <keyword id="20012835" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="tendulkar" source="keywords">Tendulkar</keyword> wrote. The Tata Archery Academy in Jamshedpur has been the training ground for ace Indian archers Deepika Kumari and Atanu Das for several years. Given Tata Group's involvement in India's Olympic movement, it was hardly a surprise to see an outpouring of tributes from some of country's top athletes. "I'm very sorry to hear about the passing of Shri Ratan Tata ji. He was a visionary, and I'll never forget the conversation I had with him. He inspired this entire nation. I pray that his loved ones find strength. Om Shanti," posted India's track-and-field Olympic gold-winner, Neeraj Chopra. India's first-ever Olympics medal winner in badminton, <keyword id="20204318" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="saina-nehwal" source="keywords">Saina Nehwal</keyword> described him as a great man. "Ratan Tata sir aapki legacy hamesha humare saath rahegi. RIP (sic). (A great man and true visionary. Tata sir your legacy will always remain with us," she said. One of India's greatest spin bowlers and former captain Anil Kumble said, "Mr. Ratan Tata's contribution extends far beyond business. His legacy of giving back to society will continue to inspire future generations. Rest in peace." "An institution who embodied Excellence, Vision and Humility. A Philanthropist par excellence. A massive loss to society. Condolences to the entire Tata family. God bless his soul #RatanTata," wrote former India player and coach <keyword id="19958622" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ravi-shastri" source="keywords">Ravi Shastri</keyword>.

The Tata effect on Indian sports: Ratan Tata's demise mourned by India stalwarts

The rise in <keyword id="20532742" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="EV-battery-manufacturing" source="keywords">EV battery manufacturing</keyword>, alongside the '<keyword id="20018809" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Make-in-India" source="keywords">Make in India</keyword>' initiative, will lower manufacturing costs and boost <keyword id="19914921" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="EV-sales" source="keywords">EV sales</keyword> in the country, according to industry experts. According to Liz Lee, Associate Director at Counterpoint Research, <keyword id="21214947" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indias-EV-landscape" source="Orion">India's EV landscape</keyword> is on the cusp of significant growth. "Government initiatives such as the <keyword id="8941225" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="PLI-scheme" source="Orion">PLI scheme</keyword> for <keyword id="16365365" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Advanced-Chemistry-Cells" source="Orion">Advanced Chemistry Cells</keyword> (ACC) and the recent reduction in import duties on EVs under $35,000 to 15 per cent are game changers," said Lee. All this not only opens doors for <keyword id="107096" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Tesla" source="Orion">Tesla</keyword> but also signals India's readiness to welcome significant investments and foster a new ecosystem for EVs and their component suppliers. "It is a clear sign that India's journey to become a major player in the global <keyword id="186291" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="EV" source="Orion">EV</keyword> market is accelerating," Lee noted. The EV ecosystem is in a fairly nascent stage. "While the conventional automobile manufacturing ecosystem is mature, the building blocks for a robust smart car manufacturing ecosystem, from the battery to infotainment to sensors to full ADAS/ADS, beckon," said Research Vice President Neil Shah. "This would span from the likes of Qualcomm and MediaTek designing and offering advanced auto components to BlackBerry providing safety and security software, to Foxconn reducing barriers for new entrants to India with its innovative MIH consortium-based 'localised' design and manufacturing model," Shah explained.

India's EV landscape set to be transformed with key govt initiatives: Industry experts

As the Olympic Games draw to a close, the spotlight not only shines on the athletes competing for glory but also on the transformative role <keyword id="19901571" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="technology" source="keywords">technology</keyword> has played in shaping modern <keyword id="20010841" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sports" source="keywords">sports</keyword> and <keyword id="22746553" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="training-methodologies" source="keywords">training methodologies</keyword>. Over the past few years, <keyword id="20142309" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="innovations" source="keywords">innovations</keyword> such as <keyword id="20624226" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="wearable-devices" source="keywords">wearable devices</keyword>, <keyword id="22746554" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="performance-analytics" source="keywords">performance analytics</keyword>, and <keyword id="19948295" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="virtual-reality" source="keywords">virtual reality</keyword> have revolutionised how athletes prepare for competition, enhancing their training regimens and optimising performance. The intersection of sports and technology is dramatically altering the landscape. From advanced sensors that track physiological metrics to smart equipment that provide real-time feedback, technology has become an integral part of an athlete's toolkit. "Technology fits like a glove in the macro fabric of the modern-day ecosystem of sports performance analysis. It empowers young athletes and coaches by democratising access to pro-level analysis and tools, which helps nurture grassroots talent and instill a sense of competitiveness by providing insights that were traditionally available only to top-tier athletes," said Sudeep Kulkarni, founder and CEO, Game Theory. The sports industry is increasingly leveraging the power of <keyword id="19904566" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="artificial-intelligence" source="keywords">artificial intelligence</keyword> (<keyword id="19899640" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="AI" source="keywords">AI</keyword>) to transform the way performance is analysed and outcomes are predicted, he said. Athletes can practice against virtual opponents and mimic game circumstances using augmented reality (AR), which aids in developing rapid decision-making under pressure. Stupa Sports Analytics, a sports technology firm based out of Gurugram, recently provided analytics support to the Indian table tennis team at a preparatory camp for the Paris Olympics, which included performance analytics, rally analysis, and AI insights for both players and coaches. "The data helped in articulating strategies to play against the world's best players. Prominent players like Sharath Kamal, Harmeet Desai, Manav Thakker, Manika Batra, Archana Kamath, and Sreeja Akula benefited from these insights, enhancing their preparation and performance," said Megha Gambhir, CEO and co-founder, Stupa Sports Analytics. Augmented Reality (AR) is also enhancing the spectator experience. AR solutions allow fans to access additional information about players and stats during live events. A report from the Capgemini Research Institute revealed that nearly 70 per cent of respondents surveyed (10,000) said that emerging technologies have enhanced their overall viewing experience, both inside and outside the stadium. Emerging technologies are undeniably the future of sports, and at the forefront of this golden era are tech startups. The integration of technology in sports through startups is reshaping how athletes train, compete, and engage with fans. These startups are driving innovation and setting new standards in the sports industry. Founder and general partner at Centre Court Capital, a gaming and sports tech VC, Mustafa Ghouse said sports tech startups are increasingly becoming target sectors for venture capital due to the vast potential for innovation and growth in the sector. "In India, the interest is becoming more pronounced, particularly in niche areas of sports technology. In the last three years, India saw investments of USD 1.2 billion in sports tech. India is also the 3rd largest funded country in sports tech after the US between 2018 through 2022 followed by China," he said. Indian sports tech startups are starting to attract attention from global investors alongside domestic investors, Ghouse added. "The increasing allocation of media rights and the surge in digital consumption of sports content are driving demand for advanced tech requirements. This, coupled with the proliferation of smart devices and internet connectivity, sets a fertile ground for sports tech startups to flourish and draw substantial investment," he said.

