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Raksha Bandhan, a cherished Indian festival celebrating the unique bond between brothers and sisters, is a day filled with love, care, and joyous traditions. As we approach <keyword id="19978604" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Raksha-Bandhan-2024" source="Orion">Raksha Bandhan 2024</keyword> on Monday, August 19, it's time to express our heartfelt emotions to our siblings. Whether you are looking for the perfect wish for your brother, a touching message for your sister or a thoughtful quote to share on social media, you’ll have it here. <h2>15 heartfelt <keyword id="3577991" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Raksha-Bandhan-wishes" source="Orion">Raksha Bandhan wishes</keyword> for brothers</h2><ul><li>Dear Brother, you are my first friend and forever protector. On this <keyword id="6373020" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rakhi" source="Orion">Rakhi</keyword>, I wish you all the happiness and success you deserve!</li><li>To the best brother in the world, may your life be filled with joy, prosperity, and endless love. Happy Raksha Bandhan!</li><li>You have always been my hero, guiding me through life with your wisdom and strength. Happy Rakhi, Bhai!</li><li>On this special day, I pray for your well-being and success. May our bond grow stronger with each passing year. Happy Raksha Bandhan!</li><li>Thank you for being my shield and my confidant. I am blessed to have you as my brother. Happy Rakhi!</li><li>You are more than just my brother; you are my mentor and my best friend. Wishing you a joyful Raksha Bandhan!</li><li>No matter how far we are, our bond remains unbreakable. Sending you love and warm wishes on Raksha Bandhan!</li><li>Brother, you are my guardian angel in disguise. May you always be blessed with happiness. Happy Rakhi!</li><li>To the one who always stood by me, protected me, and encouraged me, Happy Raksha Bandhan! You're the best brother ever!</li><li>Dear Bhai, may you always walk the path of success and may all your dreams come true. Happy Raksha Bandhan!</li><li>You are my pillar of strength and my guiding star. Wishing you a Raksha Bandhan filled with love and joy!</li><li>Your presence in my life is a blessing, and on this Rakhi, I wish you all the happiness in the world!</li><li>Thank you for being the best brother anyone could ask for. Here's to many more Rakhi celebrations together!</li><li>Your love and protection are my greatest treasures. Wishing you a very Happy Raksha Bandhan, dear Brother!</li><li>May this Raksha Bandhan bring you peace, prosperity, and joy. I am grateful to have you as my brother!</li></ul><h2>15 heartfelt Raksha Bandhan wishes for sisters</h2><ul><li>Dear Sister, you are my source of strength and joy. May this Rakhi bring you all the happiness in the world!</li><li>On this special day, I promise to always protect you and stand by you, no matter what. Happy Raksha Bandhan!</li><li>You are my sister, my confidante, and my best friend. Wishing you a Raksha Bandhan filled with love and laughter!</li><li>To my dearest sister, may your life be as bright and beautiful as you are. Happy Raksha Bandhan!</li><li>Sister, you are the light of my life, and I am so grateful to have you by my side. Happy Rakhi!</li><li>Wishing you a Raksha Bandhan full of love, joy, and endless blessings. You deserve the best, dear Sister!</li><li>You are my guiding star and my biggest supporter. Thank you for always being there for me. Happy Raksha Bandhan!</li><li>To my lovely sister, may all your dreams come true and may you find happiness in everything you do. Happy Rakhi!</li><li>Sister, you make my world a better place just by being in it. Wishing you a wonderful Raksha Bandhan!</li><li>On this Rakhi, I wish you all the success and joy in the world. Thank you for being an amazing sister!</li><li>You are my role model and my source of inspiration. Happy Raksha Bandhan to the best sister ever!</li><li>Sister, you are the most precious gift in my life. Wishing you a Raksha Bandhan filled with love and happiness!</li><li>May your life be filled with endless joy and may you always find success in everything you do. Happy Rakhi!</li><li>You are not just my sister but also my best friend and confidante. I am blessed to have you in my life. Happy Raksha Bandhan!</li><li>Dear Sister, may this Rakhi strengthen our bond and may we always be there for each other. Happy Raksha Bandhan!</li></ul><div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="112559982" title="Raksha Bandhan 2024: The history and cultural significance of the Rakhi festival" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> <h2>10 memorable <keyword id="6822586" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Raksha-Bandhan-quotes" source="Orion">Raksha Bandhan quotes</keyword></h2>The bond between a brother and sister is like no other. It is both cherished and protected, bound by love and loyalty. A brother is a friend given by nature, a protector in life, and a lifelong companion in joy and sorrow. Sisters are different flowers from the same garden, blossoming together with love and care. Brothers and sisters are as close as hands and feet, bound by love and strengthened by memories. A sister is both your mirror – and your opposite, a constant presence in the story of your life. - Elizabeth Fishel There is no love like the love for a brother. There is no love like the love from a brother. – Astrid Alauda Our siblings are our first friends, our fiercest rivals, and our most loyal supporters. The greatest gift our parents ever gave us was each other. Happy Raksha Bandhan to all brothers and sisters! Brothers and sisters may fight like cats and dogs, but they are the best of friends when the chips are down. A sister is a gift to the heart, a friend to the spirit, a golden thread to the meaning of life. – Isadora James <h2>5 WhatsApp Status for Raksha Bandhan 2024</h2><ul><li>Celebrating the bond of love and protection this Raksha Bandhan. Happy Rakhi to all brothers and sisters! #RakshaBandhan2024</li><li>No matter how far we are, our bond remains strong. Happy Raksha Bandhan to my beloved sibling! 🌟❤️ #SiblingLove</li><li>Tying the knot of protection and love. Happy Raksha Bandhan! #RakhiCelebration</li><li>Blessed to have a brother/sister like you. Wishing you a joyous Raksha Bandhan! #RakshaBandhanVibes</li><li>Raksha Bandhan: A day to celebrate the endless bond of love between siblings. Happy Rakhi! #SiblingGoals</li></ul><div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="112530289" title="Raksha Bandhan 2024: 5 fun sibling challenges" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>This Raksha Bandhan, express your feelings with these heartfelt wishes, memorable quotes, and touching WhatsApp statuses. Whether near or far, let your siblings know how much they mean to you. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/thelife/webstories/raksha-bandhan-2024-10-gifts-that-will-make-your-sister-feel-special/slidelist/112465765.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Raksha Bandhan 2024: 10 gifts that will make your sister feel special</a>

