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Tarsem Singh (24) of Banga village in Nawanshahr district of Punjab had dreamt of a successful and comfortable <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/finance/the-12-cheapest-holiday-destinations-in-europe-for-couples/articleshow/56701895.cms">life in Europe</a>, for which his father sold his one-acre land and paid a travel agent Rs 6 lakh to send him to Germany. 
 
However, Singh was instead sent to Libya, from where he crossed the jungles and the Mediterranean Sea, only to get trapped in an illegally constructed room at a construction site in Gozo Island with six others from his native state. 
 
With an expired tourist visa, he doesn’t even seek help from the authorities, fearing arrest. The Libyan agent with whom he travelled from Libya to Malta is demanding Rs 2 lakh to send him to Italy, which his father can’t arrange. 
 
He is now being forced to go to <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/military-defense/syria-threatens-scud-missile-strikes-if-israeli-airstrikes-continue/articleshow/57857704.cms">Syria </a>where he would be working in an arms factory, even though he plans to cross the sea and reach Italy. 
 
Singh is not alone; there are among dozens of young boys from Punjab who paid travel agents huge money to land in Europe, boarded flights to Europe, but somehow landed in <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/meet-the-mumbai-couple-who-drove-to-55-countries-in-8-months/articleshow/57056538.cms">Malta</a>. 
 This <keyword id="6357490" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Human-trafficking">human trafficking</keyword> industry, worth millions of dollars, is flourishing because of lack of awareness amongst <keyword id="561240" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Punjabi-youth">Punjabi youth</keyword>. Landing in Malta, they can’t even have proper jobs because of tourist visas. A rigid bureaucratic centre doesn’t help, and many such boys are stuck in detention centres after getting arrested. 
 
Also read: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/The-horrifying-story-of-a-trafficked-girl-and-the-brave-organisation-that-saved-her/articleshow/53738650.cms">The horrifying story of a trafficked girl and the brave people who saved her</a> 
 
A <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/eat-inside-an-airplane-at-hawai-adda-punajbs-1st-airplane-restaurant/articleshow/56652979.cms">Punjab</a>-based NGO called HelpingHapless is working for such youths trapped in foreign countries, having brought back over 100. 
 
"Owing to its easy connectivity with big European countries, many unscrupulous agents are using this route for human trafficking. I currently know cases of two Punjabi youths stuck in Malta. They are in a pitiable condition and want to come back. Many Punjabi youths are stuck there, but we do not have any way to contact them," Amanjot Kaur Ramoowalia, co-founder of HelpingHapless, told TNN. 
 
(Image source SocNCharlotte)

Travel agents in Punjab are dumping youths in Libya

East Delhi witnesses a stiff fight in 2019 Lok Sabha elections as the BJP has fielded Gautham Gambhir, the famous cricketer against AAP’s Atishi and Congress’ Arvinder Singh Lovely. Gautam Gambhir, the cricketer turned as a politician is trying his luck in East Delhi, which is the least developed region of the capital of India. At present, the sitting MP from this constituency is Maheish Girri of the BJP. Gautam Gambhir joined the BJP only recently in March 2019. He has been used by the BJP as a star campaigner and to speak for the party on News channels. Gautham Gambhir is new to politics and this is his first election. Since he is a Punjabi Arora by caste, he can get the BJP the support of his caste in the East Delhi seat. Also his appeal among the youth and women is an added advantage for the BJP. Atishi is one of the prospective candidates for the AAP since she is said to have accomplished a phenomenal work in the capital to promote public education. She came to headlines when the Union Home ministry sacked her from her position as an advisor to the Delhi Deputy Chief Minister after Atishi establishing her name over the three years of her tenure.

Gautam Gambhir wins his debut election from East Delhi

Hands that should be ploughing the fields, minds that should be busy in shaping the future of the country are busy injecting lethal cocktail of drugs, rolling up joints, sniffing it up, thereby damaging the brain irreparably. 
 
As you dig deeper, the drug menace in Punjab also gets dirtier, revealing shocking facts how the drugs enter the northern Indian state and how it is ruining the youth of the nation. 
 
Thanks to the controversy surrounding Bollywood movie Udta Punjab, which addresses the issue, and special thanks to censor board chief Pahlaj Nihalani that the issue of drug menace is now being talked about everywhere. 
 
The severity of the drug problem can be gauged from the statistics that point out that 50 per cent of the drug-related cases in India are from Punjab alone. 
 
As per the Punjab Opioid Dependence Survey (PODS), about 76% opioid dependent individuals in Punjab are in the age group of 18 to 35 years. The worst affected regions are Bathinda, Ferozepur, Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur, Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Moga, Patiala, Sangrur and Tarn Taran. 
 
The most common opioid drug used by this group is heroin. Another village, which is on the outskirts of holy city of Amritsar, Maqboolpura has earned the sobriquet of ‘Village of Widows’ as almost every household here has lost breadwinners due to drugs. 
 
One of the main reasons behind this growing menace is Punjab’s proximity to the Golden Crescent- Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran, which are known to be the world’s largest producers of opium. 
 
Meanwhile, the fight against drugs is not easy in Punjab. The number of drug de-addiction centres may be rising but there is no break in the supply chain. 
 
