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<ul><li>Sonu Sood recently received UNDP’s Special Humanitarian Action Award.</li><li>He has emerged as a knight in shining armour and been applauded for his humanitarian work to send thousands of stranded migrants back home during the lockdown. </li><li>His rising affinity on social media has also helped him get popular in the brandverse. </li><li>We speak to experts to find out if the recognition from UNDP will finally help get Sonu Sood longer brand deals and bigger brands now. </li></ul>Sonu Sood, who plays an antagonist in most of his movies, is becoming India’s hero in real life. On September 30, he was honoured with the Special Humanitarian Action Award by the United Nations Development Programme for his selfless efforts to help people in challenging times. In the beginning of the lockdown, Sood and his team launched an initiative called #GharBhejoAbhiyaan that helped thousands of migrants who were longing to come back home. He later launched #<a href="https://twitter.com/PravasiRojgar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1286322666580742144%7Ctwgr%5Eshare_3&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.socialsamosa.com%2F2020%2F08%2Fsonu-sood-campaigns-endorsements-through-the-lockdown%2F">PravasiRojgar</a> to help jobless migrants find a job and restore their livelihoods. He sent a few smartphones to students in Haryana who couldn’t afford online classes and helped students stranded across the globe return to the country safely. Soon, newspapers made special cartoons on him to celebrate the knight in shining armour and #Isupporttheherosonusood started trending on Twitter. It is for his philanthropic work that Sood is becoming popular even in the brandverse. Indian brands like Pepsi, Lay’s, Tata Tea Premium, Stayfree India, Edelweiss Tokio Life, Godrej Interio, WhiteHat Jr, ZEE5, to name a few, have approached him to help spread awareness on different social causes. Even in his brand work, Sood has spoken about the importance of wearing a mask, recognising everyday warriors around us, supporting local craftsmen, etc. Since he acted like a ‘Vighnaharta’ during the lockdown, Mangaldeep Agarbatti also approached him during the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi. Sonu Sood’s relief efforts for the migrants during the COVID-19 lockdown earned him praise from all quarters. He emerged a hero for his selfless, kind-hearted efforts for the community. It was due to his selfless image and uniqueness that brands started capitalizing on his growing popularity. Ergo, his brand value is also increasing subsequently. According to media reports, Sood is worth $17 million. However, it was only in early September that Acer signed a long-term deal with him. Sharing why the brand decided to on-board Sood, Sooraj Balakrishnan, Head-Marketing, Acer India said, “Apart from his exemplary work in cinemas where he is a well-renowned actor cutting across India, Sonu Sood has stood out in 2020 as an example of selfless service and humanitarian work that positively impacted and benefited thousands, if not lakhs of people in need during the pandemic. His contribution to empowering people echoes with Acer India’s brand mantra of empowering people through technology.” Balakrishnan agreed that Sood’s rising popularity is an indication that the consumers are looking for honest and real work now. He said, “People are looking for brands and public figures who have a purpose to make positive changes with honest and real work. Glamour alone will not sell and people like Sonu have really used his position for the good of people. I can vouch for his humbleness, genuine passion to help, and dedication to the cause during my interactions with him. Acer is proud to have him as our brand ambassador and we wish him more recognition for his work.” Apart from trust, caring, empathetic, relatability, and style, Kalyan Ram Challapalli, Chief Strategist and Founder, WolfzHowl Strategic Instigations, said one should also note his Bollywood-led personality attributes to evaluate him as a brand endorser. he is known for a good body (with muscles etc;), a sense of style (fashion) etc Challapalli said, “Brand Sonu Sood can also include attributes of health, fitness, style and fashion. In addition to this whether it is his “Arundhati” (Telugu – Tollywood Blockbuster) villain portrayal or other such south movies, he also has some traction in South Indian Movies and hence South of India as well (usually not a easy feat for a character artiste to achieve). Hence, Sonu Sood as brand ambassador represents trust, empathy, style, fitness and a pan-national appeal. But with the masses. Hence categories he can be used as a brand ambassador for are possibly: Agri-Fintech, Micro-Finance, Health Foods, Sports and Fitness Categories, Fashion category etc; But at a mass and masstige segments level.” Keeping these attributes in mind, Challapalli said that he can endorse brands in mass and masstige categories. “He can also represent “return to roots” desi culture brands across consumer segments. As a brand ambassador he can take “Ayurvedic or Indian natural products based health - Immunity” to both the higher economic strata consumers and the lower economic strata consumers. He can also be a good brand ambassador for democratisation of Insurance, or home loans, or even mutual funds to the masses and to ‘Bharat’,” said Challapalli. Sonu Sood’s social currency Harish Bijoor, Brand-Strategy expert and Founder, Harish Bijoor Consults Inc pointed out that the audience on social media is looking for real heroes now. Bijoor said, “Sonu Sood is the new hero. The new hero of a new generation that is driven more by social media accolades than traditional media praise. Social media seems to recognise the real star as opposed to the promoted star. This works for Sonu Sood. He and his image is pushed by an army of social media participants who chase the real as opposed to the made up.” Sood has 7.3 million followers on Instagram and 4.1 on Twitter. He became the talk of the town during the lockdown. As a result, his popularity on Google Search also peaked. The top searched topics included Sonu Sood Help, Sonu Sood Scholarship, <keyword id="10031923" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="sonu-sood-helpline">Sonu Sood Helpline</keyword>, Sonu Sood hotel juhu, <keyword id="10031921" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="sonu-sood-net-worth">Sonu Sood net worth</keyword> 2020. <div type="image" title="sonu sood google trends" msid="78414547" hostid="261"></div> During the period of January to September 2020, Sood was the most searched term in Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Uttrakhand, Telegana respectively. <div type="image" title="india-map" msid="78414550" hostid="261"></div>(Values are calculated on a scale from 0 to 100, where 100 is the location with the most popularity as a fraction of total searches in that location, a value of 50 indicates a location which is half as popular.) Sood’s impact on brand’s social image How will getting someone like Sonu Sood, who is a humanitarian influence, help how people look at a brand? Archana Jain, Founder and MD, PR Pundit, said, “The COVID-19 pandemic has had a deep impact on consumers. Consumer attitudes are changing. New socio-economic behavioural patterns are being witnessed. Global discourse centered around purpose and ethics is taking centre stage and scoring high on relevance in an increasingly values-driven world. An association with Sonu Sood therefore helps brands raise their bar on trust and dependability. Brands are able to foster a meaningful connection with the informed and empowered consumers and attach themselves to the value proposition of humaneness (demonstrated by his philanthropic work).” On how brands are looking for rays of hope in unsung heroes, Jain added, “Universally, people seek heroes in times of distress. With the heightened interest around all-things COVID-19, many brands have been shining the spotlight on heroes who have contributed selflessly for the betterment of society. Some have singled out the unsung warriors and some acknowledged personalities. Sonu Sood will always be remembered as the knight in shining armour who came to save thousands in need in their bleak times.” N Chandramouli, CEO, TRA Research said, “When someone achieves popularity by the work done, a reputation builds around the person - which is transmitted beliefs about respect. This transmitted belief spreads as more many hear about the person, also driving the person to try and achieve greater heights. Brands are self-centered in their approach, and naturally do not take Sonu Sood as an ambassador because of their philanthropic nature, but instead so that his 'goodness' rubs on them too. He has already been seen as a 'messiah', and even non-migrant travel or food based requests come to him, sometimes for books for education or to help a poor farmer's family. Since he has been open and accessible to most such requests, he has become an icon for the poor and needy. This is suff is like a movie-story, and he, the hero who is a do-gooder for society. Brands may not use him in PR too directly, primarily because it will not be appropriate to be seen directly promoting a brand by talking about it. Instead, advertising is slightly more distanced from PR, and therefore his presence as a brand's ambassador, is something that will look more appropriate. PR, as we often say, is essentially a trust building tool, and for Sonu, he has already built all the trust by demonstrating firmness of action.” Will recognition from UNDP help get Sonu Sood more brand deals now? Chandramouli said that Sonu Sood will be now known internationally, which might help him get more brand recognition. He said, “With UNDP's award he joins an exclusive group of international actors in different UN awards who have contributed to society beyond their call of duty, and his name will become more global. He will also come in the consideration sets of international brands which are looking at India as one of their key markets. Being a household name in India, brands will be able to reach their consumers through his endorsements.” Challapalli said that Sonu Sood will get more brands now. However, he is more likely to be approached by massy brands than aspirational.

