Surajeet Das Gupta &Amp; Ishita Ayan Dutt

Stories by Surajeet Das Gupta &Amp; Ishita Ayan Dutt

E-scooter growth stagnates after meteoric rise

E-scooter growth stagnates after meteoric rise

Rediff.com   9 Jun 2022

Electric scooter registrations of eight companies which represent 95 per cent of the market have seen a sharp fall of over 24 per cent in May. They have registered 32,680 electric scooters against 43,098 in April according to VAHAN data from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways available till the evening of 31 May. Auto analysts say the fall is a reflection of the initial pent up demand in the market for such vehicles,which was evinced in huge bookings, being met.

5G Phones May Cost Rs 10,000 By 2024

5G Phones May Cost Rs 10,000 By 2024

Rediff.com   4 Jun 2022

The chipset accounts for over 25%-30% of the cost of an average smart phone. Hence, a reduction in its price, device makers say, will make a huge difference to the cost of a phone.

Elon Musk's troubled tryst with India: Tesla, Starlink in limbo for over a year

Elon Musk's troubled tryst with India: Tesla, Starlink in limbo for over a year

Rediff.com   30 May 2022

Recently, world headlines buzzed with Elon Musk's announcement that he was shelving his audacious bid for social media platform Twitter. Away from the media spotlight, questions are being asked about the maverick billionaire's plans in India, too. A few days ago, a Reuters report said Musk's flagship Tesla had put on hold its plan to launch electric cars in India.

Hindustan Motors plots a comeback; talks on for JV with European co for EVs

Hindustan Motors plots a comeback; talks on for JV with European co for EVs

Rediff.com   25 May 2022

The country's first ever carmaker, Hindustan Motors, is looking at a second coming. Talks are on for a joint venture with a European auto company focused on the electric vehicle (EV) space. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been signed and due diligence is expected to start shortly and will take 2-3 months to conclude.

'5G services likely in 50 top cities by March 2023'

'5G services likely in 50 top cities by March 2023'

Rediff.com   19 May 2022

Telecom gear makers, who are in talks with telcos, say that if all goes well, they are ready to roll out the first phase of 5G services from October this year and cover the country's top 30-50 cities (in limited areas) by March 2023. The gear makers expect the telecom companies to give them a heads-up about their plans as well as the equipment required by July, and have promised deployment in three to four months after that. India's main telecom gear suppliers are Nokia, Ericsson and Samsung.

Now, Godrej locks its history in Amar Chitra Katha

Now, Godrej locks its history in Amar Chitra Katha

Rediff.com   15 May 2022

It is not the first time the history of the Godrej family is being written. In its centenary year in 1997, film journalist and former editor of Filmfare and Screen B K Karanjia had, at the behest of the industrial family, penned a voluminous two-part history, tracing their trials and tribulations since 1897. So, what made the family want to tell its story again 25 years later? And not through another book, but through a completely different medium?

FMCG companies' stand against paper straws fizzles out

FMCG companies' stand against paper straws fizzles out

Rediff.com   12 May 2022

The six billion plastic straws sold with every small tetra pack of juice, milk, lassi, coffee and other drinks can be replaced by paper straws to protect the environment but it will have to be done in phases. That was the message of the presentation made by FMCG companies using small tetra packs last week by their body, the Action Alliance for Recycling Beverage Cartons. The association told the Environment Ministry that companies need 18 months from the ministry's deadline of July 1 - when the ban on the use of single plastics for straws, plates and spoons comes into effect - to make the transition.

E-scooter sales slow down as global chip shortage woes continue

E-scooter sales slow down as global chip shortage woes continue

Rediff.com   9 May 2022

The electric scooter juggernaut which has been picking up momentum with heady growth month-on-month is now slowing down. The combined number of registrations in April of eight electric two wheeler companies has seen a dip of over 1 per cent to 43,061 vehicles, according to data from the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways' site VAHAN. The reasons are the continuing shortage of chips, especially after the Ukraine-Russia war, and the spate of fires which have led to scooters being recalled by manufacturers.

How Eveready is trying to regain its mojo

How Eveready is trying to regain its mojo

Rediff.com   8 May 2022

Over the past decade, a change in consumer choice swept through the battery industry - the walkman lost its mojo, smartphones took over cameras and batteries were tucked away in remotes and wall clocks that hardly needed frequent call-ups. The result: Brand Eveready lost mind space. And the company's attempt to stick to the on-ground marketing activities didn't quite help. But Eveready, now at the cusp of change, is putting things right - a new Give Me Red television commercial has been launched after a gap of 7 years featuring an empowered bride ski-diving to her wedding venue. The creative, according to Eveready sources, is in sync with the brand doctrine.

Why did ED freeze Amway's Rs 757 crore?

Why did ED freeze Amway's Rs 757 crore?

Rediff.com   6 May 2022

Amway maintains the action was related to a case in 2011 and it has been cooperating with the investigative agency.