Tech innovations, AI changing the game for modern sports, training methodologies

<ul><li>The <keyword id="6354679" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="gst" source="Orion">GST</keyword> Council has levied a 28% rate to casiones, <keyword id="149956" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="horse-racing" source="Orion">horse racing</keyword>, etc on the amount the gaming company earns from its users. </li><li>The GST Council has recommended removing the critical distinction between game of skill and <keyword id="10751675" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="game-of-chance" source="Orion">game of chance</keyword>. </li><li>The decision is expected to hit the <keyword id="6422069" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="online-gaming" source="Orion">online gaming</keyword> industry hard and the shares of listed players has taken a nosedive. </li></ul>The online gaming industry woke up expecting a bad day on Dalal Street after the 50th GST Council announced its decision to levy a 28% GST on online gaming, along with horse racing and <keyword id="71409" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="casinos" source="Orion">casinos</keyword>. As expected, shares of listed players like Nazara Tech and Delta Corp took a major hit with the latter nosediving 20%. The online gaming industry stakeholders have termed the 28% GST on the full value of gaming as "irrational and egregious", saying that the move is a self goal that will kill the skilled online gaming sector in the country. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="But first, what is the dispute" comment="subhead" text="But first, what is the dispute">But first, what is the dispute</cmsannotation> The main debate has been about online gaming categorisation, whether it is a game of skill or a game of chance. “The Government is saying that if it is a game of chance, it will come under the category of betting, gambling, so there will be a GST of 28% on the gross value. The industry is saying that it is a game of skill and should be liable to18% GST, not on the gross value, but only on the commission component,” explains Pratik Jain, Partner, PwC India, a professional services firm. Roland Landers, CEO of the All India Gaming Federation, said that the decision ignores over 60 years of settled legal jurisprudence and lumps online skill gaming with gambling activities. "We believe this decision by the GST Council is unconstitutional, irrational, and egregious. This decision will wipe out the entire Indian gaming industry and lead to lakhs of job losses and the only people benefitting from this will be anti-national illegal offshore platforms," reads his statement. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="The impact on the online gaming industry" comment="subhead" text="The impact on the online gaming industry">The impact on the online gaming industry</cmsannotation> Experts and gaming company owners agree that this is going to adversely impact the gaming industry in a major way. “It will be interesting to see the business impact for the online gaming sector considering that this sector has been touted to have significant growth potential,” says Shilpy Chaturvedi, Partner, Deloitte India, a professional services firm. Joy Bhattacharjya, Director-General, Federation of Indian <keyword id="34077" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="fantasy" source="Orion">Fantasy</keyword> Sports (FIFS), says that as pointed out by FIFS and many of its members on numerous occasions, change in valuation to tax on the total consideration will cause irreversible damage to the industry, loss of revenue to the exchequer and loss of employment for lakhs of skilled engineers. “The decision will have a chilling effect on the $2.5 billion of FDI already invested by investors and jeopardise potentially any further FDI in the sector. Further, this decision will shift users to illegal betting platforms leading to user risk and loss of revenue for the government,” says Bhattacharjya. Experts say that the higher tax burden will also put a blocker on India’s expanding gaming industry, and deter the new player from entering the industry. Industry insider, Mitesh Gangar, the co- founder and director of PlayerzPot, a fantasy gaming company, says that the move will corner the gaming industry in a big way. “The overall operations will not be feasible. The high tax burden will completely restrict the cash flow, limiting a company’s ability to invest in research, innovation, expansion or survival,” he said. The government on its part has said that the move isn’t targeting any particular industry. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said, “The decisions were intensive and were taken after consultation with all the members, including those representing states like Goa and Sikkim where casinos form a key part of the tourism sector."

Online gaming industry says 28% GST makes operations unfeasible

As the global urgency to combat <keyword id="19907392" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="climate-change" source="keywords">climate change</keyword> intensifies, all eyes are on India's <keyword id="19955368" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Budget-2024" source="keywords">Budget 2024</keyword>, as there’s no better way to walk the talk than allocating funds. Speculation is rife about the potential measures the government may introduce to accelerate the transition to a sustainable energy future — a move that is supremely necessary after the slew of deadly climate catastrophes that we saw last year. India’s Union Budget 2024 will be presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in a couple of days, and is expected to reflect the nation’s commitment to achieving <keyword id="21280854" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="net-zero-carbon-emissions" source="keywords">net-zero carbon emissions</keyword> by 2070. Here are some of the key initiatives from the interim budget that was presented in February earlier this year, along with their anticipated impacts! <h2>Rooftop Solarisation</h2>One of the most talked-about initiatives is the ambitious rooftop solar programme, which aims to provide free electricity up to 300 units per month to one crore households. If implemented, this move will help in not only cutting down energy bills — a godsend for the middle- and lower-income folks — but will also give households a chance to generate and even sell their surplus power. <h2>Electric Vehicle (EV) Ecosystem</h2>Charging up the electric vehicle movement, the interim budget included measures to expand EV manufacturing and infrastructure in the country. The move aimed to accelerate the adoption of <keyword id="19895203" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="electric-vehicles" source="keywords">electric vehicles</keyword>, reducing emissions from the transport sector and making your commute cleaner and greener. Additionally, the government seemed keen on encouraging the adoption of electric buses to make urban travel more eco-friendly. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="111855546" title="Budget 2024: How will budget affect India’s position in the global space race?" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> <h2><keyword id="20495045" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="offshore-wind-energy" source="keywords">Offshore Wind Energy</keyword></h2>Riding the winds of change, the interim budget introduced a viability gap funding for 1 GW of offshore wind energy. As per the Finance Ministry, this initiative aims to harness the power of India’s vast coastline, pushing the envelope on <keyword id="19895602" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="renewable-energy" source="keywords">renewable energy</keyword> and reducing our fossil fuel dependency. <h2><keyword id="22499996" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="national-green-hydrogen" source="keywords">National Green Hydrogen</keyword> Mission</h2>The interim budget also supercharged the National Green Hydrogen Mission with a massive boost to Rs 600 crore from last year’s Rs 297 crore. The government has continually insisted that Green Hydrogen is set to become the fuel of the future, and this announcement supports its development and adoption, paving the way for cleaner industrial processes. <h2>Coal Gasification and Liquefaction</h2>Switching up the coal game, the interim budget plans to set up coal gasification and liquefaction projects that will be able to process 100 metric tonnes by 2030. These projects aim to make the most out of coal in a cleaner way, especially by reducing our reliance on imported natural gas and slashing emissions. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="111827903" title="Union Budget 2024 for Railways: Expectations focused on improving passenger safety, experience, infrastructure" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> <h2>Bioenergy and Biomass Aggregation</h2>Turning waste into wealth, the interim budget has also promised additional financial assistance for biomass aggregation. This, they explain, will help in creating a sustainable model for managing agricultural waste, promoting bioenergy production and giving farmers a new revenue stream. <h2>Research and Development (R&amp;D)</h2>In a nod to innovation, the interim budget allocated a whopping Rs 1 lakh crore for interest-free financing in “sunrise” R&amp;D for emerging <keyword id="19931192" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="green-technologies" source="keywords">green technologies</keyword>. If the government follows through on this promise, the funding could catapult a wave of innovation, supporting the transition to a sustainable energy future. By focusing on renewable energy, reducing carbon emissions, and supporting green technologies, India’s initial budget allocations seem to be taking significant strides towards its net-zero goal. Whether this will ultimately pan out to become a greener and more resilient future for its citizens remains to be seen.