As Sonu Sood wins a UNDP award, will we see a jump in his brand value?

<ul><li>The stock of Rail Vikas Nigam has surged 42% in the last five sessions, and has been on an upswing for the last six months.</li><li>On April 26, the stock hit its 52-week high at ₹114.70.</li><li>There are also reports of Indian Railways taking up the production of 120 advanced Vande Bharat Express trains by August 2023.</li></ul>Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (<keyword id="240577" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="rvnl" source="Orion">RVNL</keyword>), a public-sector railway company, has been on investors’ radar recently because of a strong rally in the stock led by robust orders. The stock has surged 42% in the last five sessions and 59% in the last one month. It has risen 156% in the last six months. In fact, on April 26, the stock hit its 52-week high at ₹114.70. The interest in the stock is due to the series of orders it has bagged in the last few months. As per media reports, a consortium of RVNL and Russia's CJSC Transmashholding became the lowest bidder for a mega order to manufacture and maintain 200 trainsets of Vande Bharat. Earlier this month, RVNL also emerged as the lowest bidder for a Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) project worth ₹378 crore. <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none;" class="redcator-table-advance"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Month </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Orders won </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Order value </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">March </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Construction of 6-lane Greenfield Varanasi-Ranchi-Kolkata Highway in consortium with Tracks &amp; Towers Infratech </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹1,271 crore </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">March </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Manufacturing-cum-maintenance of Vande Bharat Express trains </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">200 trainsets and cost per set is ₹120 crore </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">March </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Construction of Six-Lane Elevated Kona Expressway </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹720 crore </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">April </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Lowest bidder for provision of E1-based Automatic Signaling in stations between Jhansi - Gwalior </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹121 crore </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">April </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Mumbai Metro line </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹378 crore </td></tr></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody></table> Reinventing itself Rail Vikas Nigam executes all types of railway projects including new lines, gauge conversion, railway electrification, metro projects, workshops, major bridges, construction of cable-stayed bridges, and institutional buildings. “After being a railway capex arm for almost 20 years, RVNL is reinventing itself and is embarking on a new journey (open bidding vs nomination). With extensive expertise and experience, we think it will be difficult to replace RVNL for railway projects while it wins new opportunities in new sectors and geographies,” said a report by Elara Capital. It works on a turnkey basis and undertakes the full cycle of project development from conceptualisation to commissioning, including stages of design, preparation of estimates, calling contracts, and project and contract management. The public- sector player has also incorporated a subsidiary named Kinet Railway Solutions. <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none; table-layout: fixed; width: 468pt;" class="redcator-table-advance"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Rail Vikas Nigam </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">FY21 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">FY22 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">FY23 estimated </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Sales </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹15,403 crore </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹19,381 crore </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹20,020 crore </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Other income </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹807 crore </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹903 crore </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹1,001 crore </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Net profit </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹991 crore </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹1,182 crore </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹1,298 crore </td></tr></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody></table>Source: Asit C. Mehta Institutional Research Vande Bharat programme an upside trigger for RVNL There seem to be more orders on the way for the company, as media reports suggest that the Indian Railways will start the production of 120 advanced Vande Bharat Express trains by August 2023. The central government has sanctioned ₹600 crore to set up a coach factory at Latur and to begin the operations at the earliest. Presently, 14 Vande Bharat Express trains are operating on different routes across the country. In the 2023-24 budget, the government increased its capex by 33.4% to ₹10 Lakh crore for infrastructure development, with record allocation to the Railways. “100 transport infrastructure projects identified for end-to-end connectivity for ports, coal, steel and fertiliser sectors. It’s the highest-ever capital allocation for Railways and is nearly nine times over FY14 allocations with an outlay of ₹2.4 lakh crore provided for railways in FY24,” said a report by Asit C Mehta Investment Intermediates titled ‘Accelerating growth prospects’. As more orders are set to roll in, brokerages expect RVNL’s revenue and margins to improve as well. “Management expects margins to gradually improve as the share of nomination-based bidding comes off (cost + fixed margin). For FY23, management targets a revenue of ₹200-205 billion,” said the Elara report. Analysts at Asit C Mehta said they expected the company’s revenue to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of almost 20% over FY23-FY26. “RVNL’s expertise and experience in diversified infrastructure projects - from rails, roads, marine, hill areas, metro trains and many other areas, with (an) existing strong order book, we believe RVNL is well placed to capitalise on these opportunities,” said Asit C Mehta. The brokerage has a ‘Buy’ rating on the RVNL stock with a target price of ₹120, indicating that there is more juice left in it even after turning a multibagger. <div type="javascript" title="Custom" contenttype="Image"><cdata><![CDATA[]]></cdata></div> SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/bajaj-auto-rides-on-richer-product-mix-in-q4-but-export-and-disruption-concerns-persist/articleshow/99784940.cms">Bajaj Auto rides on richer product mix in Q4, but export and disruption concerns persist</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/personal-finance/news/what-type-of-documents-require-for-the-return-filing-in-fy-2022-23/articleshow/99764857.cms">Your comprehensive document checklist for income tax return filing</a>

This railway stock has turned a multibagger as its order book expands

<keyword id="143" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Bollywood">Bollywood</keyword> is the world’s largest film industry. With more and more films entering the elite 100 crore club, it is obvious that every big name associated with the industry is taking home much more than what their seniors did 20 years back. 
 We had a look at the highest paid <keyword id="2412522" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="Singers-of-Bollywood">singers of Bollywood</keyword>, and found out the whopping amounts that they get for singing one song. 
 
Disclaimer: The article has been written after due research, however, some figures might not be accurate, given the dynamic nature of the Indian film industry. 
 
Collage courtesy: <a href="http://www.fotor.com/features/collage.html">Fotor</a>

Highest Paid Playback Singers of Bollywood 2014

<keyword id="108191" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Railway-Finance-Corporation">Indian Railway Finance Corporation</keyword> (<keyword id="153053" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="IRFC">IRFC</keyword>) initial public offering of about Rs 4,600 crore may hit the markets later this month, a first by a non-banking financial company (NBFC) in the public sector. "In all probability it (IPO) will be by the third week but, if the market is not okay then we can go to the first or second week of January also," Amitabh Banerjee, Chairman and Managing Director, IRFC, told here. The company, the dedicated financing arm of <keyword id="1204894" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="The-Indian-railways">the Indian Railways</keyword>, will be going for the anchor investment also. "The government is planning to have anchor investors in place for this IPO," he added. In January 2020, IRFC filed draft papers for its IPO. According to market sources, the IPO is likely to be worth around Rs 4,600 crore. On reasons for bringing the anchor portion, the CMD added that it is a confident market and the anchor investors would be assured of the fact that they will be able to get the desired proportion of issuance without regular bidding. "They will be able to get the amount that they want to invest in IRFC without going for the bidding route. Also, it will give a lot of confidence to other investors in the market who are sitting on the fence," he said. The issue is of up to 178.20 crore shares, comprising a fresh issue of up to 118.80 crore shares and offer for sale of up to 59.40 crore shares by the government, according to the draft prospectus. "We are the first NBFC in the PSU sector that is going public for the first time and we shall be paving the way for others," he added. On plans to utilise the funds mopped up from the offer, he added that 10 per cent of the issuance will go to the company's balance sheet and that will increase its net worth and this the firm will be using for raising more money from the market. He further said that this will add to the company's capability to explore the market further and garner more funds from the market which is the order of the day because the government is in need of funds for its capex expansion outlay requirements. "Therefore 10 per cent will come to my balance sheet and 5 per cent will go to the government of India's exchequer," he added. Banerjee said the prospect for having a good IPO is "very much bright". "Everyone (domestic and foreign investors) has a lot of interest in this particular issue. We are extremely hopeful that it will hit the market with a bang," he said. Banerjee said COVID-19 has now come as a "blessing in disguise for us" as the market is flushed with funds and investors are looking to invest in safe havens. "Indian Railway Finance Corporation happens to be one of the safest havens as far as investors are concerned," he added. Banerjee is hopeful that the IPO will be one of the landmark issuances of the fiscal. "I hope that it will be one of the landmark issuances in this fiscal which augurs well for the other issuances that are coming forward for the government of India in this fiscal," the CMD said. The book running lead managers to the issue are DAM Capital Advisors, HSBC Securities and Capital Markets, ICICI Securities and SBI Capital Markets. Asked about the purpose of this IPO, he said, one of the purposes is to unlock the value that the company has built over so many years of its existence. "We have already traversed a period of 34 years since its inception in 1986. So, it will unlock the value of the company, it will bring in better corporate governance norms in the organisation which is extremely necessary in any public sector company. That will bring in more transparency in the working of the company," he said. The company's principal business is to borrow funds from the financial markets to finance acquisition/creation of assets which are then leased out to the <keyword id="6355455" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="indian-railways">Indian Railways</keyword>. The Union Cabinet had in April 2017 approved listing of five railway companies. Four of them -- IRCON International Ltd, RITES Ltd, <keyword id="185930" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rail-Vikas-Nigam-Ltd">Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd</keyword> and Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corp -- have already been listed. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/health/news/oxford-covid-19-vaccine-serum-institute-seeks-emergency-use-nod-for-covishield-vaccine-in-india/articleshow/79600349.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Oxford COVID-19 vaccine: Serum Institute seeks emergency use nod for Covishield vaccine in India</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/section-144-extended-across-noida-and-greater-noida-till-january-2/articleshow/79600323.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Section 144 extended across Noida and Greater Noida till January 2</a>