Raksha Bandhan 2024: Heartfelt wishes, quotes, and WhatsApp status

<keyword id="23283067" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Bhai-Dooj" source="keywords">Bhai Dooj</keyword> is being celebrated in the country today and the festival celebrates the special bond between a brother and a sister. The festival is celebrated with much enthusiasm after Diwali. On the special occasion today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended heartfelt greetings to the nation on Sunday, hoping that the occasion would strengthen the bond between brothers and sisters. The Prime Minister conveyed his message on the platform X, wishing for the deepening of affection among siblings across the country. "I wish all my countrymen a very Happy Bhai Dooj. I hope that this auspicious occasion deepens the affection between brothers and sisters," PM Modi wrote. Union Home Minister Amit Shah echoed similar sentiments, expressing his hope that Bhai Dooj would fill people’s lives with joy. He wrote, "May this sacred festival, symbolising love, dedication, and devotion, bring boundless happiness to all." Bhai Dooj is a day dedicated to the love between siblings, with sisters traditionally praying for their brothers' wellbeing by applying a ceremonial 'Tika' on their foreheads. This ritual is often accompanied by the exchange of sweets and gifts, symbolising mutual care and the strengthening of family bonds. This cherished festival is celebrated under various names in India. In North India, it’s known as Bhai Dooj, Bhau Bij, or Bhai Beej, while in Maharashtra, it goes by <keyword id="23761977" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bhai-Tika" source="keywords">Bhai Tika</keyword>. In Bengal, it’s observed as Bhai Phonta. The southern states, including Karnataka and Telangana, celebrate the day as Yama Dwitiya, recalling a tale where the goddess Yamuna welcomed her brother Yamraj to her home for a feast on this auspicious day of Kartik Dwitiya. Since then, the tradition has evolved, with sisters praying for their brothers’ long lives and brothers offering gifts in return. While Bhai Dooj and <keyword id="20225310" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Raksha-Bandhan" source="keywords">Raksha Bandhan</keyword> share similarities in celebrating sibling love, Bhai Dooj’s rituals differ slightly, as sisters do not tie a Rakhi thread as they do on Raksha Bandhan. Rooted in ancient Hindu texts, Bhai Dooj carries tales of eternal sibling love, including stories of Lord Krishna and Yamraj, making it a deeply revered celebration across India. (with ANI inputs)

Bhai Dooj 2024: PM Narendra Modi extends greetings on special occasion

<keyword id="19914403" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Shimla" source="keywords">Shimla</keyword>: A silent candle march was taken out at midnight on Monday by a group of people here at The Ridge to demand justice for the Kolkata doctor who was allegedly raped and murdered. Besides seeking capital punishment for the accused, the peaceful and symbolic demonstration aimed to raise awareness in society and reclaim public places. People from diverse backgrounds, under the banner of <keyword id="22844903" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Shimla-Collectives" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Shimla Collectives" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Shimla Collectives">Shimla Collectives</keyword>, came out with candles to demand "capital punishment for the accused, quick delivery of justice and martyr status for the victim". "Capital punishment and speedy justice are the only deterrent to crimes like rape. We are here at this hour to reclaim public places and make them safe for women irrespective of whether it is day or night," former deputy mayor of Shimla Municipal Corporation (SMC) Tikender Panwar told PTI. "It is not a crime against a doctor or a woman but a crime against humanity. Many people blame the victim's clothes as one of the reasons behind such brutal acts but in this case, a resident doctor was raped and murdered at her workplace," Swati Sharma, a doctor, said. "Are we safe at night, can I roam at night safely without causing concern to my parents, I do not think so and we want things to change this time," Saina Malhotra, who joined the candle march, said. "The march has been organised on the festival of <keyword id="20225310" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Raksha-Bandhan" source="keywords">Raksha Bandhan</keyword> when we tie a thread on the wrist of our brothers for protection. On this day, I would like to call upon all the men in the country to protect every woman because she is someone's sister and daughter, so respect every woman," she added. Umang, a sitting councillor of the SMC, said that the people have come with a hope that the mindset can be changed. "All of us are here at midnight to give a message that Shimla is still a place where women can move freely even at midnight and would request our brothers to support us to make our country safer for women," she said. Lalita Ahuja, an elderly woman, urged parents to inculcate good values in their children and said that it is now time to have rigid laws such as in Dubai to ensure the safety of women in the country. Besides justice, the demonstrators also sought "martyr status" for the victim who had worked 36 hours before the incident. On August 9, the body of the postgraduate trainee doctor was found in the seminar hall of the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. A civic volunteer was arrested in connection with the crime the next day. Later, the Calcutta High Court handed over the case to the CBI.

Midnight candle march taken out in Shimla demanding justice for Kolkata doctor

<keyword id="6385850" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="raksha-bandhan" source="Orion">Raksha Bandhan</keyword> is one of the most fervently celebrated events in most Indian families. The literal meaning of the term Raksha Bandhan is ‘protective bond’. During this occasion, brothers assure their protective roles in caring for their sisters. As a mark of respect and affection, sisters tie a colourful band around the wrists of their brothers. On this day, most brothers visit their sisters and give gifts to them. The 2023 calendar marks Raksha Bandhan on Wednesday, August 30. Here is a collection of some nice messages and wishes for your brother that you can share during Raksha Bandhan. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Raksha Bandhan messages for your loving brother" comment="subhead" text="Raksha Bandhan messages for your loving brother"><keyword id="6822014" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Raksha-Bandhan-messages" source="Orion">Raksha Bandhan messages</keyword> for your loving brother</cmsannotation> <keyword id="3026513" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="happy-raksha-bandhan" source="Orion">Happy Raksha Bandhan</keyword> to the world's best brother. Thanks Bhaiya for letting me do whatever I wanted to do. Thanks for giving me the freedom to pursue my dreams. You are the one who hides all my secrets and loves me as no one else does. Thanks for supporting me unconditionally and believing in me. I feel very blessed to have a brother like you. May this Rakhi bring lots of luck and love to you, my dear brother. May all your dreams come true! May God bless you with an abundance of success and good health! Wish you a very happy and prosperous Raksha Bandhan my dear brother. To have a wonderful brother is like having a true soul mate. Happy Raksha Bandhan my dearest brother! It is amazing that we get to grow up together. You are as sweet as sugar. You are the best friend and wonderful brother a sister can ask for. Thank you, brother, for showering your abundant love on me and supporting me always. On this precious occasion of Raksha Bandhan, I pray to God to bless you with a long life and good health. Happy RakshaBandhan to you dearest brother! Happy Raksha Bandhan brother!! I want to tell you that life would not be that beautiful if you were not a part of my life. You are too precious for me. I cannot think of living without you. You are my strength, support system and my love. May God bless you with a long and prosperous life! Thank you so much Bhai for making my life beautiful and for tolerating me. Once again a special thanks, for keeping all my secrets a secret. May our bond of love grow with each passing year! Glad to have you in my life. Wish you a very happy Raksha Bandhan dearest brother. Thanks for being the best secret keeper and an amazing buddy. You are the only person worldwide with whom I never thought twice to share all my good and bad things. I am blessed with an incredible brother from God who plays two roles in my life i.e. of a brother and friend. With you, I never felt the need for a friend. Thank you so much for playing multiple roles in my life and making this life worth living. Happy Rakhi brother! <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Raksha Bandhan wishes for brother" comment="subhead" text="Raksha Bandhan wishes for brother"><keyword id="3577991" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Raksha-Bandhan-wishes" source="Orion">Raksha Bandhan wishes</keyword> for brother</cmsannotation> My best wishes and lots of love to my dear brother. Happy Raksha Bandhan brother! Thanks for being the most amazing brother and my best friend. Thanks for always being my pillar of strength. I am very blessed to have a brother like you. Happy Raksha Bandhan! As long as you are by my side, I don’t need anyone else. Thank you so much, Bhai, for loving me, supporting me, guiding me and being as crazy as me. You’re the best brother a sister can ask for. Happy Rakhi Brother!! A very big thank you for being my companion, my protector and being equally weird with me. You are the best brother in this world. Happy Raksha Bandhan! You fight with me for the smallest things and tease me the most, but, I know you are the one who also loves me the most. I want to tell you, my brother, that I also love you the same way. Words will fall short to convey the extent of my love for you. I love you brother and happy Rakhi!! Happy Raksha Bandhan to my childhood leg-puller, my lovely brother, my guardian and the only person who knows me inside-out. Thanks for always being there. Happy Raksha Bandhan bro! Thank you for being the most wonderful brother. Happy Rakhi Bhaiya!! I pray for your happiness, prosperity, and long life, sweetest brother. Sending loads of love and best wishes. Happy Raksha Bandhan. You are a gem of my life. I just pray to God to give you a long life and abundant happiness. Thank you so much Bhai for letting me complete my dreams and supporting me throughout my struggle. I am very grateful to God for choosing me as your sister. You have always been my best friend, holding my hand, making sure the road I travelled on was free of obstacles. There cannot be a better brother than you in this whole world. Wishing you the best in life always. Happy Raksha Bandhan! You have always been my motivation making the impossible of things possible always. That's my bro, no less than a superman making paths smoother. I love you bro.