Budget 2024: Key sustainability and energy initiatives that Indian government plans to implement this year

<ul><li>Digitalisation and automation have been game-changers for manufacturers in achieving post-pandemic business goals. </li><li>Over two-thirds of companies that have implemented IoT would have deployed at least one <keyword id="50691" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="digital" source="Orion">digital</keyword> twin in production by 2022. </li><li>Digitalisation will help Indian manufacturers to compete in local and global markets.</li></ul>What does manufacturing look like in the post-COVID world? While the sector faced unforeseen challenges in the last two years, the pandemic has been a watershed event for technology in the sector. <keyword id="1568100" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="suprakash-chaudhuri" source="Orion">Suprakash Chaudhuri</keyword>, Head- <keyword id="6324890" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="digital-industries" source="Orion">Digital Industries</keyword>, <keyword id="163581" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="siemens-india" source="Orion">Siemens India</keyword>, believes that the need to converge the digital and the real worlds was felt most strongly during this time. In an exclusive chat with <keyword id="1857762" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="business-insider-india" source="Orion">Business Insider India</keyword>, Chaudhuri spoke in great detail about how the manufacturing sector is digitally transforming itself with the use of technologies like digital twin, industrial internet of things (IIoT), artificial intelligence (AI) and a lot more. Here are excerpts from an interview. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Manufacturing has propelled into a completely new era post the pandemic. What do you consider as the biggest changes that transformed the industry during this period?" comment="subhead" text="Manufacturing has propelled into a completely new era post the pandemic. What do you consider as the biggest changes that transformed the industry during this period?">Manufacturing has propelled into a completely new era post the pandemic. What do you consider as the biggest changes that transformed the industry during this period?</cmsannotation> The COVID-19 pandemic was a revelation for the industry at large. It exposed the entire world, irrespective of their technology adoption, to deal with – rapidly-changing market conditions, a soaring global population requiring dependable supplies, and simultaneously, an increasingly urgent need for greater sustainability. With the global pandemic now in its third year, most business leaders continue to face significant challenges, but also unprecedented opportunities if fully realised. Digitalisation came forward as the clear gamechanger to tackle these challenges. The need to combine the real and digital worlds, including the entire value chains, became evident. Unlocking the full potential of digitalisation and automation with innovative solutions ensures lower costs, shorter production cycles, increase in resilience and makes carbon costs more transparent. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="While players have been rapidly adopting digitalisation and automation, what do you see as the most critical gaps of industrial digital transformation at this stage? How is Siemens collaborating with companies to help accelerate this goal?" comment="subhead" text="While players have been rapidly adopting digitalisation and automation, what do you see as the most critical gaps of industrial digital transformation at this stage? How is Siemens collaborating with companies to help accelerate this goal?">While players have been rapidly adopting digitalisation and automation, what do you see as the most critical gaps of industrial digital transformation at this stage? How is Siemens collaborating with companies to help accelerate this goal?</cmsannotation> All industries are feeling the pressure of digital transformation. We are addressing the challenges our customers face through deep, process-centric solutions. Siemens is delivering next-generation solutions to help manufacturers transform their operations through our concept of Digital Thread – which is a distinct, linked, traceable sequence of activities in the product or production lifecycle, that is digitised and automated. There are two dimensions to this digital integration. One is horizontal integration. It is the integration of the digital flow from the digital twin of the product through the digital twin of production, then to the real production and the digital twin of performance. And then we have the second one, the so-called vertical integration between OT (Operational Technology) and IT (Information Technology). Secure communication, resulting in a secure exchange of data between OT and IT, is the backbone of digitalisation. With our deep domain know-how and vertical experience, we are helping our customers create a blueprint for their digital transformation across these vertical and horizontal dimensions and co-create solutions. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Chief Information Officers (CIOs) in the industry often find it challenging to work with legacy systems and siloed approaches in a manufacturing environment. How is Siemens helping change this? Can you give us some examples?" comment="subhead" text="Chief Information Officers (CIOs) in the industry often find it challenging to work with legacy systems and siloed approaches in a manufacturing environment. How is Siemens helping change this? Can you give us some examples?">Chief Information Officers (CIOs) in the industry often find it challenging to work with legacy systems and siloed approaches in a manufacturing environment. How is Siemens helping change this? Can you give us some examples?</cmsannotation> With consumers wanting more customised products and markets being shorter-lived than ever, companies must plan for shorter innovation cycles than in the past. Production facilities need to be designed with enough resilience and flexibility to scale up, then scale down—often in record time. Brownfield optimization of existing facilities using adaptable technology is as important as repairing and retrofitting services, as well as data analysis and predictive services solutions. Software and software-enabled hardware are increasingly becoming key competitive factors in plants with limited resources and legacy equipment. Our <keyword id="2803209" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="digital-enterprise" source="Orion">Digital Enterprise</keyword> offerings address this across the entire value chain. The Digital Enterprise brings together processes that were previously separate. It breaks down traditional silos and helps bridge the gaps between software and hardware, IT and OT, shop floor and top floor. Recently, Siemens and BioNTech expanded our collaboration for rapid expansion and creation of production capacity for global COVID-19 vaccine production with our latest automation and digitalisation technology. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="What were the key focus areas of Hannover Messe 2022, where future technologies are showcased?" comment="subhead" text="What were the key focus areas of Hannover Messe 2022, where future technologies are showcased?">What were the key focus areas of <keyword id="1942048" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="hannover-messe" source="Orion">Hannover Messe</keyword> 2022, where future technologies are showcased?</cmsannotation> This year we addressed the most persistent question of driving sustainable growth. Under the motto: “Let’s combine real and digital worlds for a sustainable tomorrow,” we showcased examples of how to achieve these goals and become a true Digital Enterprise. We demonstrated successful cases of using data more intelligently to combine the real and virtual worlds with the support of various technology highlights in the field of additive manufacturing, energy efficiency, digital twin, OT/IT convergence, artificial intelligence and data analytics, cybersecurity, electrification, industrial 5G, and industrial IoT from <keyword id="79174" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="edge" source="Orion">Edge</keyword> to cloud. As the highlight, we demonstrated how an electric car manufacturer is achieving performance and driving range goals, while also meeting sustainability and profitability targets using our solutions. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="How do you see digital twin as a technology and its adoption evolving in the coming days, especially, outside the manufacturing arena?" comment="subhead" text="How do you see digital twin as a technology and its adoption evolving in the coming days, especially, outside the manufacturing arena?">How do you see digital twin as a technology and its adoption evolving in the coming days, especially, outside the manufacturing arena?</cmsannotation> We see digital twin adoption in all kinds of organisations. However, its adoption in the manufacturing space is the most exciting. For example, Gartner expects over two-thirds of companies that have implemented IoT would have deployed at least one digital twin in production by 2022, to increase their effectiveness. Digital twin is simple and yet an immensely powerful interpretation of Industry 4.0. As a virtual representation of a product, production process, or performance, it enables the individual process stages to be seamlessly linked. This creates a consistent improvement in efficiency, minimises failure rates, shortens development cycles, and opens up new business opportunities. In other words, it creates a lasting competitive edge. Over the years, Siemens has shown the benefits of combining the real and digital worlds and how it works in practice. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="India is evolving as a global manufacturing hub. What does Siemens’ roadmap look like?" comment="subhead" text="India is evolving as a global manufacturing hub. What does Siemens’ roadmap look like?"><keyword id="3658" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="india" source="Orion">India</keyword> is evolving as a global manufacturing hub. What does Siemens’ roadmap look like?</cmsannotation> The Indian manufacturers have the aptitude and attitude to meet the growing needs. Adopting the right technology can make India self-reliant. With digitalisation, <keyword id="150428" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="indian-industry" source="Orion">Indian Industry</keyword>, especially SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) can achieve constant technical progress as well as the competence to meet the changing requirements of both local and global markets. The openness to adopt the latest technologies like AI, Edge and other IIoT solutions will be critical to India’s desire to maintain pace with global best practices and technologies. Using our efficient, digital workflows, innovative technologies and our rich domain expertise, we are enabling our customers to react quickly to changing market requirements and increase productivity, efficiency, and quality - sustainably.