Indian Railway Finance Corporation ₹4,600 crore IPO may hit markets this month

New Delhi, Nov 22 () A clutch of Indian vendors of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) on Friday sought the telecom department's intervention for release of outstanding dues of nearly Rs 1,600 crore, pertaining to Bharat Net II project.
 These companies, which have sought intervention of Department of Telecom (DoT) Secretary Anshu Prakash, said they are "deeply troubled" over non-payment of dues and sought immediate release of outstanding payments.
 The companies that have approached the DoT flagging their concerns on pending dues include Sterlite, Tejas, Paramount Wires And Cables Ltd (PWCL), Aksh Optifibre, Finolex among others, and the dues run into Rs 1,600 crore, said Sandeep Aggarwal, Managing Director of Paramount Communications.
 "The dues are towards supply of cable, electronics and pipes and are linked to Bharat Net II project," Aggarwal, who is also the Chairman of Telecom Committee of PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry, told reporters.
 The Union Cabinet had, last month, approved a plan to combine MTNL - which provides services in Mumbai and New Delhi - with BSNL that services the rest of the nation.
 It also approved a Rs 69,000-crore revival package, including monetising their assets and giving VRS to employees.
 The package includes infusion of Rs 20,140 crore for purchase of 4G spectrum, Rs 3,674 crore for GST to be paid on spectrum allocation, companies raising Rs 15,000 crore in debt on the sovereign guarantee and government funding Rs 17,160 crore VRS and another Rs 12,768 crore towards retirement liability.
 The two firms will also monetise assets worth Rs 37,500 crore in the next three years. MTNL has reported losses in nine of the past 10 years and BSNL too has been ringing in loss since 2010. The total debt on both companies stood at Rs 40,000 crore, of which half of the liability is on MTNL alone. MBI MBI ANU
ANU

BSNL vendors seek DoT intervention over Rs 1,600 cr dues linked to Bharat Net 2

<ul><li>The US economy is still firing on all cylinders despite slowing GDP growth in the first quarter.</li><li>Carson Group strategist Sonu Varghese highlighted five economic indicators that show the strength.</li><li>"The workhorse of the US economy remains the consumer, and there's really not much sign of a slowdown," Varghese said.</li></ul>The US economy is firing on all cylinders despite <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gdp-gross-domestic-product-first-quarter-economy-growth-2024-4">a slowdown in first-quarter GDP growth,</a> according to Carson Group global macro strategist Sonu Varghese.Varghese highlighted five economic indicators that show continued underlying strength in the US economy, giving him little reason for concern as the labor market continues to power higher."The workhorse of the US economy remains the consumer, and there's really not much sign of a slowdown as far as household spending is concerned," Varghese said in a note last week. "In fact, services spending, which makes up 45% of the economy rose at an annualized pace of 4%."That 4% growth rate is more than double the 1.8% growth trend seen from 2010 through 2019, according to Varghese, and it represents the fastest pace of growth since the third-quarter of 2021. "The current strength of consumption is directly related to the strength of American household finances," Varghese said.These are the five indicators that give Varghese confidence that the US consumer, and therefore the US economy, remains on solid footing.<h3>1. Income growth is outpacing inflation</h3>Despite elevated inflation, wage growth continues to outpace inflation growth, and that's ultimately a boon for consumers.Disposable incomes grew at an annualized pace of 4.8% in the first-quarter, and employee compensation soared 7.8%. Meanwhile, PCE inflation rose 4.4%."That's the simplest explanation for why consumption continues to run strong," Varghese said.<div type="image" title="Income versus inflation" height="803" width="626" msid="109792200" hostid="261" sizebytes="20070"></div><h3>2. Average hourly earnings are also outpacing inflation</h3>It's not only high-income earners that are seeing their wages outpace inflation. The average every-day worker is also seeing their income grow faster than the pace of inflation."Inflation-adjusted hourly wages are growing even when you look at the average worker, and separate non-managers from managers," Varghese explained.That's important because non-managers tend to spend a greater portion of their incomes from wages, so it's important that they see their wage growth outpace inflation. <div type="image" title="hourly earnings growth outpaces inflation" height="752" width="647" msid="109792202" hostid="261" sizebytes="27276"></div><h3>3. Consumer balance sheets are strong</h3>A continued rise in the stock market and housing prices means Americans are more wealthy today than they have ever been.US consumers held a collective $176.7 trillion in assets as of December 31, and their liabilities have not risen as quickly as their assets have.That means consumers have ample room to spend money and save less, which makes it no surprise that the savings rate of US consumers has steadily declined over the past few years to 4.2% today from 7.4% in 2019."This is not surprising considering net worth is higher. Why save more if you're worth more?" Varghese said. <div type="image" title="Consumer balance sheet" height="696" width="653" msid="109792204" hostid="261" sizebytes="27840"></div><h3>4. Consumer's have capacity to borrow more</h3>Across all levels of the income spectrum, consumers owe less in debt relative to their income than they have in decades.The household debt service ratio, which measures debt payments as a percentage of disposable income, stood at 9.8% in the fourth-quarter of 2024. That's significantly below the 13.3% peak hit in 2007 and the historical average of 11.2%, and it suggests that consumers have ample flexibility to borrow more money and consumer if they have to. "Across all income groups, liabilities as a percent of assets are well below what we've seen historically. In short, households are significantly less levered than in the past," Varghese said.<div type="image" title="Debt service ratio" height="837" width="648" msid="109792206" hostid="261" sizebytes="28142"></div><h3>5. The jobs market is still resilient</h3>"The labor market is the entire ballgame as far as the consumer is concerned. If the labor market deteriorates, incomes fall, consumption falls, and the economy is in trouble," Varghese said.And so far, there are no signs of that happening. "We have the opposite now," Varghese highlighted.The unemployment rate has stayed below 4% for 26 consecutive months, representing the longest streak since the late 1960s. Meanwhile, there is still more than one job opening for every unemployed worker, and weekly jobless claims continue to hover near historically low levels. "Ultimately, here's what's important to keep in mind: consumption makes up 70% of the US economy, and right now consumption is running strong thanks to strong labor markets, which are pushing incomes higher to above the pace of inflation, and higher net worth, which means households can spend more," Varghese concluded.