Raksha Bandhan 2023: messages and wishes for your brother

Year after year, <keyword id="6385850" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Raksha-Bandhan" source="Orion">Raksha Bandhan</keyword> is celebrated on the full moon day in the month of <keyword id="26736" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Shravan" source="Orion">Shravan</keyword> (July–August). This year, Raksha Bandhan will be celebrated on Wednesday, 30 August 2023. This is a day to celebrate the sacred bond that brothers and sisters share in Indian households. The term Raksha Bandhan translates as ‘Raksha’ meaning protection and ‘Bandhan’ meaning bond. During this ceremony, brothers visit their sisters — if they are living away from home — and assure their protection and care for them. Raksha Bandhan is one of the most enthusiastically celebrated events in many Indian families. Here is a collection of select <keyword id="6822014" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Raksha-Bandhan-messages" source="Orion">Raksha Bandhan messages</keyword> and wishes for your sister, which you can share with your beloved sister during the event. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Raksha Bandhan messages for sister" comment="subhead" text="Raksha Bandhan messages for sister">Raksha Bandhan messages for sister</cmsannotation> It is very difficult for me to express my love for you dear sister. On this special occasion, I just want to tell you sister that you are a world to me. I promise you that I will never leave your side and always be there for you whenever you will need me. Thank you for being the best sister in this world. One thing I never forget to pray to God is — to protect my sweet sister from all the evil and give her the world of happiness. Happy Raksha Bandhan! Dearest sister, First of all a very "Happy Raksha Bandhan". This Raksha Bandhan I promise I will always hold your back, whenever you turn back, you will always find me. Dear sister, on the day of Raksha Bandhan, I want to thank you for each and everything you did for me. You are a gift to my heart and friend to my spirit. Thanks for making life so beautiful. My little sister, I don't know how Life will take a turn, but I promise you the place you hold in my heart no one ever will replace. !!Happy Raksha Bandhan sis!! I feel proud to have a sister like you. Be the same strong-minded girl always!! Happy Raksha Bandhan! Dear sister, I will always tease you the most because I love you the most. Being around you is always fun and there is no dull moment with you. Happy Raksha Bandhan sister and one thing I never told you is that- I may search the world over, but there could not be a better sister than you. You are a gem of my life. Love you so much and I promise to protect you from every evil eye. I love you sister till death and will always be one call away in all your needs. Happy Raksha Bandhan! Hey sister!! I may be younger than you but strong enough to protect you from any evil. Happy Raksha Bandhan! <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Raksha Bandhan wishes for sister" comment="subhead" text="Raksha Bandhan wishes for sister"><keyword id="3577991" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Raksha-Bandhan-wishes" source="Orion">Raksha Bandhan wishes</keyword> for sister</cmsannotation> Sister, on this special day of Raksha Bandhan, I want to tell you that I will always hold your back. I feel blessed to have you in my life and you are a wonderful person. Sorry, I tease you the most because in this entire world, you are the one I love the most. I am giving you a promise that I will always love and protect you. You take my hand and lead me along paths I would not have dared explore alone. Thanks for all the adventures my lovely sister. Having a sister like you is like having a best friend in life! Let's promise to make more jovial memories together. Happy Raksha Bandhan lovely sis! You care for me like a mother. I respect and love you. Thanks for always pampering me and supporting me. No one can be like you, my darling sister. Wish you a very happy Raksha Bandhan dearest sister. The most amazing thing about having a sister is like having a best friend in life. Thank you for always being there for me Sis. Happy Rakhi! This holy thread you tie on my wrist will strengthen our bond more and fills my heart with more love for you. You are the best sis in the world! Happy Raksha Bandhan! You always fight with me that I don’t love you and always tease you a lot. But, my dear sister, on this auspicious occasion of Rakhi, I just want to say that I love you the most, my baby sister. Hey listen, it doesn’t mean that I will stop teasing you. Happy Rakhi sister! I wait for the day throughout the year to see you tie a Rakhi so religiously on my wrist and pray to God for my well-being. Sweetest Sis, I wish our bond grows stronger day by day. It was wonderful growing up with someone like you; someone to bank upon, someone to rely on... someone to tell everything! I love you dear sister… Happy Raksha Bandhan! Having a sister like you is such an awesome feeling. Sorry for not being with you this Raksha Bandhan but I promise I will compensate for this by giving you the most amazing gift like you. Happy Raksha Bandhan my sweet sister. You make this life beautiful for me. I promise to protect you from every evil eye and will support you in your every decision. I love you, my beautiful sister. Have the best day today and always.