'Digital thread & digital twin tech will be game changers for manufacturing'

<ul class="summary-list"><li>2023's top movies, "Barbie," "Oppenheimer," and" "Mario," weren't sequels or remakes.</li><li>Meanwhile, Disney's Marvel and DC saw some disappointing turnouts.</li></ul>Eight years ago, Steven Spielberg predicted that the superhero movie would one day go <a target="_blank" href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-arts-and-entertainment-movies-steven-spielberg-kate-capshaw-7b4d35d049ff4dc0b6ffe94c4a3fa7ed">"the way of the Western."</a>Spielberg's comments caused a widespread stir at the time. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/avengers-age-of-ultron-review-2015-4">"Avengers: The Age of Ultron"</a> was then one of the year's biggest movies. The following year would bring "<a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/captain-america-civil-war-movie-commentary-facts-2016-9">Captain America: Civil War,</a>" "Deadpool" and "Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice." The superhero movie was in high gear, and showing no signs of slowing down.But Spielberg's point was that nothing is forever in the movie business. These cycles, Spielberg said, "have a finite time in popular culture." And the maker of "E.T.," "<a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/jurassic-park-cast-then-and-now-2018-6">Jurassic Park</a>" and "<a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/steven-spielberg-jaws-shocked-hit-shark-looked-dumb-2023-2">Jaws</a>" might know a thing or two about the ebbs and flows of pop-culture taste.As 2023 draws to a close, no one is sounding the death knell of the superhero movie. The Walt Disney Co.'s <a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/guardians-of-the-galaxy-vol-3-details-to-know-2023-4">"Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3"</a> made $845.6 million worldwide and Sony's <a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/spider-man-across-the-spider-verse-trailer-tom-holland-reference-2023-4">"Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse"</a> ($691 million) was one of the most acclaimed films of the year. Marvel is still mightier than any other brand in the business.But more than ever before, there are chinks in the armor of the superhero movie. Its dominance in popular culture is no longer quite so assured. A cycle may be turning, and a new one dawning.For the first time in more than two decades, the top three movies at the box office didn't include one sequel or remake: "<a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/all-upcoming-movies-mattel-toys-barbie-2023-7">Barbie</a>," "<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/super-mario-bros-first-video-game-movie-highst-gross-billion-2023-5">The Super Mario Bros. Movie</a>" and "<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/oppenheimer-fact-vs-fiction-what-the-movie-got-right-wrong-2023-7">Oppenheimer</a>." The last time that happened was 2001, when "Harry Potter and the<a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/details-missed-harry-potter-and-the-sorcerers-stone-2020-9"> Sorcerer's Stone</a>," "<a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/fun-facts-shrek-movie-2019-2">Shrek</a>" and "<a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/monsters-inc-cool-and-unique-details-you-never-saw">Monsters, Inc.</a>" topped the box office.No, it's not exactly a lineup of originality like, say, 1973, when "The Exorcist, "The Sting" and "American Graffiti" led all movies in ticket sales. "<a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/barbie-movie-2023-fun-facts-details-2023-7">Barbie</a>" and "The Super Mario Bros.," based on some of the most familiar brands in the world, will generate spinoffs and sequels of their own.But it's hard not to sense a shift in moviegoing, one that might have reverberations for years to come for Hollywood."There's an inflection point in 2023," says Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for data firm Comscore. " <a target="_blank" href="https://apnews.com/article/barbenheimer-barbie-oppenheimer-double-feature-3f2cebb6720fb79b8584976f9e97eca0">Barbenheimer</a> is just one part of that story. Audiences, they want to be challenged. I think the tried and true is not necessarily working."<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/barbie-movie-could-recoup-huge-marketing-spend-opening-weekend-2023-7">Greta Gerwig's "Barbie,"</a> from Warner Bros., was the year's runaway hit, with more than $1.4 billion in ticket sales worldwide. It was a blockbuster like none seen before: an anarchic comedy that set a string of records for a movie directed by a woman.Nearly as unprecedented was the success of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/barbie-oppenheimer-same-release-date-reason-christopher-nolan-superstitious-2023-12">Christopher Nolan's "Oppenheimer,"</a> a three-hour drama that nearly grossed $1 billion. As different as it and "<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/barbie-movie-set-win-barbenheimer-box-office-battle-with-oppenheimer-2023-7">Barbie</a>" were, they were each <a target="_blank" href="https://apnews.com/article/barbie-oppenheimer-barbenheimer-box-office-d07dce60b4726b2c168c228e1a405c70">original feats of cinema</a> and personal statements by its directors.At the same time, the Walt Disney Co.'s Marvel, a hit-making machine like none other in movie history, faltered like never before. "The Marvels" <a target="_blank" href="https://apnews.com/article/marvels-box-office-disney-brie-larson-392f34978d96a5a2bca5e32717d888e8">marked a new low for the Marvel Cinematic Universe</a>, collecting $200 million globally. DC Studios, in the midst of a revamp, saw disappointing results for "The Flash" and "Blue Beetle" before watching <a target="_blank" href="https://apnews.com/article/box-office-aquaman-b11c243a659b1b7ad826d5a8298c5855#:~:text=Including%20international%20estimates%20at%20%2480,of%20its%20box%20office%20internationally.">"Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom" sink to a $28.1 million debut.