5 indicators that show the US economy is still firing on all cylinders despite slowing GDP

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Most indicators suggest the US economy is humming along.</li><li>Consumers aren't buying it, per the latest monthly survey of how Americans feel about the economy.</li></ul>Indicators be damned: US consumers are still gloomy about the state of the economy.In the latest <a target="_blank" href="http://www.sca.isr.umich.edu/">University of Michigan survey</a>, the consumer sentiment index dropped a whopping 13% from April, after staying roughly the same since January."This 10 index-point decline is statistically significant and brings sentiment to its lowest reading in about six months," said Surveys of Consumers Director Joanne Hsu.Researchers found that consumers across demographics were worried that <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/inflation-cpi-food-energy-gas-prices-consumer-price-index-2024-4">inflation</a>, high <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/when-will-fed-cut-interest-rates-powell-fomc-inflation-relief-2024-4">interest rates</a>, and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/labor-market-april-unemployment-rate-job-growth-wages-2024-5">unemployment</a> would get worse in the year ahead.Inflation worries were reflected in survey results that showed consumers predicted a 3.5% jump in prices over the next year, the highest guess about inflation since last November.Americans have remained pessimistic about the economy since the COVID-19 pandemic caused unemployment to spike in the spring of 2020 and triggered the sharpest recession in decades.Consumer sentiment started to rise in the year after the pandemic but tumbled in 2021 and 2022 as inflation took hold of the economy. Since June 2022, the consumer sentiment index has generally trended upwards but is still far south of where it stood before the pandemic, according to the University of Michigan's data.<h2 id="834ed422-9701-4aab-ad4c-7cabbcbefdd4">Losing faith</h2>Leading indicators suggest the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-economy-positive-outlook-forecast-gdp-growth-slowing-strong-signals-2024-5">economy is still cooking</a>, Business Insider previously reported.Carson Group strategist Sonu Varghese said there are five signs that Americans' financial situation is actually quite strong:<ul><li>Incomes are growing faster than inflation.</li><li><a target="_blank" href="https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/CEU0500000003">Hourly earnings</a> are outpacing inflation too.</li><li>Americans are more <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gen-z-millennials-net-worth-by-age-all-time-high-2023-10">wealthy</a> than they've ever been.</li><li>Consumers can <a target="_blank" href="https://www.newyorkfed.org/microeconomics/hhdc">borrow more</a> and owe less in debt.</li><li><a target="_blank" href="https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/UNRATE">Unemployment</a> remains at historic lows.</li></ul>"Ultimately, here's what's important to keep in mind: Consumption makes up 70% of the US economy, and right now consumption is running strong," Varghese said.Varghese added that's "thanks to" both "strong labor markets, which are pushing incomes higher to above the pace of inflation" and "higher net worth, which means households can spend more."But Americans aren't feeling the strong economy.While inflation has cooled from its heights last year, consumer prices still shot up due to the surge and remain high.Meanwhile, the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-do-interest-rate-hikes-impact-housing-market-rent-mortgages-2024-3">housing market has been rocky</a> due to a lack of inventory and high interest rates caused by the Fed's efforts to bring inflation back under control.Now, the number of home mortgages that are <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mortgage-rates-seriously-underwater-home-prices-south-midwest-housing-market-2024-5">"seriously underwater" </a>— meaning their balance is at least 25% more than the fair market value of the house — is rising, new data from ATTOM.

These 2 charts show just how little faith Americans have in the economy 

<ul><li>The <keyword id="170366" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="navratna-companies" source="Orion">Navratna companies</keyword> are CPSE units that have been granted financial autonomy to invest up to ₹1,000 crore without seeking approval from the central government. </li><li>This increased financial freedom gives <keyword id="111281" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="navratna" source="Orion">Navratna</keyword> companies a competitive edge when competing globally. </li><li>A Navratna company is upgraded to a Maharatna company when it fulfils the required eligibility criteria. </li></ul>The Ministry of Finance elevated Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (<keyword id="240577" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="rvnl" source="Orion">RVNL</keyword>) to the status of a Navratna Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE) on Wednesday. RVNL, a public-sector railway company, has already been on <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/this-railway-stock-is-buzzing-for-record-returns-on-strong-orders/articleshow/99786491.cms">investors’ radar recently </a>because of a strong rally in the stock led by robust orders. Let us take a look at what it means to be a Navratna CPSE. The term ‘Navratna’ refers to a select group of top-performing CPSEs that have been granted greater autonomy and financial powers by the Indian government in recognition of their superior performance. The term ‘Navratna’, meaning nine gems, is used metaphorically to suggest that these companies are like the nine precious gems that shine brightly in the crown of Indian PSEs. With RVNL added to the list, there are 13 Navratna companies The Navratna status was first granted to nine public sector enterprises in 1997 by the Indian government. Since then, a few more enterprises were added to this exclusive group based on their performance and on meeting the eligibility criteria. Currently there are 13 Navratnas, including RVNL. These are: <ol><li>Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) </li><li>Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) </li><li>Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL) </li><li>Engineers India Limited (EIL) </li><li>NMDC Limited </li><li>Bharat Electronics Limited (BHEL) </li><li>National Buildings Construction Corporation (NBCC) </li><li>Oil India Limited (OIL) </li><li>Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL) </li><li>Container Corporation of India (CONCOR) </li><li>National Aluminium Company (NALCO) </li><li>NLC India Limited (NLCIL) </li></ol>The number of Navratnas went as high as 14 but since two companies were elevated to the status of a Maharatna – Rural Electrification Corporation (REC) in September 2022 and Power Finance Corporation (PFC) in October 2022 – the number of Navratnas now stands at 13, including RVNL. The ‘Ratnas’ of the Indian public sector CPSE units are categorised as Maharatna, Navratna and Miniratnas. Navratna: First, let us look at the Navratna companies. Normally, a CPSE requires permission from the Indian government to invest a large sum of money in a project or a deal. The Navratna companies are CPSE companies that have been granted financial independence to invest up to ₹1,000 crore without seeking approval from the central government. Navratna companies are also allowed to invest up to 15% of their net worth on a single project, or 30% of their net worth in a given year, subject to a cap of ₹1,000 crore. This increased financial freedom gives Navratna companies a competitive edge when competing globally. Maharatna: To be granted "Maharatna" status, a company must meet certain eligibility criteria. This includes recording a net profit of more than ₹5,000 crore for three consecutive years, maintaining an average annual turnover of over ₹25,000 crore for three years, or having an average annual net worth of over ₹15,000 crore for three years. Additionally, the company must have a global presence or international operations to qualify for this status. When a Navratna company achieves these criteria, it is upgraded to a Maharatna company. Currently, there are 12 Maharatna companies including Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), Coal India Limited (CIL), and Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL). Miniratna: In India, CPSEs that are eligible for the Miniratna status are those that have a minimum pre-tax profit of ₹30 crore in at least one of the three consecutive years and maintain a positive net worth. Some of the Miniratna companies are Airports Authority of India (AAI), Antrix Corporation Limited (Antrix), Balmer Lawrie &amp; Co. Limited (Bl), and Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL), Miniratna companies are upgraded to Navratna companies when they fulfil the eligibility criteria, just like RVNL. Jobs at Maharatna, Navaratna and Miniratna companies are in high demand since they pay a handsome salary in addition to providing job security. Also, public sector undertakings (PSUs) are known for taking good care of their employees by providing various benefits such as medical facilities, emergency allowances and sufficient leave options.

RVNL is now a Navratna company – what does it mean?

Leading <keyword id="16525931" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="fintech-company-PhonePe" source="Orion">fintech company PhonePe</keyword> on Tuesday announced it has raised another $100 million in primary capital from Ribbit Capital, Tiger Global, and TVS Capital Funds, at a pre-money valuation of $12 billion. The new investment follows the recent $350 million <keyword id="16525933" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="primary-fundraise" source="Orion">primary fundraise</keyword> from General Atlantic, a leading global growth equity firm, that <keyword id="6357886" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="PHONEPE" source="Orion">PhonePe</keyword> closed in January. "We are privileged to have a great set of leading global investors, both existing and new, who believe in our mission of building massive technology platforms to bring at-scale financial and digital inclusion in India," Sameer Nigam, CEO and Founder of PhonePe. PhonePe started its latest fundraise with a target of raising up to $1 billion in capital, post its domicile shift to India. With this second tranche, the company has already raised $450 million within six weeks from leading investors. It expects further investments from leading global, as well as prominent high net worth Indian investors in due course. "PhonePe lives by the same values as we do at Ribbit. We both believe that better money makes life better. PhonePe's relentless pursuit of this principle in serving consumers and businesses all across India is a mission to live for," said Micky Malka, Founder of Ribbit Capital. Founded in December 2015, PhonePe has 44 crore registered users and one in four Indians are now on PhonePe. The company has successfully digitised 3.5 crore offline merchants spread across the country, covering 99 per cent pin codes in the country. PhonePe is also the leader in Bharat Bill Pay System (BBPS), processing over 45 per cent of the transactions on the BBPS platform. "We are excited to continue our partnership with PhonePe as they lead the digital payments sector in India, a market we believe is still in the early stages with significant growth potential ahead," said Scott Shleifer, Partner, Tiger Global. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/over-25-unicorns-in-india-founded-by-serial-entrepreneurs-report/articleshow/97914331.cms">Over 25% unicorns in India founded by serial entrepreneurs: Report</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/supply-chain-startup-prozo-raises-45-crore-in-pre-series-b-round-led-by-sixth-sense-ventures/articleshow/97912891.cms">Supply chain startup Prozo raises ₹45 crore in pre-series B round led by Sixth Sense Ventures</a>