Raksha Bandhan 2023: Warm messages and wishes for your sister

One of the warmest and strongest bonds within families are the ones shared between siblings. The bond between a brother and sister is one that holds the test of time. <keyword id="6385850" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Raksha-Bandhan">Raksha Bandhan</keyword> is a celebration of that sacred bond between a brother and sister. There are many legends on the origin of Raksha Bandhan. But the essence of this day, lies in the name itself - the bond of protection. On this day, sisters tie a ‘rakhi’ around their brothers’ wrists - as a token of their love and protection. And in return, the brothers shower them with gifts, sweets and money. Raksha Bandhan is also known as Rakhi Purnima, Saluno, and Rakri, and is celebrated every year on Purnima (full moon day) of Shravan month as per the Hindu calendar. This year, Raksha Bandhan will be celebrated on Monday, August 3, 2020. So on this special day, greet your sister or brother with a wonderful wish or message that will celebrate the special bond you both share. Here are a few <keyword id="6822586" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Raksha-bandhan-quotes">Raksha Bandhan quotes</keyword>, wishes and messages to choose from. <keyword id="6822014" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="raksha-bandhan-messages">Raksha Bandhan messages</keyword> and quotes to send a brother My darling brother, I know I fight with you a lot, but today, on this auspicious occasion of Raksha Bandhan, I just want to tell you that you are my world and being your sister is an honor for me. I know you will always be there for me. You are my best friend and the best gift I ever received! Happy Raksha Bandhan, brother! My dear brother, you are the reason for my smile. I thank the universe for choosing me as your sister. We often disagree, fight and argue. But that doesn’t change my love for you. Wishing you a Happy Raksha Bandhan, Bhai! We are not together on this Raksha Bandhan, but that doesn’t change my love for you. I promise to always take care of you and protect you. Happy Raksha Bandhan! You are the luckiest boy because you have a sister like me. Happy Raksha Bandhan bro! With a small hope that our love for each other never diminishes, I want to wish you a very Happy Raksha Bandhan! You are the best gift that I received from my parents. Love you so much brother! Happy Raksha Bandhan! Thank you for being my first best friend and guardian, brother. Happy Rakhi to you! Sending my best wishes and lots of love to you, dear brother. Happy Raksha Bandhan! Thanks for being an awesome brother, guide, and friend. I have the loveliest and sweetest brother in this world. Thanks for being the best one!! Happy Raksha Bandhan! I must have done something right that God blessed me with a brother like you. Happy Rakhi, Bhaiya! The one who is reading this message is very close to my heart and I love him the most. He is indeed you, my handsome brother. Happy Raksha Bandhan! You fight with me for the smallest things and tease me all the time. But, I know you are the one who also loves me the most. I want to tell you, my brother, that I also love you the same way. I love you, Bhai. Happy Raksha Bandhan! On this special day, I want to tell you that I will always be there for you. I feel blessed to have you in my life; you are such a wonderful person. I promise to always love and protect you. Happy Rakhi, Bhai! Happy Raksha Bandhan, my brother!!! This Raksha Bandhan, I promise you that whenever you need me in difficult times, I will always be there by your side to protect &amp; support you. I might not express my love for you often, but today on the occasion of Rakhi, I promise you that I’ll always be there for you. Happy Raksha Bandhan! This Raksha Bandhan, I pray to God to give my handsome brother good health, long life, the world of happiness, positivity, peace and all that he desires for. Happy Raksha Bandhan to my lovely brother!! Raksha Bandhan messages and quotes to send a sister This Rakhi, I wish our bond of love grows stronger with each passing year. Happy Raksha Bandhan! One thing I never forget to pray to God is – to protect my sweet sister from all the evil and fill her life with happiness. Happy Raksha Bandhan! We might be poles apart, but I respect and love you. Sending my love and best wishes on Rakhi today. Happy Raksha Bandhan! As the years go by, the love between a brother and sister multiplies with caring and sharing. Happy Raksha Bandhan! Missing the fights and enormous love that we shared in our childhood days. Happy Raksha Bandhan, sister! I don’t need anyone else, as long as you are by my side, sister. Thank you so much for loving me, supporting me, guiding me and being as crazy as me. You’re the best sister that a brother can ask for. Happy Raksha Bandhan! I feel proud to have a sister like you. Be the same strong-minded girl always!! Happy Raksha Bandhan! On the occasion of Rakhi, I want to send my love and best wishes to you. You have always been my best friend! Happy Raksha Bandhan, sister! Hey sister!! I may be younger than you but strong enough to protect you from any evil. Happy Raksha Bandhan! You make this life beautiful for me. I promise to protect you from every evil and will support you in every decision you make. I love you, my beautiful sister. Have the best day today and always! You are a gem; I just pray to God to give you long life and abundant happiness. Thank you so much (sister’s name) for loving and supporting me throughout. I am very grateful to God for having you as my sister. I have always confided in you, and you have always given me the freedom to do so many amazing things in my life. I wish our bond strengthens with each Rakhi. Happy Raksha Bandhan, sister! I am glad to receive the most precious gift from God - that is you, sister!! Loads of love &amp; Happy Raksha Bandhan! You care for me like a mother. I cannot thank you enough for loving, supporting, and pampering me even. No one can be like you, my darling sister. Wish you a very happy Raksha Bandhan, dearest sister. Your happiness is my world, my baby sister!! Happy Raksha Bandhan! Life is beautiful because of you, my darling sister. Happy Raksha Bandhan!

Raksha Bandhan messages, wishes and quotes you can share with your siblings

A resident of <keyword id="1158976" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Pipra-village" source="Orion">Pipra village</keyword> in Bihar's West Champaran district has taken a vow to remain unmarried for environmental protection, similar to '<keyword id="105415" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="bhishma" source="Orion">Bhishma</keyword>' in 'Dvapara yuga' (in Hinduism, an age believed to be the best of the four yugas) took a vow of lifelong celibacy for his father's happiness. <keyword id="4791527" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Gajendra-Yadav" source="Orion">Gajendra Yadav</keyword>, of Pipra village under Narwal Borwal Panchayat of Bagaha block, has planted about eight lakh saplings so far. Yadav considers the trees his family and celebrates major festivals such as Dussehra, Diwali and Raksha Bandhan with them. In a conversation with IANS, Yadav apprised that he is the eldest of four siblings and all of them are married. He said he gets worried if his trees are harmed. Yadav talked about how he was listening to the radio in his teens, wherein in a programme it was said that the environment would become unbalanced in the absence of trees, threatening all life on earth due to lack of oxygen. Yadav changed the course of his life after that episode and dedicated himself to protecting the environment. Marriage proposals started coming in for the modern day 'Bhishma' when he reached the suitable age, but Yadav stood firm on his ground and remained dedicated to his work. Yadav mentioned how he once met Vikas Vaibhav, an IPS officer who was posted in Bagaha as the Superintendent of Police. Yadav invited the SP to the banks of Semarkol Tirhut canal of the panchayat, which was known for being an area where crimes like rape, murder and theft were common. Vaibhav planted a mango tree in the area to spread the message of peace and harmony. Yadav said that his work intensified after getting inspired by this gesture and he now spends his entire day in serving the trees. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and former Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi honoured Yadav in Patna and were impressed by his commendable work and dedication towards tree plantation. Yadav apprised that he has been indulging in the work since 2003 and has planted about eight lakh saplings so far, most of which include Banyan, Peepal, Pakad and Neem as they provide shelter to birds and small animals, along with preventing soil erosion during floods. These trees live long and provide ample oxygen to humans. Yadav's use of empty spaces on embankments, canals, roads, school premises and outskirts of villages to plant trees has won him wide acclaim. He said that he prepares the saplings himself and has a team of 100 youths who help him in the process. Adding that, he keeps an eye out for woodcutters, who are mostly released by the police after they admit to their action. Yadav said that FIRs are registered against the ones who do not admit their mistake. While speaking of his upcoming plans, Yadav said that he would stick to his routine as long as his body allows him to. Sakina Khatoon, head of Narwal Borwal Panchayat, also praised Yadav's work and said that he is spreading the message of protecting the environment and motivating youths to do the same. She added that greenery could be seen everywhere in the village because of Yadav's efforts. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/meta-planning-a-fresh-round-of-layoffs-in-year-of-efficiency-says-a-financial-times-report/articleshow/97802692.cms">Meta planning a fresh round of layoffs in 'year of efficiency', says FT report</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/seventh-operation-dost-flight-reaches-earthquake-hit-syria-with-over-23-tons-of-relief-material/articleshow/97835516.cms">Seventh Operation Dost flight reaches earthquake-hit Syria with over 23 tons of relief material</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/thelife/news/chatgpt-wrote-6-love-letters-as-the-bard-chandler-bing-an-srk-fan-more-heres-what-it-missed/articleshow/97823242.cms">ChatGPT wrote 6 love letters as the Bard, Chandler Bing, an SRK fan &amp; more – here’s what it missed</a>