</a><div type="image" title="A photo of Jason Mamoa as Aquaman" height="2160" width="3840" msid="106459658" hostid="261" sizebytes="254178"></div>Both Marvel and DC have already made moves to right their ships. Bob Iger, Disney's chief executive, has called turning around Marvel his top priority. He said the superhero studio has suffered greatly from too many films and series leading to "diluted quality." The James Gunn, Peter Safran-led DC, meanwhile, won't officially launch until 2025 with <a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/james-gunn-superman-legacy-cast-2023-7">"Superman Legacy."</a>In the meantime, something else will have to fill the void. That was a theme in 2023, too, when <a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/hollywood-strike-sag-aftra-wga-writers-actors-1960-2023-7">the writers and actors strikes</a> marred release plans and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/fall-2023-movies-tv-affected-sag-wga-strikes">forced the delay of several films</a> including Warner's "Dune: Part Two," Sony's next "Ghostbusters" movie and MGM's "Challengers."Those disruptions will continue in 2024. Analysts aren't expecting a banner year for Hollywood in part because films like the next "<a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/how-tom-cruise-mission-impossible-dead-reckoning-stunts-2023-8">Mission: Impossible</a>" film and the "Spider-Verse" sequel, both delayed by the strikes, won't make their original dates.Overall ticket sales in U.S. and Canadian theaters for 2023 are expected to reach about $9 billion, according to Comscore, an improvement of about 20% from 2022. The industry is still trying to regain its pre-pandemic footing, when ticket sales regularly surpassed $11 billion. Output of wide-releases in 2023 (88) still trailed those in 2019 (108) by 18.5%.Hollywood is still coaxing moviegoers back to theaters — something "Barbie," "<a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/oppenheimer-ending-explained-by-director-christopher-nolan-2023-7">Oppenheimer</a>" and "<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/super-mario-bros-movie-smashes-records-top-animated-film-opening-2023-4">Mario</a>" went a long way to helping.<div type="image" title="A photo of Gabrielle Roitman, Kayla Seffing, Maddy Hiller and Casey Myer posing in front of an Oppenheimer poster." height="3624" width="5135" msid="106459659" hostid="261" sizebytes="1308546"></div>"It reinforced something that we've known for 100 years in the business: People like going to the shared experience out of the home," says Jeffrey Goldstein, distribution chief for Warner Bros. "They love being entertained. Movies are a good financial proposition and can bring in a mass audience.""It probably started with '<a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/super-mario-bros-movie-cast-dressed-like-characters-red-carpet-2023-4">Mario</a>' last April," adds Goldstein. "I think that showed audiences again that theaters are a fun place to be to. And it showed studios and content creators: Up your game."If 2023 is any guide, hits will come from increasingly unpredictable places.That was the case with <a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/taylor-swift-eras-tour-movie-vs-real-life-best-worst-scenes-2023-10">"Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour,"</a> a film released just two months after Swift's recorded concerts in <a target="_blank" href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-eras-concert-films-a284a04596c6b71b3de7a9bcf9c83b7b">a first-of-its-kind distribution deal with AMC Theatres</a>. It grossed $250 million worldwide, and was followed by the similarly released "Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé," <a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/beyonce-renaissance-world-tour-movie-premiere-best-photos-lizzo-2023-11">another No. 1 debut.</a>More surprising was "<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/sound-of-freedom-deemed-box-office-hit-liberals-have-doubts-2023-7">Sound of Freedom</a>," a $15 million film from the independent Angel Studios, which matched Swift with $250 million worldwide. It was released with a unique "pay it forward" program that allowed people to donate tickets.Going into 2023, no one was betting "Sound of Freedom" would outgross "The Marvels" or that <a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/five-nights-at-freddys-cast-vs-video-game-characters-photos-2023-10">"Five Nights at Freddy's"</a> would have a bigger opening weekend than <a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/indiana-jones-dial-of-destiny-harrison-ford-emotional-evolution-2023-7">"Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny."</a><div type="image" title="A photo of Teyonah Parris playing Captain Monica Rambeau in The Marvels." height="1716" width="3299" msid="106459660" hostid="261" sizebytes="77980"></div>"There are going to be examples of big-budget, traditional blockbusters that do well," says Dergarabedian. "But for every one of those, there have been two that failed. An audience that's finding a lot of interesting material on streaming is becoming more open to films like '<a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/godzilla-minus-one-us-release-date-watch-tickets-2023-11">Godzilla Minus One</a>,' <a target="_blank" href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-india-4d04b6d032cabfc91b6d0beb6642c1ef">Indian cinema</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://apnews.com/article/box-office-hayao-miyazaki-boy-heron-godzilla-81158fbde74556aa7add3be4f594f4c6">Japanese anime</a>. There's a shift in audience taste and studios need to get a handle on this."That poses as much of a challenge as an opportunity to studios. If more-of-the-same no longer has quite the same appeal for moviegoers, an industry that for years has depended on sequels, prequels, reboots and remakes to make up the bulk of its profits may require new creativity.The Western didn't vanish all at once. After two decades of ubiquity, it began going out of style in the 1960s. And the Western, of course, continues to be rich territory for filmmakers. This year, 81-year-old <a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/martin-scorsese-set-real-life-killers-of-the-flower-moon-2023-10">Martin Scorsese</a> made his first Western in "Killers of the Flower Moon," the three-hour-plus $200 million epic from Apple Studios.The superhero movie, likewise, won't ever die. But its heyday might have reached its <a target="_blank" href="https://apnews.com/article/0a72e05fc40e406ca07079abc2249a7c">endgame.</a>