PhonePe raises $100 million from Ribbit Capital, Tiger Global & TVS Capital Funds

<ul><li>LG Tone Free Buds are available at a price of ₹12,989</li><li>Fit TF7 are the first fitness centric Tone Free buds from LG</li><li>These TWS Buds support ANC and spatial sound</li></ul>LG recently introduced a new pair of TWS buds, the LG Tone Free Fit, retaining the classic features that we are accustomed to with the Tone Free range. It follows a minimalistic design, promises great audio performance with its ANC and features UV nanotechnology. Priced at par with some more exciting and well-received products like the Sony WF-1000XM4 and Apple's AirPods 2, these Tone Free buds have some tough competitors. What does set them apart is the fitness centric theme around which they are mounted. So do they deliver on their promise? And is it worthy of your ears? I answer that question in my in-depth review. Price &amp; Availability LG Tone Free Fit TF7 is available for a price of ₹12,989 on LG’s official online store and Amazon. Design &amp; Build LG took a different approach with the Fit TF7 compared to its predecessor. While it still maintains the iconic shell-shaped case, it's slightly larger. This increase in size provides more room inside, which, in turn, can make it a bit challenging to carry in your pockets and may require some adjustment. Nevertheless, this design choice actually results in a more compact form factor compared to the AirPods Pro. I’ve used the blue variant which exudes a premium look. Its design is minimalistic, devoid of any unnecessary patterns or curves that might seem out of place. The only noticeable branding is the subtle "Tone" logo on the top. The matte finish not only adds to its aesthetics but also ensures it remains free from unsightly scratches. One thoughtful addition to the case is the LED indicator that conveys connectivity status and battery life. LG's attention to detail shines here, with a green light indicating ample battery backup, an orange LED showing it's reached the halfway mark, and a red indicator signaling low battery levels. This feature kept me well-informed about the battery status, allowing me to charge it accordingly. The case also features a neatly placed USB Type-C charging port at the bottom for convenient charging. Perhaps the most distinctive feature of the case lies within it – the UVnano lights, as claimed by LG, provide protection against 99.99% of bacteria. While I can't independently verify this level of protection, it might provide peace of mind to a certain segment of buyers. More on the impact of this feature on battery life in the latter part of this article. Now, shifting our focus to the earbuds themselves, the TF7 buds are smaller in size compared to the AirPods Pro and regular AirPods. They sport a dot design, which personally, I'm not a fan of. Given that my ears stick outwards, I often face difficulties with dot-shaped buds. Typically, I need to find the right ear tips for a secure fit. However, in this case, the default tips worked exceptionally well, which is good news. The buds strike a balance in size, offering ample space for interaction without causing discomfort during activities like walking. The build quality of these buds is impressive. They feel sturdy, and the plastic used is of high quality. Aesthetically, LG could have pushed the envelope further, as the buds don't exude the same level of sophistication as the AirPods or Galaxy Buds. Considering the price point, one might expect a more refined design in the next iteration. In terms of comfort, the TF7 buds hit the mark. Their compact size, combined with an ergonomic build, makes them an excellent choice for both desk work and workouts. The TF7 buds boast an IP67 water resistance rating, further enhancing their durability. I have been using the buds for my running sessions and so far I haven't faced any issues. I can quantify how much I sweat, but its enough to test the buds out. Definitely a reliable product. I used them with the default ear tips, and the experience was quite satisfying. The buds remained securely in place while I was seated or in motion. They are indeed a suitable option for workouts, where maintaining a firm grip is a top priority. The swivel feature is also a welcome addition, enhancing their overall usability. Performance Pairing and Connectivity: The TF7 is equipped with Bluetooth 5.3, and it generally performs admirably with only a few minor hiccups. In my testing, I initially paired them with an Android device, the OnePlus 11R, and the process was swift, requiring just a couple of taps. Notably, with Google Fast Pair enabled, the case automatically detected the FP9 when my device's Bluetooth visibility was turned on. Connecting my Android smartphone to the buds was a breeze, and this efficiency was highly impressive. However, the situation took a turn when I attempted to pair them with my iPhone. I found myself refreshing the Bluetooth list multiple times before they finally appeared. The same struggle persisted when I tried connecting them to another Apple device, the iPhone 11. Yet, when reconnecting them to an Android smartphone, the process was as swift as the initial setup. It's worth noting that I've encountered this issue before with Tone buds FP9. One consistent factor in both scenarios was the buds' ability to maintain robust connectivity once paired. Over a month of usage, the buds exhibited no sudden disconnections or connectivity issues. An additional noteworthy feature is multi-device pairing, which proves especially convenient for those who work from home. Switching between my laptop and smartphone was effortless, as I didn't need to manually disconnect and reconnect the buds. I'd like to emphasise the importance of multi-device pairing when purchasing TWS buds or any Bluetooth audio product. It greatly enhances the overall user experience, providing seamless transitions between devices. Gestures The TF7 features touch-sensitive controls with a preset of gestures that come in handy. As previously mentioned, the buds' ideal size makes interaction with them effortless. To enhance convenience, LG has included a dedicated touchpoint where you can tap to engage with the buds. The execution of these touch controls is commendable for two key reasons. Firstly, it accurately responds to your gestures without missing a beat. Secondly, it's straightforward to remember how to use them. These touch-sensitive buds offer a range of functions. A single tap on either bud allows you to play or pause your media. A double tap on the right bud increases the volume, while the same action on the left bud decreases it. A triple tap assists in moving forward or backward in your playlist. These gestures are intuitive and uncluttered. For activating Active Noise Cancellation, a long press on either bud does the trick. Furthermore, you have the option to customise these settings through the TONE Free application. However, it's worth noting that altering these settings may lead to issues when connecting the buds to different devices, so I wouldn't recommend frequent adjustments unless necessary. Tone Free Application Audio Customization: It's common to find a dedicated application for high-end TWS earbuds, and in this case, LG offers the LG Tone Free app. This app is available for both Android and iOS devices and provides several options to tailor the performance of the TF7 to your preferences. You can use the app to control ambient sound and ANC (Active Noise Cancellation) settings. Additionally, there are three preset sound modes available to cater to different needs. With the app, you can easily toggle noise cancellation on or off and choose the ambient sound mode, which lets you hear conversations while limiting ambient noise. The app also allows you to fine-tune the equaliser settings for the buds, offering options like Immersive, Natural, Bass Boost, Treble Boost, and 3D Sound Stage. You can even create up to two custom sound profiles based on your preferences, which I'll discuss further in the performance section. However, it's important to note that while the app provides a plethora of options, it could benefit from improved stability. During my month of usage, the app frequently crashed and froze when attempting to create a custom sound profile. This issue persisted on both Android and iPhone platforms. Audio Performance: Now, let's dive into the audio performance, where the TF7 truly shines, almost without a doubt. Despite having relatively modest 6mm drivers on paper, the finely tuned hardware delivers crystal-clear audio quality. To provide some context, I tested the buds with two iconic Bollywood classics. The first was the bass-heavy track "Zinda Banda" from the movie "Jawan 2023." Right from the first note, the TF7 showcased its ability to reproduce distinct sounds from the source. This high-energy track, featuring guitar, drums, and electronic elements, created an electrifying party in my ears. The music output was impressively bass-heavy, rivalling the best I've experienced, even compared to the WF-1000XM4. The next song in my playlist was the title track of "Kal Ho Na Ho," sung by Sonu Nigam. This soothing number has subtle low mids and an unforgettable melody. With the TF7, I could fully appreciate the low mids while discerning every instrument in the song. While the bud's smaller drivers might lead you to expect lower volume output, this issue is effectively balanced when you activate ANC. Speaking of noise cancellation, the TF7 excels in this department. When set to the "ANC ON" preset, these earbuds efficiently blocked out a significant amount of surrounding noise, creating a noticeable sense of isolation. For instance, ambient noise from an AC or fan in a room remained virtually imperceptible, and even when someone used their phone on speaker nearby, only a minimal amount of sound reached my ears. At the gym, where loud music blared around me, I could barely hear a faint murmur from the outside world, drowning out the entire playlist effectively. However, I would advise against using the buds with ANC turned on at the highest-quality setting, as it can be risky when you're outdoors. For outdoor use, I would recommend opting for the ambient sound mode. This not only allows you to engage in conversations but also significantly reduces the risk when walking outside. While the audio performance might feel slightly underwhelming compared to the full-fledged ANC mode, it remains more than satisfactory. It's worth noting that while the ANC performance of the buds is impressive, it's important to remember that dedicated headphones often outperform earbuds in terms of noise cancellation. So, if you're primarily seeking an audio device for music, it's something to keep in mind. Now, let's delve into the audio settings. I found the "Bass Boost" mode particularly enjoyable during workouts, especially when combined with ANC set to a lower frequency. For outdoor use, I favoured the "Immersive" preset as it struck a harmonious balance between bass and volume. It allowed me to maintain a comfortable 60% volume while enjoying my music and remaining aware of my surroundings. However, it was the "3D Spatial Sound" feature that left me somewhat disappointed. Marketed to create a surround sound experience, I attempted to watch a movie with this preset. Contrary to expectations, it resulted in a noticeable echo. While it's possible that this issue can be rectified by tinkering with settings in the TONE Free app, who has the time for such adjustments? LG should consider providing a more refined spatial sound preset. In terms of call quality, the TF7 performed decently. I experienced no call drops or interruptions during my testing. Call reception was satisfactory, and the person on the other end could hear me clearly. Additionally, I used the buds for Google Meet calls on my laptop, and the connection remained stable in that context as well. Battery It’s time to highlight the battery life of the TF7. LG claims the entire package offers 30 hours of battery backup. Individually that translates to 10 hours on the buds and 20 hours on the case. The real-time mileage is considerably lower than what is claimed. On average, I was getting 7 hours of battery life on the buds, while the case did deliver two more charges on its best day. So that brings us to a total of 15 hours. This is not bad especially considering I had the ANC turned on throughout the day. Verdict The LG TONE Free Fit TF7 can be considered a premium TWS earbud, primarily tailored for fitness enthusiasts due to its design and intended use. However, if you approach its purchase with versatility in mind, you won't be disappointed. These earbuds excel in terms of battery life compared to their competitors, and they offer a distinctive design complemented by a thoughtfully crafted mobile application. Nevertheless, if you're an iPhone user, it's worth exploring Apple's AirPods more extensively, considering the benefits that come with the Apple ecosystem.