Staying single for a greener planet, Bihar's 'Bhishma' plants over 8 lakh trees

Amazon India on Friday announced that its smart assistant Alexa that completed one year of its existence is now available on both Android and iOS smartphones in the country. The customers can now interact with Alexa in Hindi using the Alexa app on their mobile devices. "In an effort to make Alexa in Hindi more useful for customers, we have added over 60 new features in the past year. These include improvements such as asking Alexa to whisper, adjust how fast or slow she speaks, and new experiences such as asking Alexa for health-related information, Hindi definitions of words in English, Audible Suno and so on," Puneesh Kumar, Country Leader for Alexa, Amazon India, told IANS. Many users are also purchasing Amazon Echo devices for their parents as they are more comfortable to speak to the devices in Hindi. "We will continue to make Alexa interactions in Hindi even more seamless and conversational. It is still Day 1," Kumar added. Amazon has also added six new Alexa original songs and poems, along with 20 new stories in Hindi. Alexa now has a special message for all users in India. Just ask "Alexa, hamari dosti par poem sunao". Alexa can now understand 50 different ways to play a particular song in Hindi. The Alexa Speech Science team has used the latest advances in deep neural networks, multi-dialect training, and semi-supervised learning to reduce Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) errors by more than 40 per cent since the launch of Hindi last year. The company said that Alexa is now equipped with hundreds of new words from the Hindi vocabulary, and is also able to understand different ways in which customers can ask for the same information. "Users of the Alexa in Hindi have a unique taste in music. In addition to asking for Bollywood music, they are most likely to ask for devotional and spiritual songs. We also noticed increased requests for songs related to festive occasions such as Raksha Bandhan songs or Chhath Puja," Kumar told IANS. At the launch last year, Amazon had over 500 Hindi skills. Today, it has over 1,000 Hindi Skills, including Audible Suno, Ramayan Katha, Devotional Stories by Hungama, Shilpa Shetty Yoga, Jungle Safari, Kabir's Dohe, Rekhta, Hindi Jokes and so on. Alexa in Hindi can be experienced on the entire Amazon Echo range of smart speakers, Alexa built-in devices by other brands, the company said. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/sports/news/dailyhunt-app-founders-confirm-ipl-2020-associate-sponsorship/articleshow/78169667.cms">EXCLUSIVE: Dailyhunt founders confirm IPL 2020 associate sponsorship — promise new release for Josh ahead of India’s biggest cricket tournament</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/markets/news/hcl-tech-enters-the-list-of-top-10-most-valued-companies-in-india/articleshow/78165311.cms">HCL Tech enters the list of top 10 most valued companies in India</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/space/news/first-intact-planet-found-circling-a-dead-star-this-jupiter-sized-anomaly-is-in-orbit-rather-than-being-pulled-apart-at-the-seams/articleshow/78166938.cms">First 'intact' planet found circling a dead star — this Jupiter-sized anomaly is in orbit rather than being pulled apart at the seams</a>

Amazon Alexa in Hindi comes to smartphones in India as it turns one

<ul><li>The business of love is booming. In India, after Diwali and Raksha Bandhan, Valentine’s Day is the most popular occasion where people exchange gifts. </li><li>However, the way millennials express their love is constantly evolving. <keyword id="5017121" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="sarvesh-shashi">Sarvesh Shashi</keyword>, Founder, <keyword id="103133" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sarva">Sarva</keyword> explores the changing concept of love in the era of dating apps. </li><li>He further pens down how marketers can take advantage of this occasion, which he says, is a virtual gold mine of opportunities to innovate. </li></ul>Love is timeless, demanding, exhilarating, in fact a multi-faceted kaleidoscope of emotions. It is a simple term that has the power to invoke complicated emotions. But in the era of Tinder, Bumble and other dating apps, love is also complicated. Today, the age-old concepts of love are slowly taking on newer avatars. And millennials are one of the primary drivers for this change. Adventurous and experiential by nature, they have the same sensibilities even when it comes to their relationships. Their approach to life involves living in the present and not being governed by anxieties over what may or may not materialize in the distant future. Compared to the previous generations which were hardier and practical, the millennials definitely value self-indulgence. They value space and independence which allows them to be themselves wholly, be it in the pursuit of their career, or cultivating hobbies and in relationships as well. Exhibiting extreme self-awareness around matters of health and well-being, for them the idea of love also includes loving and pampering oneself to feel good. The internet, smartphones and increasing connectivity have changed the entire paradigm of how love can be expressed. Valentine’s Day is the perfect example for this. And the business of love is booming, going by these statistics. In the US, the expenditure on Valentine’s Day in 2019, was a whopping $20.7 billion dollars, according to the National Retail Foundation.Even in India, after Diwali and Raksha Bandhan, Valentine’s Day is the most popular occasion where people exchange gifts. Traditionally, Valentine’s Day was known as a day where people in committed relationships celebrated their love. But the occasion is no longer the exclusive domain of couples alone. Today, anyone who has affection in their hearts for anyone else, ranging from friends, family members, teachers and classmates, to even pets can use this occasion to buy each other gifts or express their love with other gestures – why even buying gifts or taking care of yourself is love! All we need to do is to recognize, cherish, and share the feeling. While flowers, candy, jewelry and watches still remain popular choices to express affection, Valentine’s Day scope is broadening. Customers are buying gifts for a variety of people in their lives, and there are some innovative options for various age groups that are emerging. For marketers, this occasion is a virtual gold mine of opportunities to innovate and set themselves apart from the crowd. When the market is full of ‘seen that, done that before’ options, here are some ways in which you can set yourself apart in a cluttered marketplace. <ul><li>Give them options to go out together with loved ones, without overt romantic overtones, over a meal, or a movie, or a concert, since many who are single may not want to spend time along but in the company of friends or family. </li><li>You can’t really put a price on love. While jewelry and other expensive gifts are always welcomed, sometimes it is about the sentiment behind the gift rather than the price tag. And since the gift-giver may want to gift a number of other people, do include some affordable options as well. </li><li>Keep your online presence (campaigns, websites, social media) simple and clean so that the message is not lost amid heavy jargon or imagery. Also, ensure that your digital touchpoints are fast and optimized. </li><li>Young people are a leisure conscious lot who don’t mind investing in their own leisure. In fact, according to the RBI, the number of personal loans and credit cards applications from those the age group of 25-35 actually goes up around Valentine’s Day. So, customize vacation package deals and spa getaways accordingly. </li><li>Encourage more people to indulge in self-love over the long term by caring for their health and wellness. Memberships for yoga studios or gyms, or dance and hobby classes can thus be a great option. </li></ul>After all, by encouraging people to #ChooseLoveEveryday and reclaim the joy from small everyday gestures and activities, we are giving them a wonderful gift that lasts more than a day! - By Sarvesh Shashi, Founder, Sarva