To further understand the story, a documentary-GLUT: The Untold Story of Punjab-is a must watch. 
 
The documentary by Smaran Sahu will reveal how deep-rooted is the issue and what are the challenges that the society is facing. 
 
The documentary also throws light on how youth staying near border areas, in the presence of security forces, get SIM cards, coordinate with peddlers and get the drug. 
 
It is just a matter of few hours and a person sitting in Delhi will get what he/she wants and there is no trail left. 
 
 
Watch the documentary here: 
 
 
 
 
(Video: YouTube)

See how drugs are smuggled into Punjab from Pakistan and what is the reality of its destruction in the State

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Basement Bhangra was founded in 1997 as an inclusive dance party for South Asians in New York.</li><li>The club became a space for experimentation of music from the diaspora.</li></ul>On a sweltering, sticky Saturday in New York City, Central Park was packed full of thousands of South Asians who were ready to throw down.On August 6, Basement Bhangra — the now-defunct dance party founded by DJ Rekha in 1997 — celebrated its 25th anniversary with a revival party at Central Park's Summerstage co-produced by community leaders Jashima Wadehra and Pradeepa Jeevan.It was a party like no other. Younger South Asians danced the Giddha to the drum beat of a dhol, while toddlers and the elderly sat on grass fields, gathered together to celebrate their shared culture and heritage.<div type="image" title="A crowd at Basement Bhangra at Central Park's SummerStage, August 6, 2022." height="2000" width="2666" msid="93599333" hostid="261"></div>From its inception in 1997 throughout its 20 years, Basement Bhangra became an institution for New York City's South Asian community. DJ Rekha, a Queens-native, held court at SOB's, a nightclub in Lower Manhattan, spinning tracks late into the night for patrons of all ages to dance to."By example, I am visibly queer. And I had my own personal journey with that. That's a statement in itself," founder DJ Rekha, whose full name is Rekha Malhotra, explained to Insider. "What most people don't realize about the diaspora and dance music is that the earliest club nights were started by queer folks, and that part of our history is not necessarily acknowledged." Though it was shuttered in 2017, the dance party has become synonymous with diasporic history, marking itself as the backdrop for the coming of age of South Asians on the East Coast since the late 90s.<h2>The birth of Basement Bhangra</h2>Prior to living in the United States, Rekha spent some of their early years in London. Throughout the late 80s and early 90s, South Asian youth across Great Britain partied during the daytime at clubs and danced to Bhangra music, creating an underground South Asian rave-like scene. Not only did this allow South Asian youth to claim a safe space for themselves <a href="https://www.thefader.com/2017/01/10/british-asian-daytimers-history-riz-ahmed">at a time when discrimination in the UK was pervasive</a>, but it also opened doors for an entire generation of DJs in the diaspora.<div type="image" title="South Asian partygoers dancing at Basement Bhangra." height="1333" width="2000" msid="93599335" hostid="261"></div>Rekha began their career as a DJ in New York City the early 90s, spinning at Soca Paradise, an old nightclub that was a hub for Queens' Indo-Caribbean population during their early days. They would spin Chutney Soca, a hybrid genre of music popular in Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, and Suriname. The sounds of Chutney Soca fuse Hindustani Classical with Western and Island elements. Instruments with deep history in South Asia, such as the harmonium and tabla, are often incorporated, with a mix of Hindi and English lyrics.The exposure from Rekha's early career spinning tracks for South Asian youth attracted organizers who asked them to create a themed club night. This eventually evolved into a monthly event, known as Basement Bhangra, which took place on the first Thursday of every month.Rekha said that they often received "racist" and "classist" directives from other clubs they DJ'd for."Don't play 'Black music' and don't play Bhangra. [It was] classist against Bhangra because that was seen as the music of cab drivers, the lower-wage workers of our community, and it was racist because they assumed 'Black music' would attract a different crowd," Rekha explained. As a DJ who would often spin songs that the audience wouldn't understand due to language barriers, Rekha began to recognize the importance of dance and movement in the songs they played. <h2>DJ Rekha's indelible mark</h2>Over the years, DJ Rekha has become a mentor to young, up-and-coming musicians of the diaspora. Basement Bhangra has birthed the careers of some of the South Asian diaspora's most gifted artists."DJ Rekha is legendary," Sikh Knowledge, a Canadian-Punjabi rapper who performed at the 25th anniversary Basement Bhangra party, told Insider. "Rekha made a space for queer Desis. A safe space for femme queer men, lesbian Punjabi women — you were safe there no matter how you presented." The musician first learned about Basement Bhangra through cultural programming when he was growing up in Toronto. On Sundays, Canadian television showed various cultural programming and spotlighted Basement Bhangra. Years later, Sikh Knowledge became a part of the show's long-running history.<div type="image" title="DJ Rekha at Basement Bhangra's revival at Summerstage, Central Park New York." height="2800" width="3733" msid="93599339" hostid="261"></div>The roster of artists that have performed at Basement Bhangra in its 25-year history is vast: Artists like Horsepowar, Madame Gandhi, Sikh Knowledge, and Panjabi MC, who penned the legendary Bhangra hit "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ilXc0j1iHA">Mundian To Bach Ke</a>" (famously remixed by Jay-Z), have graced the stage at the coveted event. At the 25th anniversary party, American Punjabi singer and rapper Jasmine Sandlas headlined and performed some of her biggest hits, including "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7_yY3yr-jE">Illegal Weapon</a>," which has garnered over half a billion views on Youtube.<h2>A space for creativity and experimentation</h2>True to its original founding ethos, Basement Bhangra also became a place where burgeoning South Asian musicians could experiment with new forms of expression."It was the first to really allow us to feel a space in the nightlife community, a space where you could actually get down to your own music from your own culture," Raaginder, an Indian violinist, told Insider.The unique blend of music emerging from the South Asian diaspora — like Raaginder's blend of Indian classical violin and hip hop — often elides a specific genre."My sound is an amalgamation of my upbringing in the diaspora," Raaginder said. "I'd listen to hip hop, Jay-Z, Kanye at school, and grew up singing and playing Indian drums and violin at home with my musician parents. I had this really cool intersection of two different worlds that I was living in and was inspired by."<div type="image" title="Raaginder Singh, an Indian violinist." height="1537" width="2048" msid="93599341" hostid="261"></div>Basement Bhangra not only cultivated a space that allowed for diverse music from an immigrant diaspora to flourish, but also exposed bands like Red Baraat, which fuses North Indian brass music with jazz, to more South Asian fans.Red Baraat didn't initially have a defined audience. It wasn't until they played some sets at Basement Bhangra that the band exploded in popularity among South Asian listeners."Rekha definitely put us in front of a large group of people who probably didn't hear about us, hardcore Punjabis who were ready to throw down," Sunny Jain, Red Baraat's founder and dhol player, said.<h2>The next generation of music</h2>Basement Bhangra was pivotal in increasing South Asian representation in music, and artists said its legacy will have a lasting impact on the next generation of musicians in the diaspora."Having that representation is such a big thing, because you won't feel like you're doing this for the first time. That adds so much pressure," Raaginder said.Musicians told Insider the sense of being a part of a larger community of musicians will lead to more experimentation and vibrant new sounds from the next generation of South Asian creators."I feel like our moment is coming soon," Raaginder said. "The South Asian moment is knocking on the door."As for what's next, DJ Rekha has a clear idea of where they hope Basement Bhangra's legacy leads."There's two things," the DJ explained. "One, we, as South Asians, want access to the same things that everybody else has, and two, we should give everyone the same access. As much as it's great to see South Asian excellence in entertainment, I want to see us open doors for not only ourselves but for other groups as well."