LG TONE Free Fit TF7 Buds review: Expensive and for a good reason

<ul><li><keyword id="6484188" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sensex" source="Orion">Sensex</keyword> and Nifty50 hit a new all-time high on the second consecutive day, extending the gains to the sixth consecutive day.</li><li>Reliance Industries, ICICI Bank and HDFC twins were amongst the most active stocks on Tuesday.</li><li>In the last five trading sessions, Sensex has gained 1.91%, while Nifty50 has gained 1.69%.</li><li>ICICI Bank, IRFC, RVNL, Britannia Industries were amongst the stocks touching new 52-week highs on Tuesday.</li></ul>Sensex and Nifty50 hit a new all-time high on the second consecutive day, extending the winning streak to the sixth consecutive day. Reliance Industries, ICICI Bank and HDFC twins were amongst the most active stocks on Tuesday, while IRFC zoomed 6% to close the day at a new 52-week high. Both the benchmark indices overcame the<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/adani-enterprises-ndtv-mm-lt-among-stocks-to-watch-out-for-on-tuesday/articleshow/95843779.cms"> early morning weakness</a> to scale new highs – while the Sensex touched a new high of 62,887 on intraday basis, Nifty50 scaled 18,678. The 30-stock Sensex closed the day at 62,681, up 0.28%, while the 50-stock Nifty50 closed at 18,618, up 0.3%. Both the indices closed the day at a record high. In the last five trading sessions, Sensex has gained 1.91%, while Nifty50 has gained 1.69%. Amongst the most active stocks in the Nifty50 index today were Reliance Industries, ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, HDFC, and Hindustan Unilever. All in all, sixteen stocks hit fresh 52-week highs during the day, including ICICI Bank, Britannia, Apollo Tyres, Bank of India, Indian Railway Finance Corporation (IRFC), Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), among others. <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none;" class="redcator-table-advance"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.99375pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.99375pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.99375pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.99375pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Top gainers </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.99375pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.99375pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.99375pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.99375pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Change </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.99375pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.99375pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.99375pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.99375pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Top losers </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.99375pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.99375pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.99375pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.99375pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Change </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.99375pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.99375pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.99375pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.99375pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">The New India Assurance Company </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.99375pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.99375pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.99375pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.99375pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">12.79% </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.99375pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.99375pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.99375pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.99375pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Laurus Labs </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.99375pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.99375pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.99375pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.99375pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">-9.27% </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.99375pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.99375pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.99375pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.99375pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Gland Pharma </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.99375pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.99375pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.99375pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.99375pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">7.75% </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.99375pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.99375pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.99375pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.99375pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Allcargo Logistics </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.99375pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.99375pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.99375pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.99375pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">-6.91% </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.99375pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.99375pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.99375pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.99375pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Greenpanel Industries </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.99375pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.99375pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.99375pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.99375pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">7.61% </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.99375pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.99375pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.99375pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.99375pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Bajaj Holdings </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.99375pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.99375pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.99375pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.99375pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">-5.80% </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.99375pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.99375pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.99375pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.99375pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Dabur India </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.99375pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.99375pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.99375pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.99375pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">6.51% </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.99375pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.99375pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.99375pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.99375pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Aegis Logistics </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.99375pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.99375pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.99375pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.99375pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">-4.56% </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.99375pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.99375pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.99375pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.99375pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Emami </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.99375pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.99375pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.99375pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.99375pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">6.36% </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.99375pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.99375pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.99375pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.99375pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Elgi Equipments </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.99375pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.99375pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.99375pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.99375pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">-4.52% </td></tr></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody></table> Source: NSE, Nifty500, as at November 29, 2022 “Nifty made fresh all-time highs on November 29, aided by positive Asian cues. Encouraging news from China has resurrected sentiments in Asia. Beijing rolled out more stimulus measures, while social media rumours suggested that the Chinese government was considering the scaling back of its anti-Covid policies,” said Deepak Jasani, head of retail research, HDFC Securities. Amongst the top sectoral gainers today were FMCG, metals and pharma, while PSU banks, auto and realty closed the day in red. Rupee posted a marginal decline of 6 paise against the US Dollar, hovering around 81.72. Foreign institutional investors (FII) were net buyers on Tuesday, ploughing in ₹1,242 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DII) sold equities worth ₹744 crore. <div type="javascript" title="Custom" contenttype="Text"><cdata><![CDATA[]]></cdata></div> SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/new-age-tech-companies-rake-in-business-but-are-still-making-losses/articleshow/95837559.cms">New-age tech companies rake in business but are still making losses</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/people-ready-to-pay-15-20-premium-for-health-and-wellness-amenities-in-housing-properties-dhaval-ajmera/articleshow/95832362.cms">Home buyers ready to pay 15-20% premium for health and wellness amenities: Dhaval Ajmera</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/mixed-demand-trends-for-autos-in-november-as-festive-boost-wears-off-but-signs-of-rural-recovery-visible/articleshow/95848505.cms">Mixed demand trends for autos in November as festive boost wears off but signs of rural recovery visible</a>

Sensex, Nifty50 hit new all-time high yet again – RIL, HDFC twins amongst most active stocks, IRFC surges 6%