Reinventing love in a cluttered market

<ul><li>With COVID, brands have shifted their marketing monnies to <keyword id="169310" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="digital-advertising">digital advertising</keyword>. </li><li><keyword id="160350" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sanjay-Mehta">Sanjay Mehta</keyword>, Joint CEO, <keyword id="3129634" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mirum">Mirum</keyword> writes why digital advertising will deliver you even better results this year.</li></ul>While digital advertising has been attractive and has been growing in terms of total marketing spends year after year, in particular this year in the COVID-hit world, digital advertising will deliver you even better results. Why so? Read on…. At the outset, let’s look at it from the consumer’s point of view. The kinds of words and sentences we have seen people use are some of the following – “For me just a couple of jeans and few T-shirts have been enough for all of these last 5 – 6 months.” Someone else has said, “ yes I have had a small salary cut but even my expenses have dramatically gone down, so in fact I have more savings in my account:” And more, “I used to spend a lot of money going out to eat or for my entertainment and such stuff, most of which have stopped in the last few months and so I find myself having good money in my bank even though I’ve been sitting at home”. These are the kind of messaging that you often hear from the people who have been largely working from home for the last 5 – 6 months. Yes there is boredom, yes there is a lot of frustration and yes, there is also an eagerness to get back to somewhat of the kind of life that everybody lived in the pre-COVID world. One way to “seem” like you are back in the pre-Covid times, is to shop as if you were! But with nowhere to go really, no big parties or weddings or such occasions, there is a sense of guilt in justifying unnecessary shopping. So we are at the point where the consumer WANTS to return to some pre-Covid normalcy, retail therapy will get her there, to an extent, but justifying that kind of shopping at a time, when there are no occasions for the same, becomes a challenge! This is where the alibi of the festive occasion comes in! Right from Raksha Bandhan and Ganesh Chaturthi onwards, India gets into 3 – 4 months of festivals, one after the other, every few weeks, including the biggest of them all which is Diwali. Traditionally these festivals have been a reason or an excuse to shop because you are going to meet a lot of people your friends, family, relatives and you are also vacationing etc. A lot of that lifestyle might not happen this year, you might not be able to visit many people’s home just yet, you might not be vacationing but the consumer with a pent-up demand and a sense of frustration at having been stuck at home, will find enough reason in the <keyword id="36208" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="festive-season">festive season</keyword> to justify a high amount of shopping, definitely much higher than the averages of last few months. The festival is just the right excuse. This is as far as the consumer is concerned. Now let us have a look from the brand’s point of view and the organisation’s point of view. Most of the brands have been subdued in their business over the last 5 -6 months. Thanks to COVID, initially there was a complete lockdown and factories were closed, the retail stores were closed and there was no sale. Slowly but surely, small amount of sales started happening, initially it was just eCommerce and then the stores started opening up, maybe for a limited number of hours and few days of the week, and of course, the factories also started resuming operations, in different parts of the country. Transportation and logistics also resumed. But the consumer demand did not really go up that much, so while the stores have been open, while the factories produced products, the sales had not had picked up that much and was still a trickle of the typical volumes that they usually see. All brands have therefore been eager to get back to selling more, eager to compensate for the last few months in terms of getting back to desired volumes of sale. Festive season and Diwali provide just the right antidote for them as well. Combined with the earlier mentioned pent-up demand of the consumers and their eagerness to shop now with the festive season as just the right alibi to do so, the opportunity of a sudden sharp increase of demand in most categories, is bound to happen. In such a scenario it is the brands who are able to make the most of this increased demand, who will be the winners! So here is a classic case wherein, on one side we will have an eager customer wanting to shop and finding the festive times as just the right alibi to do so, and on the other hand, the aggressive brands who are willing to go and grab the biggest market share of this pent-up demand. All brands will not have the same fortunes, as it will be the braver brands, the more aggressive brands who will make the most of the opportunity, and get the largest market share. So if you want to be amongst the winning brands who will grab the best of the market share in this festive season, what should you be doing? Well marketing is always the way to acquire the largest market share but in particular what kind of marketing should you be doing? Especially in a year where your fortunes could have been hit due to 4 -5 months of extremely low sales? Whether you are a marketeer or a CFO or a CEO, you key objective would be to spend money which can deliver the best ROI. It may not be the best year to experiment and splurge into large brand building budgets on television and print simply because of the fact that the lack of measurability around that does not give you the liberty to splurge and just hope that it will convert. On the other hand Digital Advertising is just perfect for this festive season. On the one hand we have seen significantly increased online time spends by the consumer, thanks to being at home watching a lot of OTT, following a lot of websites, ordering online, all of this behaviour have sharply seen an upward move. So on one side the consumer is spending a lot more time on Internet screens and on the other hand, digital advertising also provides extremely good measurability so that you can plan the spends in keeping with the returns that you get in terms of conversions. Due to these reasons digital advertising should make for the most potent weapon for a marketeer, especially in this festive season of the COVID year. The recommendation then, would be to be aggressively prepared with a good digital advertising budget but aimed in a very focused manner to achieving ROI, to having measurable impact from your spends on actual sales, and keep spending more to the extent you see the ROI maintain. If you are able to do so, you should be able to achieve excellent impact for your money spent and be one of the highest beneficiaries is terms of getting the best market share coming out of the pent-up demand of the consumer. While physical stores have opened to a fair extent, not everybody is comfortable to go and spend time in the malls and the crowded stores just yet. The COVID cases in India have particularly not slowed down, and in fact they continue to rise. So the pent-up demand of the consumer is far more likely to be met through online shopping rather than walking into physical stores. So ensure that you have a strong online sales set up in place. So this festive season get ready with a healthy ammunition of budgets for your digital advertising efforts, and if done well, you should see fantastic results and great ROI as well.