The movie industry is at an 'inflection point' going into 2024

<keyword id="3658" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="india" source="Orion">India</keyword> has embraced technology in every field of activity. It is adopting smart farming methods through technology and innovation in the agriculture sector and this may prove to be a game changer in the days to come by substantially raising farmers income. How is this method beneficial? Smart farming involves the application of sensors and automated irrigation practices. It can help monitor agricultural land, temperature and soil moisture. This would enable farmers to monitor crops from anywhere. Moreover, smart farming can help integrate digital and physical infrastructures, which would benefit small farmers. Agri-based startups can reach out to the farmers and help them gain access to such viable and cost-effective solutions. Agri-based, tech-driven startups have been very innovative in assisting farmers and revolutionising farming techniques. They have also addressed one of the most powerful headwinds (climate change) through climate-smart farming. In a unique move, the Indian government is implementing a <keyword id="12166469" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Digital-Agriculture-Mission" source="Orion">Digital Agriculture Mission</keyword> (DAM), which includes India Digital Ecosystem of Agriculture (IDEA), Farmers' Database, Unified Farmers Service Interface (UFSI), funding to the states on the new technology (NeGPA), revamping <keyword id="3182679" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mahalanobis-National-Crop-Forecast-Centre" source="Orion">Mahalanobis National Crop Forecast Centre</keyword> (MNCFC), Soil Health, Fertility and profile mapping. According to a report published by the National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM) in 2019, there were more than 450 argi-based tech-driven startups in India as of 2019. This number has skyrocketed in the last two years as the sector witnessed a surge in investments and funding. Agri-based tech-driven startups have been very innovative in assisting farmers and revolutionising farming techniques. They have also addressed one of the most powerful headwinds (climate change) through climate-smart farming. Under the NeGPA programme funding is given to the governments in various Indian states for Digital Agriculture projects using emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML), Internet of Things (IOT), Block chain etc. Adoption of drone technologies is being done too. To promote smart farming, the government promotes startups in the agriculture sector and nurtures agri-entrepreneurs. The 'Per Drop More Crop' component of the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sichai Yojana (PMKSY-PDMC) aims to increase water use efficiency at the farm level through micro irrigation technologies like drip and sprinkler irrigation systems. PMKSY is a scheme initiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The <keyword id="87560" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Council-of-Agricultural-Research" source="Orion">Indian Council of Agricultural Research</keyword> (ICAR) promotes innovation, extension and education in agriculture. A total of 1,575 field crop varieties were released for different agricultural crops during 2014-21. During 2014-21, 91.43 crore agri-advisories were provided to farmers through mobiles. ICAR developed 187 mobile apps on different farm and farmer related services during 2014-21. The agriculture sector plays a vital role in enriching India's economy. Agriculture accounted for almost 17.8 per cent of India's Gross Value Added (GVA) in 2019- 20. According to the World Bank's collection of development indicators, employment rate in the Indian agriculture sector stood at 41.5 per cent in 2020. From a socio-economic standpoint, agriculture is a vital sector which requires focus and awareness at all levels. According to India Brand Equity Foundation, the rising population and changing diets have created a huge pressure on land in India. Farmers are struggling to keep up as crop yields level off, soil degradation rises, water shortage increases, biodiversity declines, and natural calamities become more frequent. Furthermore, agriculture accounts for almost 14 per cent of India's total greenhouse gas emissions. In the meantime, the NITI Aayog (erstwhile Planning Commission of India) conducted a study entitled "Efficacy of Minimum Support Prices on farmers", in 2016, which found, among other things, that MSP declared by the government has encouraged 78 per cent of the farmers covered under the study for adopting improved methods of farming such as high yielding varieties of seeds, organic manure, chemical fertilizer, pesticides and improved methods of harvesting etc. Additionally, oilseeds, pulses and copra of Fair Average Quality (FAQ) are procured from registered farmers under Price Support Scheme of the umbrella scheme of Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay SanraksHan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA), as per its prescribed guidelines. The Indian national Budget for 2018-19 had announced the pre-determined principle to keep Minimum Support Price or MSP at levels of one-and-half times of the cost of production. Accordingly, government has increased the MSPs for all mandated Kharif (including wheat), Rabi and other commercial crops with a return of at least 50 per cent over all India weighted average cost of production from the agricultural year 2018-19. Moreover, India's National Crop Insurance Portal (NCIP) is the only source of enrolment for Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), on which farmer applications from various designated sources including banks/financial institutions are entered. Specific cut-off dates have been prescribed for enrolment of farmers, debit of premium, remittance of farmers' premium to concerned insurance company and uploading of data of farmers on NCIP. The <keyword id="603825" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ministry-of-Food-Processing-Industries" source="Orion">Ministry of Food Processing Industries</keyword> (MoFPI) has been incentivising setting of food processing industries through central sector umbrella scheme �Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana (PMKSY), Production Linked Incentive Scheme for Food Processing Industry (PLISFPI) and centrally sponsored scheme �PM Formalization of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) scheme across all the country. Under scheme of creation of infrastructure for agro processing clusters, a component scheme of PMKSY, the scheme is aimed at development of modern infrastructure and common facilities to encourage entrepreneurs to set up food processing units based on cluster approach and also to create modern infrastructure for food processing closer to production areas and to provide integrated and complete preservation infrastructure facilitates from the farm gate to the consumer. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/news/india-must-pitch-for-rupee-as-dollar-distancing-might-be-finally-happening-sbi-ecowrap/articleshow/93513940.cms">India must pitch for Rupee as dollar distancing might be finally happening: SBI Ecowrap</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/snapchat-comes-to-india-with-exclusive-features-heres-how-much-it-costs-and-how-to-sign-up/articleshow/93513880.cms">Snapchat+ comes to India with exclusive features — here's how much it costs and how to sign up</a>