<ul><li>BSNL has a net <a href="https://www.indiatoday.in/technology/features/story/bsnl-may-shut-down-it-has-no-money-to-pay-employees-all-you-need-to-know-about-bsnl-crisis-1556217-2019-06-26">debt</a> of ₹13,000 crore, and estimated losses to the tune of ₹14,000 crore. </li><li>Tthe government is reportedly working on a revival plan, which also involves giving ‘attractive’<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/bsnl-which-is-yet-to-pay-august-salaries-wants-to-give-an-attractive-retirement-package-to-80000-employees/articleshow/70988909.cms"> voluntary retirement packages</a> to its staff. </li><li><keyword id="168950" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="BSNL-employees">BSNL employees</keyword> union wants the company to maximise profits by closing down loss-making exchanges. </li></ul> A 46-year-old BSNL engineer, Ramesh P (name changed) has not received his salary on time for the last few months but he is not worried. “Yes, we as a company are in losses but BSNL has precious land parcels and those are our assets. Our company will not shut down so easily,” he told Business Insider India on the condition of anonymity. The excessive competition from Reliance Jio has left even majors like Airtel and Vodafone Idea wounded and the debt-laden, loss-making BSNL has been one of the victims. The uncertain future of BSNL would have cast a shadow on Ramesh’s family, which used to live from one payday to another. But Ramesh, like many of his colleagues, have taken heart in informal chatter within the grapevine that the company’s land bank may be worth thousands of crores. Not just that, it opens up other opportunities too. Banking on land assets The company’s sprawling 40-acre campus at Gachibowli in Hyderabad is a testament to how BSNL has been making money outside its mainstay telecom business. The campus with lush green vegetation amidst an office and quarters, regularly rents it to shoot movies. A top private school is also in talks with the campus, for a long-term lease, as per sources. In July, the company has started identifying its expansive land parcels that it owns across the country. They believe that at least s 63 of them are in prime locations which might fetch high price, <a href="https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/info-tech/govt-plans-to-transfer-bsnl-land-debt-to-spv-assets-undervalued-says-union/article28916850.ece">as per reports</a>. The idea is to monetize land, along with tower and fiber assets to cut down the debt. The company is <a href="https://www.indiatoday.in/technology/features/story/bsnl-may-shut-down-it-has-no-money-to-pay-employees-all-you-need-to-know-about-bsnl-crisis-1556217-2019-06-26">saddled with a debt</a> of ₹13,000 crore, and estimated losses to the tune of ₹14,000 crore. However, the government is reportedly working on a revival plan, which also involves giving ‘attractive’<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/bsnl-which-is-yet-to-pay-august-salaries-wants-to-give-an-attractive-retirement-package-to-80000-employees/articleshow/70988909.cms"> voluntary retirement packages</a> to its staff, to make the company leaner and more efficient. BSNL employees are unhappy with the revival plan Not all employees are as happy with revival plan proposed by the government, according to a<a href="https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/info-tech/bsnl-revival-plan-lacks-vision-staff-union/article29376735.ece"> Hindu report</a>. The dissenting staff want the company to maximise profits by closing down loss-making exchanges. There are as many as 18,000 such exchanges which are weighing down the balance sheet, a letter sent by Sanchar Nigam Executives’ Association claimed. Moreover, just shutting down exchanges may not be a viable solution for the government that has embarked on a ‘Digital India’ plan, which intends to provide Internet and other voices services to every nook and corner of the country. Closing down exchanges would mean cutting off services in areas which private players would never tread. BSNL has licences to provide telecom services in every circle expect Mumbai and Delhi, where yet another government company, MTNL, operates. Both these players have lost ground and are unable to withstand the onslaught of private telecom majors. A tough competitive market along with bureaucratic hurdles which did not allow BSNL to upgrade technology and equipment had led to loss of customers and brand value. Now that the question is of the company’s survival, the employees want the government to lend an ear to their suggestions. “Live today to fight another day’