Inside the electrifying world of Basement Bhangra, the legendary New York City dance scene

Short-video sharing platform <keyword id="40682" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Chingari">Chingari</keyword> on Monday claimed it has garnered more than 30 million organic users on its platform in just three months. Within just 24 hours of the ban on TikTok and other Chinese apps in India, Chingari gained more than 3.5 million downloads. "The rise of <keyword id="9376700" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Chingari-app">Chingari App</keyword> has a direct correlation with the advanced tools that we offer and the seamless creation experience that Chingari App provides. We provide excellent video and audio editing tools to our content creators and empower them with the best Indianised filters for visual effects," said Sumit Ghosh, Co-founder and CEO of Chingari App. The app also added AR (augmented reality) filters on its platform to give content creators more advanced front and rear camera tools to work with. "Chingari is all set to ablaze the market with new and unique AR filters and more interesting video-editing features that people will love," Ghosh said. The highest percentage of Chingari users are youths aged between 18 and 35. The Chingari content is now available in 10 languages -- Hindi, Bangla, Gujarati, Marathi, Kannada, Punjabi, Malayalam, Tamil, Odia and Telugu -- along with English and Spanish. Apart from India, the app is steadily increasing its users in countries like UAE, the US, Kuwait, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, and others, the company said. The homegrown platform last week signed a music licensing agreement with T-Series. As a result of the partnership, all Chingari users in India, other Saarc nations, and in the Middle East will get access to the music collection of T-Series.

Chingari short-video app gains more than 30 million downloads in 3 months

New Delhi, May 30 (IANS) A unique initiative is being taken up to connect the youth and students of the country with one another in linguistic terms. Under this initiative, a person from one state can be taught short sentences in the regional language of another state through a mobile app. The app is being developed by MyGov, a citizen engagement platform founded by the Government of India. For example, a person living in Punjab will be able to understand short sentences spoken in Marathi. Similarly, a person living in Tamil Nadu can learn short sentences in Marathi, Punjabi or Haryanvi through this app. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has recently spoken about connecting different people of the country through regional languages. Small sentences used in everyday life will be taught in various languages through this app. This app will provide knowledge about sentences and words used to seek each other's wellbeing in various languages, which are important for a new person in an unknown city. The information received through this app can also be used in various government activities. This app will enable the spread and expansion of various regional languages across the length and breadth of India. Mygov.in Chief Executive and senior IAS officer Abhishek Singh said that the app has been developed to help people learn 100 sentences in different languages. Mygov can host webinars of various departments and also disseminate information about its programmes with the help of this app. In view of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, it has been decided to pursue the 'Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat' programme using innovative methods, including this app. --IANS Hindi-khz/arm