Digital advertising will deliver mega results for brands this festive season

<ul><li>The sluggish two quarters of this fiscal and dull results of auto, FMCG, real estate, apparel, telecom indicate that the upcoming <keyword id="36208" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="festive-season">festive season</keyword> will not bring profitability. </li><li>However, the first half of the year was unusual, unprecedented that the ad industry took a nosedive to as low as -60%. </li><li>Experts are hopeful that the festive season will bring in cheer and serve as a respite from the pandemic-associated slumber. </li></ul>This year, Diwali or Ganapati won’t be about bursting crackers on the street and meeting family to exchange sweets. It will be all virtual, about being there for each other in tough times and celebrating small victories. This festive season, like this year, is unusual, which has made many marketers rethink their strategies and understand consumer behaviour closely to come up with out-of-box solutions. The progress of advertising industry has always been in tandem to consumer sentiment and about 40-45% of the annual ad spends in India happen between Raksha Bandhan and New Year. This year, when ad revenue had reached as low as -60% in April, a lot of hopes are banking on the festive season for industry’s overall revival. In many ways, advertising is a lag and lead indicator for our country -- if the country's GDP is growing at 8%, advertising grows at 12%. If GDP falls, ad revenue falls even lower. With a steady monsoon and plump harvest so far, experts are hopeful that the festive season will bring cheer for the industry. It will help the ad world bounce back to normalcy. <keyword id="248051" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ashish-Bhasin">Ashish Bhasin</keyword>, CEO - APAC and Chairman India, Dentsu Aegis Network Asia said, “In the month of April, we were -60%. I think we will end this calendar year at probably around -15 to -20% decline in the advertising market, which means the second half will have to do better than the first half. It may not be as good as last year, which in itself wasn’t a great period, however it will start improving and coming closer. Monsoon season is looking good, so our rural economy should do well. For many categories now there is saturation in terms of penetration at least in metros, so a lot of growth will come from Tier II, III and rural areas. So if the rains continue and we have a good harvest, there will be more money in the pockets of the rural consumers and that will help the demand. With the advent of the festive season, hopefully, COVID cycle goes down by that time, coupled with a good harvest, demand going up and sentiment improving, I think by around Diwali we will see some signs of normality returning.” Priti Murthy, CEO, OMD India said, “The festive season will bring in cheer and serve as a respite from the pandemic-associated slumber. Our recently conducted survey states how the general news consumption has significantly increased during the lockdown period. With an increase in music streaming, online games, and cooking shows, and re-runs of popular shows from the 80’s &amp; 90’s making a comeback, the ad revenue cycle is all geared up during the festive season.” This Indian festive season is coupled with IPL, which is a gigantic festival in itself that drives advertising industry’s revenue and holds the power to alter market sentiment. While sans-Vivo, OOH and no activitations, Navin Khemka, CEO, MediaCom South Asia still believes IPL will help put ad industry back to 2019’s growth trajectory. “Given that IPL is confirmed, we can expect this year's festival season to be equal to 2019. Last year, the last quarter was approx. Rs 24,000 crore and this year we expect the number to remain constant,” said he. Digital taking the bigger chunk of the pie With the lockdown in Mumbai, which is the creative hub and houses many Indian agencies, Sandeep Sreekumar, Managing Director, Media Moments is looking forward to seeing some creative storytelling made from the inside of four walls on digital mediums this year. "We feel this new phase will bring in new opportunities for the brands to showcase exceptional creativity and storytelling by integrating messages like social distancing, and work from home into their ads.” Sreekumar thinks digital will lead the game as advertisers have been shifting their monies from traditional to virtual platforms. “Digital platforms like Instagram Shop along with other channels including Facebook, Google and OTT platforms are likely to garner the advertiser’s attention across categories which will eventually lead to a significant upsurge in the digital ad revenue. Though, the consumer might still be a little skeptical about spending, the arrival of festivals and the announcement of IPL are likely to change their mindset for the better. We are excited to witness the trends unfold and see the new normal for the advertising industry that will lend an engaging experience to the customers through wit, humour and emotions,” said Sreekumar. Murthy is hoping that print will also see an increase in advertisers’ volume this festive season. “Digital and Print will definitely see an influx during the festive period, and OTT will be the new arena that will see more brands coming in. Also, TV will witness a spike due to IPL being held at the same time.” Khemka pointed out that brands will not go too big on media spendings as they have become cautious of what they are spending on. He said, “Due to the pandemic, TV &amp; Digital will be the biggest gainers. They will grow at the expense of the other mediums. There is cautious optimism with brands. Given the state wise lockdown is affecting sentiment, brands will be cautious before they commit big monies on media.” Auto industry, e-commerce and other virtual brands to lead the growth Experts opined that auto will see a boom because consumers are now avoiding public transport. Other categories that popped up in our discussion were EduTech, E-commerce and OTT. “Auto is likely to bounce back because people are looking for private transportation. E-commerce, EduTech, telecommunications will all bounce back first because data consumption has gone up but the market has been pretty depressed for them also. So hopefully that will pick up. FMCG demand is quite stable, one category that continued to advertise despite the lockdown because they were under the essential category, they will be steady. Once the feel-good factor starts, entertainment will start coming back. Film, digital and TV production starts, they will come back. Real estate will continue seeing a slump unless there is a big economic pick-up. So overall, it will be a mixed bag,” said Bhasin. Murthy also shared her optimism about spends from the auto and IT industry. “Auto has already begun seeing this trend as personal mobility is a higher need in the COVID and post-COVID era. Seeking a digitally enhanced and technologically superior experience across business verticals, IT is an area that showcases an enormous potential, too. Additionally, OTT platforms are also slated to bounce back with all their diverse content.” Consumers to continue being wary about their spendings With the economic downturn and uncertainty still looming around, consumer sentiment might suffer this festive season. Sharing what consumers are likely to spend on, Khemka said, “Given the pandemic I think the consumer has now become more rational. They are spending more on technology, equipment, health &amp; immunity boosters on one hand. However, they have also become cautious on discretionary expenses that can wait for some more time given the tough economic scenario. Also, the list of essentials and non-essentials is being redefined. Murthy said that the trends so far have only indicated that consumer sentiment is improving, which is more likely to continue growing during festive. “According to our OMG study, an average daily time spent across OTT platforms is over 95 minutes. Besides, online video and social media have emerged as the top entertainment mediums among Indians, allowing for a great scope of ad spend to be incorporated. It’s definitely an optimistic picture,” said Murthy.

A lot of hope rests on the festive season this year, but will it bring cheer?