Smart farming can prove to be a game changer in the coming days

Have you ever considered that your regular commute to and fro work could potentially shave off some years from your life? And no, we’re not talking about road traffic accidents but the slow poison we’re inhaling unbeknownst to us: air pollutants. A new study published in <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanplh/article/PIIS2542-5196(24)00114-1/fulltext">The Lancet Planetary Health</a> by an international team of researchers reveals a terrifying truth: over 7% of daily deaths in 10 major <keyword id="20026638" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-cities" source="keywords">Indian cities</keyword> are attributed to <keyword id="19900550" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="air-pollution" source="keywords">air pollution</keyword> caused by <keyword id="22110704" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="PM2-5-pollutants" source="keywords">PM2.5 pollutants</keyword> exceeding the World Health Organization's (WHO) safe limits. These PM2.5 pollutants are microscopic particles, 2.5 micrometres or less in diameter, that come from <keyword id="2839914" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="vehicle-emissions" source="Orion">vehicle emissions</keyword> and industrial activities. Imagine tiny daggers — that's what these PM2.5 particles are like, infiltrating deep into lungs and even the bloodstream, wreaking havoc on our health. The study found that PM2.5 levels breach WHO guidelines a staggering 99.8% of the time in these cities. The analysis covered major cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Pune, Shimla and Varanasi. A staggering 7.2% of deaths in these cities, translating to roughly 33,000 annually, were associated with short-term PM2.5 levels exceeding the WHO's recommended limit (15 micrograms per cubic metre) between 2008 and 2019. Delhi, unfortunately, takes the crown for the most polluted. A shocking 11.5% of its annual deaths are attributed to air pollution, translating to a devastating 12,000 lives lost each year. The link between PM2.5 and mortality is undeniable. Researchers found that a mere 10 microgram per cubic metre increase in these pollutants correlates with a 1.4% rise in daily deaths. This risk factor doubles when considering only levels below India's air quality standards, which are, worryingly, less strict than the WHO's recommendations. But here's a surprising twist: the association between PM2.5 and death is even stronger in cities with generally cleaner air, like Bengaluru and Chennai. This suggests that locally produced pollutants, from sources like construction dust or waste burning, might be significant contributors. There is a glimmer of hope, however. The study emphasises that implementing stricter air quality standards and utilising proven pollution control methods from other parts of the world can be game changers. Lowering and enforcing stricter air quality limits will save tens of thousands of lives per year, emphasises Joel Schwartz, a co-author from Harvard University. This study serves as a stark wake-up call. The air we breathe in many Indian cities is a gamble, with every breath potentially harmful. Taking decisive action to curb pollution is not just about a cleaner environment, it's about saving the lives of millions of Indians.

Air pollution kills thousands in Indian cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata every year: Lancet study