Mobile app to teach 100 sentences in different languages

The fight against Human trafficking, regarded as the second largest organised crime in the world, is getting a new weapon - mobile games. Mobile Premier League (<keyword id="1953612" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="mpl" source="Orion">MPL</keyword>), the Bengaluru based tech start-up, has teamed up with the NGO Missing Links Trust, to launch a Role Play Game (<keyword id="6503133" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="rpg" source="Orion">RPG</keyword>) called Missing to spread awareness about human trafficking among potential vicitms and general public. The genre of Role Play Games (RPG) is one of the most popular genres in gaming and it usually involves gamers assuming the role of assassins, sorcerers, zombies or elf in American or Japanese games with names like Dungeons &amp; Dragons. In a classic role reversal, the Missing game on MPL, makes gamers assume the role of a trafficked girl in India. On the eve of the International day against human trafficking on 30th July, Namratha Swamy, Country Manager (India) of MPL said, "We launched this game in April this year and the response from our 90 million users have been overwhelmingly positive. This was among the top ten games in the first month of the launch. Since then, It has been among the top half of all the games that we host on our platform." The multi lingual game, available in Hindi, English, Marathi, Bengali, Malayalam, Kannada, Punjabi, Telugu, Gujarati, <keyword id="29621" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="maithili" source="Orion">Maithili</keyword> and <keyword id="6356629" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="tamil" source="Orion">Tamil</keyword>, is designed to allow players to experience what a missing person goes through when she is trafficked into the inhumane and cruel world of prostitution, a world into which millions of girls are lost every year. The players are introduced to multiple choices that they have to make at every step of the game with the objective of getting out of the trap set by traffickers. <keyword id="231790" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="leena-kejriwal" source="Orion">Leena Kejriwal</keyword>, founder, Missing Trust said, "The Missing game comes under the genre of 'Games for Change' by tackling the first 'P for Prevention' of the <keyword id="63659" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="united-nation" source="Orion">United Nation</keyword>'s four Ps against trafficking. It is pertinent that the theme for this year's International day against human trafficking, is 'Use and Misuse of Technology'. Gaming is one of the most popular pastimes among youth in India and what better medium than gaming to make people aware of issue of human trafficking." In India, on an average 1827 women trafficked every hour and 16 million women are victims of sex trafficking every year, according to a <keyword id="316868" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="dasra" source="Orion">Dasra</keyword> report. About 40% of them are adolescents and children, some as young as 9 years old. According to National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), Maharashtra and Telangana recorded the highest number of such cases of human trafficking in 2020 followed by <keyword id="37102" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="andhra-pradesh" source="Orion">Andhra Pradesh</keyword>, Kerala and Jharkhand. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/international/news/cdc-report-shows-woman-diagnosed-with-monkeypox-delivers-a-healthy-baby-in-us/articleshow/93183914.cms">CDC report shows woman diagnosed with Monkeypox delivers a healthy baby in US</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/enterprise/news/lenovo-aims-to-empower-the-pocket-to-cloud-architecture-to-fulfil-it-transformational-needs-says-shailendra-katyal/articleshow/93183816.cms">Lenovo aims to empower the ‘pocket-to-cloud architecture’ to fulfil IT transformational needs, says Shailendra Katyal</a>

This tech startup is fighting human trafficking, one game at a time

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Miss <keyword id="11892747" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="india" source="Orion">India</keyword> Harnaaz Sandhu has been crowned the next <keyword id="12643995" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="miss-universe" source="Orion">Miss Universe</keyword>. </li><li>In second place was Miss Paraguay Nadia Ferreira, followed by Miss South Africa Lalela Mswane. </li></ul>Miss India Harnaaz Sandhu has been crowned the new <a href="https://www.insider.com/photos-of-women-competing-to-be-miss-universe-2021-12">Miss Universe</a>. Sandhu was named as the winner of the 70th edition of the Miss Universe pageant on Sunday night in Eliat, Israel. In second place was Miss Paraguay Nadia Ferreira, followed by Miss South Africa Lalela Mswane. <div type="image" title="Miss India, Miss South Africa, Miss Paraguay" height="1333" width="2000" msid="88249101" hostid="261"></div>Sandhu, 21, already had Twitter talking at the beginning of the pageant when <a href="https://www.insider.com/steve-harvey-miss-india-meow-miss-universe-2021-12">she received an unusual request from host Steve Harvey</a>. The pageant queen was visibly taken by surprise as Harvey told her, "I hear you do some pretty good animal impersonations. Let's hear your best one." "Oh my god, Steve, I was not expecting to do this on the world stage," she told him. "I have to do this, I have no other option." Sandhu said that, since she loved cats, she would do her best to impersonate one. "Brace yourself everyone," she warned, before letting out a few impressive "meows." <div type="image" title="Miss India at Miss Universe 2021" height="1333" width="2000" msid="88249104" hostid="261"></div>During one of the question rounds, Sandhu spoke about how she'd convince people that climate change isn't a hoax. "Honestly, my heart breaks to see how nature is going through a lot of problems, and it's all due to our irresponsible behavior," she said. "This is the time to take actions and talk less, because each action could either kill or save nature. Prevent and protect is better than repent and repair, and this is what I'm trying to convince you guys today." After making the top three, Sandhu revealed the advice that she'd give to young women today. <div type="image" title="Miss India and Steve Harvey at Miss Universe 2021" height="1333" width="2000" msid="88249106" hostid="261"></div>"I think the biggest pressure the youth of today is facing is to believe in themselves," she told Harvey. "To know that you are unique and that's what makes you beautiful. Stop comparing yourselves with others and let's talk about more important things that are happening worldwide. I think this is what you need to understand. Come out, speak for yourself, because you are the leader of your life. You are the voice of your own." "I believed in myself," she added. "And that's why I'm standing here today." Sandhu is an advocate for women's empowerment who has helped her mother teach women's health and hygiene at camps.<div type="image" title="Miss India at the 2021 Miss Universe pageant" height="1334" width="2000" msid="88249108" hostid="261"></div>The pageant queen currently works as an actress and told Insider that she's done two Punjabi feature films that will be released soon. Sandhu said she always chooses strong characters because she wants to "break stereotypes of what women are and what they can be." <div type="image" title="Miss India participates in the 2021 Miss Universe National Costume Contest." height="3003" width="2000" msid="88249111" hostid="261"></div>"I hope I get to inspire people by following my passion and my heart," she added.