An unpaid BSNL employee believes the company will survive the current turmoil

<ul><li>The Advertising Standard Council of India has released a new set of guidelines for <keyword id="10879114" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="non-fungible-tokens" source="Orion">Non-Fungible Tokens</keyword> and <keyword id="6357017" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="cryptocurrency" source="Orion">Cryptocurrency</keyword>, effective from April 2022.</li><li>After November 2021, all major <keyword id="2721952" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="crypto" source="Orion">crypto</keyword> exchanges had to put a pause on their marketing and advertising activities as PM Narendra Modi had announced in a Parliament meeting that attempts to mislead the youth through over-promising and non-transparent advertising need to be stopped.</li><li>After a long hiatus, now that there will be more clarity and standardization in crypto advertisements with <keyword id="169284" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="asci" source="Orion">ASCI</keyword>’s guidelines, their ad expenditure is likely to return on digital and traditional mediums.</li><li>We reached out to experts to discuss how players in the segment can navigate these challenges and woo consumers without violating regulations.</li></ul>The latest trend flooding the internet is Non-fungible Tokens. From Indian celebrities like Deepika Padukone, Amitabh Bachchan, Sonu Nigam, Nucleya, Yuvraj Singh to brands such as Yum!, Rage Coffee, MG Motors India -- have announced their foray into the <keyword id="4668945" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="nft" source="Orion">NFT</keyword> world. A recent report by Deloitte predicts that India will be quick to catch on to the global NFT revolution with favourable regulations. In fact, it says that NFTs for sports media will generate more than US$2 billion in transactions in 2022, about double the figure for 2021. Another report from market research firm Finder said that Asian countries are outpacing the rest of the globe in terms of crypto adoption. The Asian country with the highest percentage of crypto ownership was Vietnam at 40% followed by Indonesia, India, Malaysia, and the Philippines, respectively. However, since November 2021, all major crypto exchanges in India had put a pause on their marketing and advertising activities after PM Narendra Modi had announced in a Parliament meeting that ‘attempts to mislead the youth through over-promising and non-transparent advertising should be stopped.’ Since then, the crypto exchanges have refrained from launching fresh advertisements on print, television and radio. Now, the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/advertising/ad-tech/news/asci-frames-guidelines-for-advertising-and-promotion-of-crypto-and-nft-products/articleshow/89764550.cms">Advertising Standards Council of India</a> has released a new set of guidelines for NFT products and crypto exchanges. Under the new standards, all Virtual Digital Assets and services will be required to carry prominent disclaimers. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="89764550" title="ASCI frames guidelines for advertising and promotion of NFT products" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> Experts welcome new ASCI guidelines; call it a step in the right direction Crypto platforms, after a long hiatus from marketing, are up for the challenge and are excited to be resuming their marketing activities before the Indian Premier League. Welcoming the new guidelines, Ashish Singhal, Founder and CEO, CoinSwitch said, "The ASCI guidelines are a step in the right direction to standardize advertisements within the VDA space. The VDA industry is supportive of all efforts towards investor protection, however, there are nuances that need to be addressed as the space is ever-evolving. We will continue to work together with ASCI and other stakeholders to refine them further.” Manasa Rajan, Business Head at Jupiter Meta also said that the new guidelines will improve accountability. She said, “This move is welcome and will offer further legitimacy to this space and create more accountability from the marketers, which is a positive direction for a nascent category with a customer-centric approach. While cryptos are seen as purely investment or trading opportunities, where the ultimate goal is profit., NFTs have a value proposition that is far more versatile than just speculative worth. It is more about changing the way we consume content, engage with art &amp; artists and immerse ourselves in popular culture. So, NFTs’ value cannot be seen from a trader’s lens alone. The experience of involvement, decision making, ownership &amp; utility have emotions attached to it, just like art, gold or even high-end brand purchases. Hence, a regulatory framework should be more inclusive in approach for a nascent category, where the inherent value of these NFTs is still being discovered.” The regulations come almost a month after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced plans to tax crypto investments by 30% during India’s Union Budget. While most <keyword id="12386484" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="crypto-ads" source="Orion">crypto ads</keyword> did come with disclaimers, they were easy to miss as they appeared at the bottom of the screen or flew by in a few seconds at the end of it. As per the new guidelines, the voiceover will be required to be at a normal speaking pace so that the consumer can’t miss it. In the case of a long-format video of over two minutes, the disclaimer will be required to be repeated at the beginning and at the end of the video and stay on screen for a minimum of five seconds. No crypto advertisement can now contain statements that promise or guarantee future increase in profits either. Overall, the current guidelines indicate that ads cannot mislead, misguide, give false information, or exploit a consumer’s lack of expertise on a subject. Whether it was CoinSwitch’s maiden B2C advertisement with Ranveer Singh or Ayushmann Khurrana’s campaign with CoinDCX, advertisements last year showed how investing in crypto is the future and it is very easy and simple to invest in. All of these ads painted a rosy picture that highlighted the highs and downplayed the volatility and risk of the assets. Therefore, ASCI is now restricting VDA products from claiming that their assets are so easy that consumers do not have to think twice about investing. It is also barring the use of the words ‘currency, securities, custodian and depositories’ in crypto-related ads. The task now for these crypto players is to win the confidence of people, raise awareness and educate, while convincing them that it is safe to invest in crypto. On top of these regulations and lack of trust in the market, crypto exchanges will be competing with the government’s own digital currency. Rikki Agarwal, Co-Founder &amp; COO from Blink said, “Last year, we saw an uptick in the crypto ad spends during the festive season and during important cricket matches. The new guidelines by ASCI will certainly have an impact on the brand spends, especially during the upcoming IPL tournament. The associations with Influencers and celebrities will also witness a radical shift. The move will definitely help in education and creating awareness amongst the consumers but it is too early to comment on the impact on the brands. Currently, India is the second-largest market in cryptocurrency adoption and the culture seems to be growing rapidly. With the adoption increasing among young men and women, private players such as CoinSwitch Kuber, CoinDCX and WazirX had plans to increase their ad spendings to compete with the possible launch of the government's digital currency. With the move from ASCI, the brands will definitely have to relook at their strategy and plan their ad spends. Brands will also have to consider spending on other platforms and mediums to interact with the consumers and will open up new avenues for growth.” Crypto platforms will also have to relook at the duration of their ads because it might get difficult for the audience to understand crypto in 10-15 seconds; it could send the wrong message across and mislead consumers. Navigating the challenges of advertising in the NFT, Crypto landscape While there are a lot of grays in crypto ads and ASCI guidelines will certainly bring transparency, will it restrict creative freedom? Vijay Pravin, Founder &amp; CEO of bitsCrunch, does not think it will. “With the new tax rules and now ASCI’s regulations, I don’t think it will be challenging for digital products to be creative. In fact, this will bring out more creativity among the Web-3 people. When people came out with the concept of Cryptocurrency, it was laughed at, since it was new and seemed confusing. Likewise, the laws and regulations for cryptos will take time to be able to cover all bases. With web-3, we are enabling an additional asset class for the future. For sure, in the years to come, we are going to witness a quirkier side of NFT and crypto projects than now. Regulations or laws keep changing. This is the current stand but in a few months or years, we could witness something else. But the technology or the infrastructure remains the same. We already witness that India is making progressive steps towards Blockchain technology. I am personally looking forward to seeing how this technology and the landscape evolves,” said he. Raj Shamani- Digital Content Creator, Entrepreneur, Investor and Podcaster said that while creativity will get hampered to some extent, the overall impact on the whole industry and people interested in this industry will be positive. “A lot of people have been misusing their power to pump &amp; dump and promote wrong things just to make quick bucks. This is going to be good for people who are here for the right reasons because they are anyway educating. And if they are providing good value education, people are going to learn about it. Also, it's always the best to tell people I am not personally recommending so that people can easily differentiate between honest opinion and promotional opinion,” said Shamani. He also shared some advice on how to connect with consumers. He said, “The best way to woo consumers is to provide them the right education and value. If you educate your audience right. If you tell them the right things. If you let them know the use cases. If you tell them about the community power. If you tell them how this is going to empower their life and not 'sell it'. The content will connect. People who have been already doing this thing in the space won't face a problem. In fact, this will make people more aware and push them to promote and make the right content. This will only help to eliminate the promotion of bad projects.” Anjali Malthankar, National Strategy Director, Tonic Worldwide said that with everything new comes excitement and concern and both need our attention. "I think the attention from regulators for any space which is seeing a crazy traction in such a short period, is expected. At the pace that NFT, Crypto are growing in popularity the interventions are understandable. As far as the challenge for creative promotions is concerned, I think the creative agencies have often come across the term during briefings – “It’s a creative challenge” So, in that spirit creative will always find its way to not let this come in the way of creativity. There have been very many categories, including traditional finance categories which have disclaimers and yet it does not stop good creative work. In fact, the fence sitters or doubters who were unsure of the VDA products, might consider the category, as promoters get more upfront and transparent about it. If VDA brands are strategically not dependent on or riding on the fad, confusion, consumers’ lack of knowledge and noise but have a genuine offering, then it is just about giving space to disclaimer which for today’s smart and conscious consumer is nothing but a sign of transparency. In fact, if we see closely Crypto and NFTs are born out of blockchain and the need for transparency and hence in intent they are both (the regulators and VDA category) on the same page." Rage Coffee recently made its debut in the blockchain matrix with its valentine's NFT campaign. Its Founder, Bharat Sethi said that the growing adoption of crypto tokens has led to the emergence of advertisements that downplay the risk associated with these assets. Therefore, according to Sethi, increased transparency is a welcome move and where it might impact creative freedom, when it comes as a hit on the consumer interest, it is best to be transparent and supply critical information/disclaimers in this volatile category. “Even after including the disclaimers and adhering to the guidelines, there is scope for being creative. It does restrict creative freedom in communication; however, this is in the best interest of an average consumer who might not have in-depth knowledge about cryptocurrency and VDAs. A promise that can not be kept should ideally not be made in a promotion. There is a need to educate the consumer on the basic ideas around NFT, cryptocurrencies and take the customer on a journey to understand how these assets are. The risks can not be downplayed as risk appetites are very personal. There is plenty of space to experiment, spread awareness and create a buzz,” said Sethi. NFT marketplace Fullyfaltoonft.com curated by Viacom18’s Youth Music &amp; English Entertainment cluster and powered byGuardianLink.io has already received an overwhelming response for its digital artwork preview. Keyur Patel, Co-Founder &amp; Chairman, GuardianLink and Co-Founder, BeyondLife.club said that consumer education comes first and it's a welcome move from ASCI to ensure customers are aware of the market volatility. "Crypto as an investment class is quite volatile compared to stocks or real estate. All investment Ads and campaigns have a responsibility to educate the users on the risks and affiliated volatility and liquidity restrictions and aspects of the asset. Even media, ad agencies, and other supporting ecosystems have the responsibility to educate the same market in a responsible method. NFT is not a financial asset. It is a digital asset associated with games, entertainment, and art. Its inherent value is either in art or utility. Also, the buyers of NFT don’t buy it because there is instant gains, they do it because they find affinity to Amitabh Bachchan or Stan Lee or they find Game like Racing very interesting and want to participate in it. Crypto is purely a trade asset, for investments and hence it needs very aggressive education to make sure, the expectations of returns for the buyers are not skewed by hype and unrealistic aspirations. So, this declaration will not just motivate consumers to study the brand/product before purchasing but also put the onus on celebrities who endorse digital assets to do due diligence thereby promoting a responsible environment. Many industries have been following such guidelines without seeing any impact on creativity. It will rather inspire marketers and content creators to make their storytelling more creative and credible than ever before." Sagar Pushp, Co-founder and CEO, ClanConnect agreed that clear-cut norms were needed in this space. “For advertisers, the greatest purpose of communication is to put across accurate messaging for users. The new promotion and advertising guidelines for crypto assets will bring this authenticity into the segment. It is a welcome move by ASCI as it will ensure that brand communication is not misleading. Going forward, brands will need to operate within the guardrails of these guidelines, making sure their messaging is not limited to quick money and gains. The intrinsic value of blockchain is much wider than the prospect of big money, and we’ll need to get creative to empower users with precise information,” said Pushp. After a long pause, now that there will be more clarity and standardization in crypto advertisements, their ad expenditure is likely to return on digital and traditional mediums. During the festive season and IPL last year, crypto platforms were at their peak. The month of Diwali, which was October in 2021, nearly had a 30% share of the category in digital advertising and it took a dip by 6% in November 2021, whereas on television, there wasn’t a single ad from Crypto platforms in 2020, revealed TAM. In 2021, television saw 33.4 hours of advertising from Crypto platforms. The festive season proved to be bountiful for television too as October had more than 75% share of Crypto platforms, up from 2% in June and 23% in September. A lot of people have been speaking about the risks of investing in digital currency without fully understanding how the crypto ecosystem works. ASCI’s guidelines, therefore, could help bring about more transparency and accountability into the ecosystem.

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