<ul><li>In our last feature from the series where we crystal-gazed into 2022 and brought to you some key trends that will impact the industry, we speak to experts from the Indian <keyword id="6357332" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="gaming" source="Orion">gaming</keyword> industry.</li><li>They share their thoughts of a few big trends that will dominate the industry in 2022.</li></ul>As we enter 2022, we can only look back and wonder at the meteoric rise online gaming has seen in India in the past two years. While gaming had been witnessing growth, albeit a relatively slow one, before the lockdown, it was during the locked-at-home phase that many across the country not only discovered the joys of gaming, but also realised they could make a healthy living out of it. If most reports coming out in the last one year are to be believed, India will see an even faster growth for the industry in the next few years, and now Bharat is joining in this growth. A recent report by <keyword id="7087972" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mobile-premier-league" source="Orion">Mobile Premier League</keyword> (MPL), an <keyword id="2440542" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="esports" source="Orion">esports</keyword> and skill gaming platform revealed that India’s tier-III cities and towns have witnessed a significant rise in the number of online gamers in 2021. The top 30 of them reported up to 170% more gamers compared to 2020. Some of the small towns have more than 100% to up to 200% growth in online gamers. Another report by Sequoia India and BCG said that while the gaming industry in India is currently smaller than that of the US and China and is 1% of the global gaming market, it is generating $1.5B revenue and is expected to triple to over $5 billion by 2025 on the back of the ‘mobile first’ phenomenon. This massive growth has also led to a new breed of influencers who are being followed by hundreds of thousands of engaged audiences. YouTube’s recently released list of top Indian creators on its platform featured 5 gamers. And things are just about starting to get heated. To understand where this highly dynamic industry is headed in this next year, we reached out to a few prominent voices from the industry and this is what they had to say: Lokesh Suji, Director, Esports Federation of India &amp; Vice President of the Asian Esports Federation (AESF) India was a sleeping giant till Covid-19 happened, and now we have established ourselves as a market that cannot be ignored; Stakeholders like the brands, investors, authorities and so on, were just sitting on the fence and observing. But with a market of at least 450 million online gamers, the potential of video games and esports cannot be ignored. The year 2021, has been the inflection point for video games in India. While esports evolves itself into various business models, Non-fungible token (NFT) will be one big trend to watch out for in 2022. Video Games is the best use case for NFTs, customization of the skins, virtual avatars, in-game items/rewards etc. all this already exists in video games (so-called metaverse) and is now starting to be converted into NFTs. One of the key drivers for the meteoric growth of Video Games has been live streaming and esports, and such content creators and/IP holders will eventually look at converting the best of gameplays/streaks/moments into NFTs, which not only help increase monetization for content creators, video game developers etc. but also be a catalyst in terms of retention of fans and users respectively. Anirudh Pandita, Founder, <keyword id="820765" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Loco" source="Orion">Loco</keyword> Gaming has now arrived as a truly mainstream entertainment experience and has become the primary source of entertainment for India’s young generation. 2021 saw the rise of esports and game streaming, and 2022 will see this multiply. In 2021, we saw the arrival of BGMI which all Indian fans were waiting for and in 2022, we will see multiple big publishers release games for India. In 2021, we saw esports go to new heights and we will see continued growth in the sector in the next year as prize money as well as number of games will increase. Game streaming saw the entry of hundreds of thousands of new streamers and millions of viewers, and this trend should accelerate in 2022, with individual streams rivaling those of major traditional sports. Lastly, with blockchain providing interesting use cases, we expect to see interesting new use cases come out to help creators and consumers. We, at Loco, have always aimed at paving the way for gaming to go from a niche hobby to a mainstream national interest- which the year 2021 has helped realize. We are confident that with this, India will cement its place on the global gaming map in 2022. Abhishek Aggarwal, Co-Founder &amp; CEO, <keyword id="12415204" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="trinity-gaming" source="Orion">Trinity Gaming</keyword> The gaming industry is progressing, taking complete advantage of the latest developments in technology, software, better internet services, gadgets, cloud technology and more. In the Indian scenario, there is an explosive growth of gamers in this booming industry with creative and engaging content being an important aspect of the system. With more games introduced and with more people joining the pool, more brands are shifting their focus on marketing their brands through these young creators who have an enormous fan following across the age group of 15-30 which is the most targeted audience in advertising terms for both endemic and non-endemic brands. Gaming content has begun to penetrate the Tier II, Tier III locations, and beyond, giving vernacular content creators a chance to grow. With Hindi &amp; Tamil being the two most popular languages in streaming in India, it will surely gain more prominence in the coming time. More people will watch game streaming. Audiences tend to admire their creators and feel more connected to them due to their high level of engagement. The future of gaming beholds a lot and a stronger and classified gaming ecosystem is on the rise. Tarun Gupta, Founder, <keyword id="10820861" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ultimate-battle" source="Orion">Ultimate Battle</keyword> Games and gaming content are highly engaging and we're seeing a huge spike in average and concurrent viewership for gaming content. The consumers are very dynamic and their attention span size has decreased noticeably in GenZ. We see short gaming video content to witness a never seen before hype in the gaming community. The mobile gaming market is expanding in tier 2 and tier 3 cities and we'll witness a rise in engagement in games, viewership, and content creation. Young gamers will play engaging games, consume fast-paced engaging content, and want to socialize with gamers often simultaneously. This will lead to more virtual world socialization among the young generation and higher consumption of gaming content. As such, 2022 will usher higher inclination by brands into the gaming industry to target the young age group of 18 to 25. With many startups and organizations focusing on gaming and esports, we'll see a spike in Esports events and team IPs being created. This will boost the gaming ecosystem in India and open multiple opportunities in careers for gamers and IT professionals. Roland Landers, CEO, <keyword id="3634002" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="All-India-Gaming-Federation" source="Orion">All India Gaming Federation</keyword> The Indian gaming industry along with the M&amp;E segment has now become one of the fastest growing sectors in India with around 7.3 Bn downloads in recent years. It has emerged as an important avenue due to a multitude of favorable factors such as young and tech-savvy population, affordable availability of feature-packed smartphones, better internet connectivity, and an overall technological development. The move has also accelerated the growth of multi gaming format in the online gaming space. The Indian gaming industry is expected to reach 3 billion by 2025 and is now projected to grow faster than the global online gaming segment. The industry currently employs 40,000 people in direct jobs and by 2024 the online skill gaming industry is expected to employ around 2 lakh people. This growth will further lead to revenue generation for the country, driven by ease of payment, better security and instant withdrawal of winnings etc. As the regulatory landscape is also evolving and positive judgments are expected from many states, we as an industry leader look forward to an exciting year for this sunrise sector. With its exponential growth, the gaming industry will also attract international investors to invest in the Indian market. Sameer Barde, CEO - E Gaming Federation <div type="image" title="IMG-20220110-WA0005" msid="88826278" hostid="261"></div> Online gaming will become increasingly mainstream and find acceptance as a source of entertainment in 2022. This year, we anticipate a growth rate of over 35 % for the sector as a whole. However, for this to happen, we hope to see government stakeholders accepting the need for regulation to protect the player and industry interests. Increasing monetization and adoption of new-age technology including blockchain and NFTs in the gaming ecosystem will be seen. We expect a larger number of players moving from free-to-play to paying-to-play, in-game purchases, and skill gaming. Industry players will develop new and exciting games for users based on traditional games and Indian themes, keeping the PM’s vision in mind. Additionally, e-Sports being a medal sport in the forthcoming Asian Games in September will result in a significant increase both in terms of acceptance and interest. All in all, we at EGF are excited and believe that this will be a bellwether year for the entire industry. Bhavin Pandya, CEO and Co-Founder, <keyword id="8913431" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Games24x7" source="Orion">Games24x7</keyword> The Indian online skill gaming industry is poised for tremendous growth. With the right support particularly in the form of progressive policy structures, gaming can spur a second software revolution in India. As of today, this industry offers direct employment to almost 50,000 people. It is also a major source of taxation for the exchequer. In addition, the sector has multiplier benefits for several other domains including fintech, banking, semiconductors, animation, and other aspects of Information Technology. The sector has witnessed significant investments from marquee international investors and accounts of several Unicorns. With the right encouragement and support, India can emerge as a global pioneer in gaming technology. Ankur Singh, CEO and Founder, Witzeal We believe that the gaming sector will continue to expand with the high end adoption of AI and data science to understand and provide users experiences they wish for. Future of gaming will likely be based upon newer technologies like Blockchain and its active usage would prove fruitful in the years to come. Another key trend to look forward to is the penetration of gaming in rural areas because the penetration of internet and smartphones is on a gradual rise. Yashash Agarwal, Co-Founder and CEO, <keyword id="3212361" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Gamezop" source="Orion">Gamezop</keyword> <div type="image" title="RIC_8498" msid="88758667" hostid="261"></div> Blockchain gaming is shaping up to be a very interesting space. We are already seeing very interesting games emerge with blockchain and NFTs at the heart of all the action. Games like Axie Infinity have popularized the Play to Earn mechanic and they have been able to scale engagement as well as monetization to huge numbers. Take it one step further and we see that decentralization is fundamentally changing how companies operate: all the way from raising money, to day-to-day governance. This is most notable in DAOs (Decentralized Autonomous Organisations), which follow a bottom-up, community-driven management style. We are excited to see the blockchain gaming projects that emerge from India! Vaibhav Odhekar, COO &amp; Co-Founder, <keyword id="2734866" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="POKKT" source="Orion">POKKT</keyword> The gaming industry is constantly evolving, and its popularity will continue to rise. In the last three years, the sector has welcomed 500 million new gamers globally. New technological breakthroughs such as virtual reality have provided another dimension towards entertainment in this domain. For many young folks, the industry has also become a viable career option. Talking about the trends- The audience will continue to diversify in the coming years. So, instead of a male/female audience bias, we'll have a nearly 50-50 gender split, with a lot more older people joining the online gaming space. India is expected to create more global content. Although the percentage is extremely low right now, as more high-quality content is created in India, the trend will improve. Also, e-Sports as a category will grow in popularity. In 2022, there will be a significant increase in the number of movies released worldwide. So, the biggest trend we anticipate to see is a lot more games based on movie franchises. Gaming has its own history of adapting films and gamers are enthralled by such games. Video games are a vast medium that covers a wide variety of genres and experiences that can only be experienced in games, along with contributions from a population from all over the world. Even while many modern games are inspired by movies, they are nevertheless unique in their own way and we expect them to expand in the coming years.

You Searched For "Indian gaming industry" and got 13 results

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Air pollution kills thousands in Indian cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata every year: Lancet study

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