Miss India Harnaaz Sandhu has been crowned the new Miss Universe

<ul><li>ZEEL has launched a new Music Channel called <keyword id="9936704" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="zee-vajwa">Zee Vajwa</keyword>. </li><li>Zee Vajwa, Kshann Gaajwa is its tagline.</li></ul><keyword id="141413" type="DOMAIN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Zee-Entertainment-Enterprises">Zee Entertainment Enterprises</keyword> Limited (ZEEL) has announced its entry into the <keyword id="9936703" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="regional-music-space">regional music space</keyword> with the launch of its <keyword id="9936705" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="marathi-music-channel">Marathi music channel</keyword> – Zee Vajwa. The network has already captured 57% viewership share in Maharashtra with Zee Marathi, Zee Yuva and Zee Talkies. It will offer 3000+ playlists and a music++ experience for the viewer with many category firsts that amplify moments &amp; create various mahauls through the day. Speaking on the launch, Ashish Sehgal, Chief Growth Officer, ZEEL said, “As an organization, we have gained in both viewership &amp; revenue due to our diverse portfolio across markets. And, believe in constantly strengthening our product portfolio keeping the customer at the centre thereby adding value to all our stakeholders. Our dominant position across markets echoes our customer-centricity. Our growing viewership and revenue share in Maharashtra is a reflection of our successful journey so far. Our objective has always been to provide holistic surround to our consumer/customer &amp; in Maharashtra, with Zee Vajwa, we see an opportunity for us to not only strengthen our Music cluster but further gain viewership/revenue shares as well. We are excited to dial up the impact for advertisers this festive period.” Commenting on the much-awaited launch of its first regional music channel, <keyword id="3387826" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Prathyusha-Agarwal">Prathyusha Agarwal</keyword>, Chief Consumer Officer, ZEEL said, “We win hearts across many Bharats by creating content brands that are deeply rooted in culture. All 4 regional channels that we launched last year broke into the top 3 in their respective categories within their launch month, with Zee Biskope rising to no. 1, and Zee Picchar &amp; Zee Punjabi in the top 2*. We are the undisputed leader in Maharashtra with our GEC and movie channels and the launch of Zee Vajwa will be a celebration of our intrinsic bond with every Maharashtrian family, through music. Music on TV is perceived to play a passive background role in the consumer’s life. But in a country like India, a song becomes a chartbuster when it becomes an integral part of a celebration – such as Ganpati Visarjan, sangeet ceremony, etc. Music becomes an active way to enjoy, express and celebrate, creating an amplified mahaul (ambience). This externalized and shared culture of music is at the core of Zee’s music channel positioning. With Zee Vajwa we promise to dial up every moment for our viewers with a music++ experience, so that they live life to the fullest.” Vishnu Shankar, Business Cluster Head, &amp;TV and Music cluster, ZEEL said, “We are extremely pleased to announce the launch of our first regional music channel, Zee Vajwa. Besides strengthening our regional portfolio, it is a great opportunity for us at ZEEL to offer content that connects so deeply with our consumers. Music has always been deeply ingrained in our Indian way of life and its traditions. To be able to offer a platform which allows our viewers to enjoy and connect over music that resonates with their specific culture and values, is deeply gratifying.” ZEE Vajwa promises an immersive visual experience never seen before in the regional music category with a design world inspired by the ‘volume dial’ that aptly brings alive our promise of ‘amplifying every moment’. Each element of the design – colors, characters, music symbols and our sonic identity have been created to ensure a deep-seeded connect with the youth while being culturally relevant. The channel will have a stellar programming line-up which will include 3000+ music playlists created with a strong library of songs. One of the key differentiators would be experiential music slots with several category firsts which will truly amplify the moment for the audiences. The Marathi viewer is extremely proud of their culture and the channel will celebrate it by giving the youth a platform to voice their opinions and be heard. A category first, Zee Vajwa will also have a non-fiction show in the comedy genre. The logo of Zee Vajwa was unveiled by Marathi film industry stalwarts -- <keyword id="1493322" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Swwapnil-Joshi">Swwapnil Joshi</keyword> &amp; Siddharth Jadhav during the prestigious Zee Chitra Gaurav Puraskar 2020. Zee Vajwa is set to launch this October.

Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited launches Marathi Music Channel Zee Vajwa

<ul><li><keyword id="1278159" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="nadir-kanthawala" source="Orion">Nadir Kanthawala</keyword>, AVP New Business (North &amp; West), <keyword id="735366" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="watconsult" source="Orion">WATConsult</keyword> writes about the increase in audio consumption and how brands can capitalise on it. </li><li>He shares various ways of incorporating audio marketing in digital strategy.</li></ul>After having spent over a decade in video production, I made the uncharacteristic shift to digital marketing with WATConsult. Many things were learnt and unlearnt, over the due course I realized the importance of embracing new mediums to create interesting content. Having been a producer, with the resurgence of audio-only content, I naturally gravitated towards it. Then again not just any audio, but specifically - Long Form Audio Content (LFAC). Two years ago, I started working on a parenting podcast called ‘Pops in a Pod,’ along with a friend and fellow dad. Although at a nascent stage, thanks to the lockdown, it has ushered in a whole new wave of LFAC dissemination that we cannot ignore. LFAC is here to stay, and brands need to lend their ears. After producing 90 episodes, here’s how we realized the sheer power of this medium and the potential it holds for brands to increase their reach. New format <keyword id="11930368" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="podcasting-in-India" source="Orion">Podcasting in India</keyword> is nearly five years old and according to KPMG’s Media and Entertainment Report 2020, India is the third largest consumer of podcasts (after the US and China), with 57.6 million monthly listeners. This number is only going to increase. We are also witnessing a rise in audio-only social platforms like Clubhouse, Greenroom, Twitter Spaces and Facebook’s soon to be launched Live Audio Rooms. Brands need to build their associations with creators and now than later. Production ease When we think of dynamic content, our minds automatically steer towards video content. It’s high time we consider audio as dynamic content too. Compared to video, it’s cheaper, faster and easier to produce and in return you don’t get a 30 or a 60 second video output; but an in-depth conversation on a given subject at a minimum average length of 30 minutes. With platforms like Clubhouse and Greenroom it’s even easier since there is no elaborate setup required. Longer engagement Whether it’s likes, shares, comments, or average watch time, they pale in front of LFAC, especially podcasts. According to industry experts, podcasts can deliver anywhere between 16-18 minutes of average listen time, depending on the topic of conversation. In the last one year, we at WATConsult have also produced two branded podcasts for SAP and India First Insurance to educate both their internal and external audiences about their products and services. New niches, newer audiences Long form audio content is opening doors to genres in India like heavy metal music, parenting from a dad’s perspective, LGBTQIA+ communities, national policies, even multi-format news. And because of this, brands can look forward to interacting with new set of audiences, especially the youth. As per Spotify Culture Next Report 2021, 83% of millennials and 70% of gen Zs in India believe that streaming platforms at-large, including audio, have significantly shaped how they discover and connect with broader culture. Language no barrier 1100% year-on-year growth in Hindi podcasts on Anchor as reported in Spotify-YouGov report. This is further validated by industry experts, representing various platforms, who are betting on regional languages viz. Hindi, Punjabi, Tamil, Marathi and Bengali. Considering the ease at which audio can be distributed, the potential penetration to many more corners of India is now within reach either through podcasts or audio social apps. Convenience Audio listening is a ‘phone-down’ experience. What this means you could be working, working out, driving, walking, crunching numbers, domestic work or even taking a shower but you would always been plugged in and listening to your favourite LFAC without looking at your phone again. More engagement, less distraction. Seamless advertising According to Spotify Culture Next Report 2021, 69% of Indian millennials said they like audio advertising because they can use their imagination to picture everything in their head. Advertising in long form audio content is not just seamless but the chances of retention are much higher, especially if mentioned by the hosts themselves. Spotify-YouGov Survey reports, 18-24 formed the largest audience of those who listened to a podcast for the first time on Spotify in 2020. If that’s not a good enough reason for brands to jump on the long form audio bandwagon, then I don’t know what is. Its time brands include long form audio content as part of their marketing plan. The possibility of delivering differentiated content is endless, the question is, how long will they take to make the first step.

Turn up the volume: Brands, are you listening closely to the audio trends?