Bengal foundry units impacted by Ukraine war as input prices soar

Bengal foundry units impacted by Ukraine war as input prices soar

Rediff.com   28 Apr 2022

After the Ukraine war, coke prices just soared and most units don't have money left to buy raw material. Customers are not absorbing the price escalation'

Why Amway India has failed to meet targets

Why Amway India has failed to meet targets

Rediff.com   27 Apr 2022

In 2013, weeks after getting bail in a case of alleged cheating in Kerala, Amway India's then managing director, William Scott Pinckney, declared that the company was aiming to hit revenues of Rs 10,000 crore in India in a decade. Fast forward to 2021, and Milind Pant, Amway's global CEO, announced that the company has designated India as one among the top three markets for growth and investment (after US and China), and is now looking at hitting revenues of Rs 20,000 crore over the long term.

Indian tea companies smell opportunity as Sri Lanka crisis brews

Indian tea companies smell opportunity as Sri Lanka crisis brews

Rediff.com   26 Apr 2022

As the economic crisis in Sri Lanka - the world's largest exporter of orthodox tea - continues to rage across the island nation, tea producers in India look to cash in on the opportunity to seize the market. The country's largest tea growing company, McLeod Russel India, expects orders to come in from July. "A huge opportunity is coming up for everyone in India. "McLeod Russel is well placed because we have the capacity for orthodox tea," said Azam Monem, director, McLeod Russel. About 10 per cent of McLeod's production is orthodox tea.

Electric three-wheeler market: Can Bajaj Auto storm in and become king?

Electric three-wheeler market: Can Bajaj Auto storm in and become king?

Rediff.com   20 Apr 2022

In a fragmented electric three-wheeler market where no company has more than a 10 per cent share, leave alone a dominant presence, can Bajaj Auto storm in and become king? The company is set to launch its range of electric auto rickshaws in June and hopes to replicate its success in ICE three-wheelers where it is the undisputed market leader with a 63 per cent market share. Can it be crowned king of the electric three-wheeler market too? Overall, electric sale volumes are growing at breakneck speed.

How Mamata can woo big-ticket projects to Bengal

How Mamata can woo big-ticket projects to Bengal

Rediff.com   11 Apr 2022

The words 'industry', 'industrial development', 'jobs', and 'employment' have been ringing with higher frequency since Mamata Banerjee stepped into her third term with landslide victory after a high-octane election last year. "Our government's next target is industrial development," the chief minister (CM) had been heard stating at different public meetings in the past few months - perhaps setting the tone for the sixth edition of the Bengal Global Business Summit (BGBS) slated for later this month. Investor summits by any state are about intent, big numbers, and tall claims. Yet in competitive federalism, its importance as a marketing tool is undeniable.

Steel prices soar over mounting raw material costs

Steel prices soar over mounting raw material costs

Rediff.com   6 Apr 2022

Raw material prices had been on the rise, but since Russia waged war on Ukraine, prices have surged.

IPL rights base price doubles to Rs 32,890 crore in five years

IPL rights base price doubles to Rs 32,890 crore in five years

Rediff.com   1 Apr 2022

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has pegged the base price for the combined IPL media rights at Rs 32,890 crore, nearly double the Rs 16,347 that Star Disney paid five years ago. Experts say that at these levels, there does not seem to be any profit-and-loss logic at play. It is more about what premium broadcasting companies are ready to spend for market share dominance. They point out that due to competition, they expect the final price to hit Rs 40,000-50,000 crore.

Will 5G turn the tables for India's telecom companies?

Will 5G turn the tables for India's telecom companies?

Rediff.com   30 Mar 2022

Consumers can expect a 5G launch in the country soon. Telecom companies (telcos) say if auctions take place on time - the target is July - they would be able to offer some services in a few cities by the end of this year and a full roll-out from 2023. But the question is: will 5G turn the tables for telcos financially? Will average revenue per user (ARPU) improve? Will mobile consumers upgrade to 5G quickly and pay more? Will the expanded functions that 5G enables drum up sufficient revenues? In simple terms, will telcos make more money?

E-com platform Shopee shuts India operations

E-com platform Shopee shuts India operations

Rediff.com   29 Mar 2022

Singapore-based e-commerce platform Shopee - that launched in India only in December 2021 - has decided to close operations in the country. The official reason given by Shopee, which is controlled by NYSE-listed Sea Ltd, is changing global sentiments. In a statement, it said, "In view of the global market uncertainties, we have decided to close risks of our early-stage Shopee India initiative." The e-commerce platform has been hit by growing opposition from trade associations led by Praveen Khandelwal as well as homegrown social commerce start-ups.

Ukraine war impact: Steel producers feel a new pinch in India

Ukraine war impact: Steel producers feel a new pinch in India

Rediff.com   25 Mar 2022

Russia's war on Ukraine has sent steel prices soaring to its highest levels in the domestic market since November 2021. But there is little cheer in the industry. That's because input costs are spiralling out of control, leaving the big boys nearly as high and dry as the small, medium and secondary steel producers. Russia and Ukraine are major providers of steel and raw materials to the world.