Surajeet Das Gupta, Ishita Ayan Dutt

Stories by Surajeet Das Gupta, Ishita Ayan Dutt

Covid-19 pandemic was a boon for online biz

Covid-19 pandemic was a boon for online biz

Rediff.com   17 Nov 2020

Education technology, grocery, fashion, food delivery and UPI payments surpassed volumes or revenues of February, in the September-October period.

ITC launches 70 products in non-cigarettes FMCG space

ITC launches 70 products in non-cigarettes FMCG space

Rediff.com   10 Nov 2020

The 70 launches were made in the first half of the financial year alone and were mostly focused on hygiene, health & wellness, naturals and convenience, which were in high demand as Covid -19 raged across the world.

Food focus keeps PepsiCo going, but Coke struggles amid pandemic

Food focus keeps PepsiCo going, but Coke struggles amid pandemic

Rediff.com   5 Nov 2020

The good news for PepsiCo is that the foods segment has normalised much faster to pre-pandemic levels than beverages.

Airtel overtakes Jio for first time in new 4G subscriptions

Airtel overtakes Jio for first time in new 4G subscriptions

Rediff.com   2 Nov 2020

Analysts say that Jio's substantial slowing down in net additions is possibly because the company has dramatically reduced its bundled 4G feature phone offering, which contributed an average 30-40 per cent of its net additions.

Covid has taken sheen off India's most exclusive clubs

Covid has taken sheen off India's most exclusive clubs

Rediff.com   28 Oct 2020

Few of these highly sought-after socialising and networking hubs are seeing much activity as regulars are missing in action.

Subhash Chandra's net worth sinks below Rs 10 crore amid deluge of debt

Subhash Chandra's net worth sinks below Rs 10 crore amid deluge of debt

Rediff.com   28 Oct 2020

The reduction in value of Chandra's assets comes close on the heels of the group's debt burgeoning to over Rs 12,000 crore, much of which he had raised by pledging his shares to banks and mutual funds in his flagship company ZEEL after many of the groups infrastructure bets did not take off.

Planning to buy an Apple iPhone 12 in India? Think again

Planning to buy an Apple iPhone 12 in India? Think again

Rediff.com   27 Oct 2020

A Dubai trip plus Apple iPhone 12 is cheaper than buying the phone in India. Various models of the iPhone 12 Pro and Max are cheaper in Dubai by up to Rs 35,000 owing to higher GST, Customs duty in India.

A new battle rages on between Jio and Airtel

A new battle rages on between Jio and Airtel

Rediff.com   20 Oct 2020

While only 78.15 per cent of Jio's total subscriber base was active, Airtel boasts of 98.14 per cent active customers.

Vistara plans to spread its wings beyond India skies

Vistara plans to spread its wings beyond India skies

Rediff.com   16 Oct 2020

By 2023, Vistara's hangars will house a total of 70 aircraft, up from the current 42.

India may pip China and Vietnam to become mobile export hub

India may pip China and Vietnam to become mobile export hub

Rediff.com   15 Oct 2020

The government gave clearance to five global and five Indian players that have made a commitment to a production value of 12.5-trillion phones in five years under the Production Linked Incentive scheme.

Airtel, Vi bat for tariff hike, but Jio is sitting tight

Airtel, Vi bat for tariff hike, but Jio is sitting tight

Rediff.com   12 Oct 2020

Vodafone and Bharti have pointed out that, for data, their revenue realisation should be at Rs 30-35 per GB for them to cover their costs as opposed to the current figure of over Rs 11 per GB. But Jio has suggested a gradual increase to Rs 15 per GB and then maybe to Rs 20 per GB after six to nine months.

Farm reforms may help Cargill's expansion plans in India

Farm reforms may help Cargill's expansion plans in India

Rediff.com   10 Oct 2020

Cargill believes the reforms would act as a catalyst in attracting private sector investment in building supply chains for taking Indian farm produce to national and global markets.

India's richest club sees nine new entrants; Ambani still No 1

India's richest club sees nine new entrants; Ambani still No 1

Rediff.com   9 Oct 2020

Half of the nation's 100 richest saw gains rising a collective 14% to $517.5 billion, says Forbes. Forbes released 2020's top 100 richest Indians on Thursday, which included newcomers, Sanjeev Bikhchandani, co-founder of Info Edge (India), who owns popular job and property websites; siblings Nithin and Nikhil Kamath, co-founders of discount stock brokerage Zerodha Broking, and three specialty chemicals producers - Vinod Saraf, founder of Vinati Organics, Arun Bharat Ram, the patriarch of SRF, and brothers Chandrakant and Rajendra Gogri of Aarti Industries. Other newcomers included Delhi-based brothers Ramesh Kumar and Mukand Lal Dua of Relaxo Footwears, which owns affordable footwear brands; dairyman, R G Chandramogan of Hatsun Agro; Premchand Godha, who chairs IPCA Laboratories, manufacturing formulations, bulk drugs and drug intermediates; G Rajendran, founder of jewellery chain, GRT Jewellers.

Cricket apps climb up the order in play store downloads

Cricket apps climb up the order in play store downloads

Rediff.com   6 Oct 2020

The dizzying ascent of these cricket apps, some from near oblivion, after the IPL tournament began on September 19 in the UAE, has been meteoric.

Covid woes: Mumbai, Delhi bring little cheer for telcos

Covid woes: Mumbai, Delhi bring little cheer for telcos

Rediff.com   30 Sep 2020

Telecom operators say the reason for the low increase in ARPU in the two metros could be linked to the massive reverse migration of labour.

Farm Bills: Who are the actual gainers?

Farm Bills: Who are the actual gainers?

Rediff.com   30 Sep 2020

While reforms may translate into new opportunities for firms like ITC, Adani Wilmar and Reliance Retail, farmers are unlikely to use it for fear of upsetting commission agents.

Indian telcos' 5G rollout is mired in controversy

Indian telcos' 5G rollout is mired in controversy

Rediff.com   23 Sep 2020

The operators say that the move to have an India-specific standard will raise the costs not only of telecom networks but of chipsets for mobile devices because they will have to be made for the local market and, as such, will not enjoy global economies of scale.

How IT cos' WFH plan is turning the planet green

How IT cos' WFH plan is turning the planet green

Rediff.com   22 Sep 2020

Indirect emissions account for a major chunk of emissions by Indian IT firms. Business travel and commutation, together, are a key reason for it. If travel and daily commuting go down, so does carbon emissions.

Kia Sonet: Made in India, made for the world

Kia Sonet: Made in India, made for the world

Rediff.com   22 Sep 2020

The compact segment where Sonet will be launched is crowded with the Maruti Vitara and Brezza, which top the sales' list, and a bevy of models from Mahindra & Mahindra apart from Hyundai's offering. But volumes in this are slightly higher than those in the mid-segment, making it attractive, says Surajeet Das Gupta.

Telcos must fork out Rs 44,000 crore to replace expired spectrum

Telcos must fork out Rs 44,000 crore to replace expired spectrum

Rediff.com   21 Sep 2020

The figure is based on the base price of spectrum for the upcoming auction fixed by the TRAI and on the assumption that there will be no bidding war.