<ul><li><keyword id="2440542" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="esports" source="Orion">Esports</keyword> has witnessed a massive growth in <keyword id="3658" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="india" source="Orion">India</keyword> over a short span of time. A recent EY report stated that the esports industry is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 46% to touch ₹11 billion by 2025. </li><li>Rajan Navani, Vice Chairman &amp; Managing Director, JetSynthesys writes on the state of esports in India and what opportunities lie ahead.</li></ul>Young 23-year-old <keyword id="8670455" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="tirth-mehta" source="Orion">Tirth Mehta</keyword> picked up his bags and flew to Jakarta back in 2018. Just another passenger, not a lot of people recognized the new athlete the <keyword id="84384" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="asian-games" source="Orion">Asian Games</keyword> was going to see that year. His homecoming however was an elaborate celebration filled with politicians, prominent personalities, citizens, friends, and family congratulating him on winning the bronze in Hearthstone, the esports demonstration event at the Asian Games 2018, becoming India’s first esports medallist at the global tournament. Cut to 2021, the gaming industry cheered for yet another win as esports would finally debut as an official medal sport at the 19th Asian Games 2022, a landmark event in the history of the gaming industry. Probably on the path to being recognized at the <keyword id="6360967" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="olympics" source="Orion">Olympics</keyword> as well, the category has witnessed a massive growth over a short span of time. Even though a nascent industry, it is already pulling in the big bucks and contributing to India’s economy; something which especially came handy at a time when the world was hit with the biggest black swan event of the decade, the Covid-19 pandemic. A recent EY report stated that the esports industry is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 46% to touch ₹11 billion by 2025. With the country's esports industry growing at a faster pace than the global esports industry, India is also concentrating on growing its prize pool which is expected to grow at 66% CAGR to reach ₹1 billion by 2025. One of the major factors for this is that esports is no longer a metro phenomenon. In fact, for the first time in history, rural India has a higher internet penetration than metros with 227 million active internet users, which is 10% higher than urban India at 205 million, as per the <keyword id="128625" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Internet-and-Mobile-Association-of-India" source="Orion">Internet and Mobile Association of India</keyword> (IAMAI). This internet and mobile penetration helps bring a fragmented market together, making esports a major driving force for the gaming industry in India. Needless to say, it is up to the many stakeholders of the sector to ensure its bright future materialises so let’s promptly deep dive into the potential growth areas and the next steps for each. First up are the players and the companies who make up the core ecosystem. The aforementioned EY report states that India has 1,50,000 players and around 60,000 teams currently and the number is expected to grow at 78% CAGR by 2025 to reach 1.5 million players and 250,000 teams. As esports becomes a viable profession, especially for the youth, brands operating in the space have their job cut out too – 1. make next-gen, compelling games which can engage Indian-origin sensibilities and sensitivities, and 2. motivate players through monetary incentives, recognition, and awards to train and play better. A special shoutout to Real Cricket here - the first Indian esports game the world will play and compete in! Also, with esports cutting across borders, it has paved the way for vernacular content creators to connect with their community easily, and for gamers across the board to come to the centre-stage. In fact, esports competitions in India and internationally are now broadcasted in many Indian languages such as Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Bengali, and Punjabi apart from English to make the sport further accessible and inclusive across the length and breadth of the country. This growth will be further propelled by the increase in prize money, more games, localization, regional adaptation and growth of smartphone, laptop, and broadband infrastructure. Government bodies will also play an instrumental role in taking esports in India to the next level by setting the right framework to promote participation. All of this and more will help people understand the depth behind this form of gaming, and also help sensitize parents about the virtues of esports as a viable career option. After all, it’s not just about those who actively play the sport but also about the trainers, coaches, casters, commentators, and many others who make up the support ecosystem. As a country, we are also steadily building the infrastructure for this industry with gaming houses and esports academies being created where players can train and spend time honing their skills. Brands and companies are pumping in financial investments, and ramping up sponsorships, contributing to the largeness of the sport. Globally, Europe, USA and Korea are the leading market for esports, but India, with its huge player base and enthusiasm is catching up fast with the global biggies, carving out its own coveted niche. Few months back, India saw the third edition of the Skyesports Championship record a concurrent viewership of 227K and 5 million one-day views, breaking viewership records and acting as a fantastic proof point for the high traction esports content generates already. Next year, as we compete in the Asian Games, one hopes this number will skyrocket even further, and more Tirth Mehtas will celebrate their moment under the sun.