<ul><li><keyword id="527314" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="snacking" source="Orion">Snacking</keyword> has become an important part of our work-from-home routine and many FMCG brands have witnessed an uptick in packaged food products like biscuits, cookies and chips.</li><li>We speak to <keyword id="12061512" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="shailja-joshi" source="Orion">Shailja Joshi</keyword>, Associate Director, <keyword id="206441" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="potato-chips" source="Orion">Potato Chips</keyword> Category, <keyword id="110163" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="pepsico-india" source="Orion">PepsiCo India</keyword> to understand how the last 1.5 years have been for the brand, what kind of trends it has witnessed and how it is pivoting its strategies to meet its consumers' rapidly evolving needs and preferences.</li></ul>The pandemic has brought about a huge change in the way we live, work, or even snack. While stuck at home, the time we spend with our families have become important. And snacking has become an important part of that time spent at home. There has been a visible increase in in-house consumption of processed and packaged foods including biscuits to chips, anything that people could munch on while working from home, playing board games or simply while Netflix and chilling. In fact, it is not just consumers from metros or Tier II and III cities who started snacking more, even rural consumers are riding on the trend, according to reports. <keyword id="54572" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="pepsico" source="Orion">PepsiCo</keyword>’s Lay’s is a product that is almost synonymous with the chips category in India. Over the last few years, Lay’s has been focusing a lot on localization to continue to stay relevant for the Indian consumers. The way it reaches out to its consumers has also evolved. The brand which gives a lot of importance to social listening recently launched special ‘@ Home’ packs based on the insight that people were snacking more at home. A lot of its strategies are paying off too as PepsiCo reported double-digit growth in India in Q2 despite the second wave of the pandemic. PepsiCo's reported that its snacks unit volume reported double-digit growth in India and Pakistan. We recently spoke to Shailja Joshi, Associate Director, Potato Chips Category, PepsiCo India to understand how the last 1.5 years have been for the brand, what kind of trends it has witnessed and how it is pivoting its strategies to meet the requirements of rapidly evolving consumer preferences. Excerpts: Q) Walk me through the last 1.5 years. How have things been for brand <keyword id="1380276" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="lays" source="Orion">Lay's</keyword>? Over the last 1.5 years, we witnessed a paradigm shift in the business landscape. The exceptional times gave birth to a new reality – new behaviors emerged, consumption patterns evolved, and brands had to re-think and re-evaluate strategies to adapt to consumer disposition. In the last year, in-home consumption grew as ‘home’ became the new social hub; affordability and accessibility became key factors for consumer decisions across categories; and consumers started choosing brands which rose to the occasion at hand. Our strategy for Lay’s over these past months was guided by three key consumer truths–firstly, consumers were becoming increasingly value-conscious; secondly, they were seeking innovative brand offerings that were in line with their evolving preferences; and lastly, they were gravitating towards brands that were willing to ‘Solve, Not Sell’ and lead with purpose in these challenging times. We pivoted our plans and worked towards bringing joy as well as value to our consumers. These insights formed the foundation for all our campaigns in the recent months, including – <ul><li>Lay’s Heartwork campaign, wherein we extended support to the community by creating a narrative of gratitude.</li><li>The PepsiCo India x Airtel Promo, wherein we leveraged data as the key currency to deliver value. </li><li>#YehWaalaYaadRahega campaign, wherein we introduced new, limited-time offerings - Lay’s Herby Crush and Lay’s Cheesy Love – which were formulated basis consumers’ flavour preferences.</li></ul>All in all, it’s been an eventful year for the brand – complete with distinct offerings and innovative campaigns that were loved by consumers. Q) Being locked at home made all of us snack more. How did you capitalize on this trend? As people continue to remain indoors in light of the ongoing times, there has certainly been an uptick in at-home consumption. Robust and in-depth research showed us that with increased time spent at home, as work-from-home, celebrations and entertainment move indoors - such as friends’ get-togethers, movie watching and other occasions -there has been a surge in consumer demand for large packs. In line with this insight, we introduced the new, large-sized Lay’s ‘@ Home’ packs to be the perfect companions for our consumers in all their experiences ‘at home’– be it work or leisure. We leveraged four distinct moments that consumers are experiencing at home –including ‘Work At Home’, ‘Movie Watching At Home’, ‘Adda At Home’ and ‘Weekend Outing At Home’ – and curated a pack for each occasion. These packs have been strategically launched in larger sizes (priced at INR 50 and INR 85) to encourage sharing amidst at-home celebrations. Going forward as well, we feel that consumers will continue to seek the company of their favourite snacks, resulting in a continued upsurge for in-home demand, especially as they stay indoors or work from home in these challenging times. Q) What is Lay's current brand proposition? Lay’s believes in filling the world with joy for one and all. The brand celebrates the joy that is unlocked when friends and dear ones come together over their much-loved packs of Lay’s. This proposition is the common theme that runs across our recent campaigns – including ‘Lay’s Khol’ for our partnership with Airtel, ‘What’s Your RelationCHIP Status’ for the launch of Lay’s Herby Crush and Lay’s Cheesy Love, and most recently, ‘Ghar Par Lay’s, Always!’ for the introduction of our new, large-sized ‘@ Home’ packs. Q) How has your messaging evolved over the years? Since it is a product that appeals to all age groups, how do you make your communications relevant for this wide spectrum of audience too? Since its launch in 1995, Lay’s has established itself as a youth-centric brand that is widely-loved across the nation for its irresistible taste and unique flavours. ‘Irresistibility’ continues to be the functional benefit that we dial up in all our innovations. Our campaigns over the years have aimed at amplifying the emotional attributes of the brand via a strong storytelling approach. As consumers showered the brand with love for its distinct, delicious flavours, Lay’s also established itself as a popular name in every Indian household through campaigns and taglines that created an emotional connect such as ‘No One Can Eat Just One’, ‘What’s The Program?’, ‘Fight For Your Flavour’, and ‘Dilogical’. More recently as well, with campaigns like ‘Smile Deke Dekho’ and ‘Heartwork’, our attempt was to share the Lay’s story with consumers through all relevant touchpoints and thereby, humanize the brand in the process. Lay’s is a brand that is loved and consumed by people across age groups, however, at the heart of our brand strategy is a youth-centric and trendy brand. Q) Chips as a category is a very physical product, something that people would pick up when they see them stacked on shelves in shops/malls. How have you then made yourself attractive for consumers even on digital platforms, to make sure Lay's became a part of all shopping baskets? The recent times have brought about a significant change in consumer buying behaviour – a large section of consumers are now making a significant amount of purchases online, and we foresee this as a change that is here to stay. With this shift towards e-commerce and digital purchasing, the phenomenon of ‘Zero Moment of Truth’ becomes even more critical for brands –pushing marketers to think of innovative ways to make all key information about their products easily accessible and attractive for the digital consumer. For us, our packs are the primary consumer touchpoint and hence, our biggest asset. We have been experimenting with unique packs innovations – placing them at the heart of all our recent campaigns and communications. Right from the Lay’s Smile packs in 2019 and Lay’s ‘@ Home’ packs in 2021, to special digital packs for Lay’s Heartwork and Lay’s Khol in 2020, we have leveraged our packaging as a medium to communicate with our audience and thereby, forge a connection with them beyond the shelf. While digital penetration has gone up and consumers continue to look for products that are readily available, they also seek great quality and value in their purchases. This places the spotlight on e-commerce platforms, where we have adapted our play according to these consumer needs. For instance, with our partners on e-commerce such as Grofers, Big Basket, etc, we have not just invested to be present in the D2C channels, but have also strengthened our presence – in terms of assortment and visibility. Q) With more and more people moving towards healthy products, how are you making your products more relevant for the health-conscious? Lockdown and its implications placed consumers in situations that they had never seen before – inducing numerous changes in their lifestyles. Amongst these many changes were increased consumer awareness and a growing preference to switch to a healthier lifestyle. At PepsiCo India, we continue to stand committed to constantly transforming our product portfolio by introducing healthier choices, thereby, catering to our consumers who are on different stages of their health and nutrition journeys. We are also innovating and growing our nutrition portfolio to address consumers’ needs. We are targeting the breakfast and in between meals needs through our Tropicana and <keyword id="302586" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="quaker" source="Orion">Quaker</keyword> portfolio. Within these, we are innovating with local flavours to make the products more palatable for Indian consumers. Q) Which marketing mediums are the most important for Lay's? How important is UGC for you, since we have seen Lay's being a part of a lot of work done by content creators, a lot of which is done organically. As per a recent report by leading social media management platform, Hootsuite, there continues to be a rapid increase in digital adoption, with the number of social media users globally fast approaching another impressive milestone. Keeping in mind how consumers today are exploring digital and social media as their sources of both - entertainment and information, we have been maintaining a strong focus on digital media as a key marketing platform for Lay’s. Our focus is on understanding where consumers are and what they are seeking through active social listening. We follow this up by creating insight-driven strategies that are structured to deliver social impact. For instance, moment marketing is big for us, as we view it as an opportunity to facilitate continued and relevant dialogues with our consumers online. Some recent examples are our creative posts for Raksha Bandhan, Independence Day, Eid and World Emoji Day. Additionally, we also focus on leveraging trending, innovative formats. Lay’s was amongst the first brands to use Instagram Reels, and we recently launched an AR filter as part of Lay’s ‘What’s Your RelationCHIP Status’ campaign around Valentine's Day. Following the recent expansion of the influencer marketing industry in India, Lay’s is also amongst the leading brands to have worked extensively with content creators – including celebrities, macro as well as micro influencers. Post the success of our influencer engagement during the Lay’s Smile Deke Dekho campaign, we have created an army of content creators, whom we call ‘Friends of Lay’s’. These are bloggers and influencers who share a deep affinity for the brand, and we make sure that we connect with them as part of all our campaigns. This collaborative approach has resulted in brand Lay’s engaging with more than 4000 micro influencers over the last 2 years, resulting in incremental organic reach and conversations for the brand across social media platforms. Q) How important has localization been for Lay's? We strongly believe that India is not one, but is instead made up of ‘many Indias’ coming together – each part having its own unique culture and taste palate. As one of the most loved snack brands in the country, Lay’s has been focused on curating offerings that suit this wide array of flavour palates that exist at every few kilometers in India. A recent example of our localization strategy is the introduction of Lay’s Wafer Style for the South Indian market. Taking cue from the traditional hand-made and home-dried pappadams that are relished as part of every traditional South Indian meal, we launched Lay’s Wafer Style in ‘Salt with Pepper’ and ‘Sundried Chilli’ flavours, with the aim of tapping into this ritual that is unique to the Southern part of the country. Introduced as the perfect meal accompaniment for traditional South Indian dishes (such as sambhar rice, rasam rice, dal rice, curd rice, lemon rice, etc.),the product received an overwhelming response from our fans across Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Karnataka and Kerala. The focus on localization also reflects in our media strategy, as we continue advertising to our consumers in local languages, maintaining a connect with consumers across multiple regions. Going forward as well, we stand committed to the idea of strengthening brand Lay’s through both, relevance and distinction, by taking more familiar and local flavours to our consumers across India, whilst communicating with them in their native languages.

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