Why esports is the latest gaming frontier to conquer

<ul><li>In our latest series, we look at different industries to understand what was 2020 like for them and to crystal gaze into the upcoming year, and identify some of the trends that will set the tone for 2021.</li><li>During the past few months of the global pandemic, people staying at home around the world have turned to various streaming services for entertainment. </li><li>With the coronavirus still around, we speak to OTT players to find out what would 2021 look like for the industry. </li></ul>Better connectivity, cheaper devices and even cheaper data plans have been aiding the growth of India’s over-the-top (OTT) industry over the past few years. However, 2020 became a year when more and more people came onto the digital ecosystem, thanks to being stuck at home during the lockdown. With people barely moving out of their houses, they turned to the digital world for their daily fix of entertainment. Also, people were more open with experimenting with different platforms. If an IBEF report is to be believed, the OTT sector in India saw a 30% rise in the number of paid subscribers, from 22.2 million to 29.0 million between March and July 2020. There was a visible increase in the time people were spending on most platforms. It therefore became important for platforms to come up with differentiated, fresh content that would help them stand apart. Owing to the fact that multiplexes were shut for months, many platforms also started launching movies directly on digital. Consumers have been happy for the most part. As we enter 2021, expectations from the sector are high. With the coronavirus still around, many people will continue staying in. So what will this mean for the OTT sector in 2021? Will more and more people continue coming onto platforms, and prefer to pay for the content that they like? How will OTT platforms be able to ensure consumer stickiness? What are a few trends that will stand out in 2021? We reached out to a few experts from the industry and here’s what they had to say. Archana Anand, Chief Business Officer, ZEE5 Global: <div type="image" title="Archana Anand zee5" msid="79998579" hostid="261"></div> I see two key themes that swung into prominence in 2020 emerging as key drivers of the <keyword id="9056838" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="ott-industry">OTT industry</keyword>’s skyrocketing growth in 2021. With the lockdown, we’ve seen a trend of people across the globe warming up to the idea of paying for quality content, and also being willing to commit to annual subscription packs where they see value. I see this trend only accelerating in 2021, leading to strong SVOD growth. This has also been a year where international content has gained massive traction across markets. With ZEE5 and other OTT platforms offering dubbed and subtitled content, enabling people in one geography to seamlessly access stories from any other, content is now truly democratized. Storytelling is increasingly blurring boundaries and storytellers are finding newer audiences beyond their own borders. I think 2021 is going to be the year that international content comes into even greater prominence as online audiences literally discover a world of new content via their OTT platforms. Hiren Gada, CEO, Shemaroo Entertainment Limited: <div type="image" title="Hiren Gada, CEO, Shemaroo Entertainment Limited" msid="79995505" hostid="261"></div> 2021 is going to be an exciting year as OTT is already riding the wave of increased data consumption and internet penetration in the small towns and rural India. The year gone by also saw some great innovations and developments in the OTT space. From direct-to-digital releases to the increasing growth in the regional content, this year has bolstered the growing popularity of OTT to an all-time high. One trend that is expected to take centre stage is highly localised and regional content. The key to ace the trend is to have an in-depth understanding of the traditions and culture of the viewers. Understanding the deep-rooted connections our viewers have with their mother tongue, we have developed a strong regional strategy for Shemaroo across all our platforms. We have a huge content bank that ranges from Bollywood, Gujarati, Marathi, Punjabi, Kids, Devotional, and various specialised trays. Content companies saw a huge change and spike in the content viewing pattern of the audiences during the lockdown. Our regional offerings saw an impressive surge in viewership especially in the Gujarati category with viewership as high as 102% in the peak months of the lockdown. While Bollywood is our mainstay, our teams have been constantly acquiring and upgrading our regional offerings, so our audiences have something new every time they tune in. We aim to make it a more robust and comprehensive pick for any consumer who wishes to enjoy varied regional content. Ferzad Palia, Head, Voot Select, Youth, Music and English Entertainment, Viacom18: <div type="image" title="Ferzad Palia." msid="79995514" hostid="261"></div> Year 2020 saw the OTT category driven by groundbreaking storytelling and macro factors resulting in significant growth for SVOD services. Viewers’ willingness to pay for quality content is now well established. However, around 65% of subscribers are still from Top 10 metros. 2021 will buck this trend and see the Premium OTT Category in India expand its footprint outside of the top 10 metros, heralding the next phase of growth for the category. Karan Bedi, CEO - MX Player: <div type="image" title="Karan Bedia Mx player" msid="79998628" hostid="261"></div> Video streaming has become the primary mode of entertainment for most digital consumers across India this year. With this backdrop, India is set to become a key market for growth in OTT video in 2021. This will lead to an avalanche of new unique original content for these audiences as they have very little to watch on TV. In this situation, marketers are also increasingly aware of where their money works best, and would like to focus on those mediums, namely digital and OTT. Divya Dixit, SVP, Marketing, Analytics and Direct Revenue, ALTBalaji <div type="image" title="Divya, altbalaji" msid="79995519" hostid="261"></div> Digital is an ever-evolving medium and when it comes to OTT players, competition across the industry is soaring high with everyone at their toes trying to secure their places in the minds of consumers. While the pandemic of 2020 redefined content consumption, the year 2021 will chart new business alliances and revenue models for platforms to acquire direct subscriptions. The report from FICCI and E&amp;Y predicted 30-35 million paying subscribers on OTT platforms alone in the year 2021, and we are excited about carving a substantial pie out of the same. Our objective has always been content massification and with the next billion internet users set to hail from the Hindi heartlands, India’s digital industry promises a host of fresh avenues to explore and expand. The soon-to-arrive 5G networks will only work as an important factor for OTT platforms to scale further heights. Prime Video India spokesperson: “2020 has been a very exciting year for us at Prime Video India – at a time when a large section of customers, looking for high quality entertainment, are turning to streaming video - we launched 18 direct-to-digital movies (across 5 Indian languages) and 8 Indian Amazon Original Series, in addition to several Global Originals and hundreds of licensed and exclusive titles. One of the most consistent trends we observed in 2020 is that great content transcends geographical barriers. Indian stories are traveling across the globe - 1 out of 5 viewers of Indian Originals are from outside India. Both Four More Shots Please! and Made in Heaven were nominated for the International Emmy Awards, a testimony to local, authentic stories finding a global audience. Our first slate of DTS movies received close to 50% (and sometimes more) viewership for titles in Indian languages from customers outside the home states. Our Bollywood direct-to-service movies were block-buster hits - Gulabo Sitabo and Shakuntala Devi have been our most-watched movies on Prime Video in India as well as the most-watched Hindi/ Bollywood Movie outside India. Localized content not only helps us remain relevant, relatable but eventually also helps in widening audience reach - we also see global shows going deeper in India. We released Parasite with Hindi subs in India and that opened viewership to a whole new audience. We also dubbed some of our popular Global Amazon Originals like Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan and more recently, the second season of the The Boys in Indian languages, leading to more people discovering and watching these titles. This gives us an insight that customers are ready to watch content that has originated from any part of the world, if the story and the characters resonate with them.”

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