Bata India witnessed slight recovery on Tuesday after the company announced improvement in profit margins for Q4 on the back of a cost-cutting exercise.
'Very few people are fortunate to make such a quick and quiet exit from the world. He would have been miserable in a hospital.'
For five Mumbaikars who were teenagers or in their 20s during the 1980s, the decade was not a sepia-toned Instagram filter. It was their everyday life, they tell Rediff's Rishika Shah. And while they remember its limitations, what they seem to miss most is something technology can't recreate -- the unhurried warmth of human connection.
India's first Olympic boxing medallist, Vijender Singh, expresses deep concern over the future of male pugilists, citing a lack of competitions and a selection system he claims promotes 'sycophancy'. He argues that women boxers are currently outperforming men and are brighter medal prospects for the 2028 Olympics. Singh is highly critical of the new grading system, advocating for a return to the traditional trials-based selection process.
The BSE Smallcap index hit an over eight-month low of 47,627.96, falling 3 per cent in Tuesday's intraday trade amid selling pressure due to ongoing tariff-related concerns and rising geopolitical tensions.
I have spent the last couple of days trying to understand what exactly is making me so angry about the viral controversy surrounding comedian Pranit More's crowd-work show. At first, I thought it was because of the audience member whose story has now sparked outrage across social media. Then I thought it was because of the comedian's response.
The stock of footwear major Bata India has been the highest gainer among larger listed footwear companies since the start of the month on expectations of a recovery in the value segment, new launches and measures by the new government to boost consumption. The third largest footwear maker by market capitalisation has been trailing its peers over the past few quarters due to the slowdown in the mass segment market which accounts for a significant chunk of its revenues.
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Bata came up with new brands to beat industry competition.
Recently, the company had forayed into the segment of manufacturing accessories for ladies like handbags. At present, shoes for defence personnel were mainly procured from the unorganised sector.
Looking to reduce cost of operations and become competitive, Bata India Limited plans a second round of voluntary retirement scheme this year.
The shareholders of Bata India on Wednesday the proposed rights issue of the company in addition to hike in authorised capital from Rs 60 crore to Rs 70 crore (Rs 600-700 million).
Bata India, the footwear manufacturer and retailer, is back to prioritising volumes for growth. This is a change from the strategy last year, when it was focusing primarily on creating a product mix that would span the premium to economy segments.
Bata India Ltd, the footwear maker, would focus on "flagship retailing" in the coming years as top-end of the market was growing at a rapid pace, its managing director Stephen Davies said.
Kataria, 49, an IIT-XLRI alumnus, was quick to implement a number of initiatives during the Covid-19 crisis including launching D2C initiatives such as mobile stores, WhatsApp messaging, video calling and home deliveries. Kataria was also swift to recognise that stay-at-home consumers were keen to buy informal rather than formal footwear, launching new collections quickly to take advantage of this trend, says Viveat Susan Pinto.
After two years of strong gains, smallcap stocks fell sharply in 2025, but the correction may be setting up opportunities for long-term investors.
The Kolkata-based company, which has already cut the number of unviable stores to 74 from 140, said it is open to shutting down more unprofitable stores. The company has over 1100 stores in India and 2,000 SKUs. In an attempt to boost efficiency Bata introduced a voluntary retirement plan for its employees in the quarter ended September 30, 2008.
Reigning 48kg world champion Meenakshi Hooda, scheduled to fight in the opening bout in the women's section, was seen curled up on a yoga mat inside the hall late afternoon, conserving energy while waiting for word on when she would fight.
Mutual funds (MFs) scooped up smallcap shares across sectors such as healthcare, banking and financial services in March 2024 amid a near 4.5 per cent fall in key smallcap indices. Aster DM Healthcare, NLC India, and Aavas Financiers topped the list of most-bought stocks in the Rs 10,000-40,000 crore market capitalisation (mcap) bracket, according to a study by Nuvama Alternative & Quantitative Research. Aster and Aavas had corrected by 13 per cent and 10 per cent in March, respectively, while NLC India ended the month with a 2.5 per cent gain.
Footwear companies were among the weakest performers in the consumer discretionary sector during the October-December quarter (Q3) of 2024-25. The combined revenue growth of the top four listed firms was just 2.9 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) - the lowest among major discretionary categories.
Food delivery major Zomato has received a Rs 401.7 crore show cause notice from the Directorate General of GST Intelligence (DGGI) over 'unpaid taxes' on delivery charges collected from customers, the company said in a regulatory filing late on Wednesday. The company claimed that it is not liable to pay the penalty for the period from October 29, 2019, to March 31, 2022, as the amount collected from customers is "on behalf of the delivery partners during the referred period."
Procter & Gamble has announced Shailesh Jejurikar as its next CEO, effective January 1, 2026. Jejurikar, an India-born executive, will succeed Jon Moeller in the role.
'Some time back, music was just noise.' 'Producers wrongly think item songs sell better.' 'Audiences are intelligent, they accept whatever you give, but that doesn't mean you can fool them.'
The footprints of Indian-origin corporate executives at multinationals is expanding, with Sandeep Kataria taking over the reins of footwear major Bata as its global chief executive officer. From FMCG majors to IT titans, Kataria joins the league of Indian-origin executives who have climbed the highest echelons of corporate across diverse sectors globally. From Nooyi to Pichai to Nadella, the list of such people at the helm of multi-billion dollar enterprises is long.
The retail industry witnessed robust top-line growth for the greater part of the previous financial year, but demand has started to show signs of fatigue seen in the January-March quarter (fourth quarter, or Q4) of 2022-23 (FY23), especially in the apparel and innerwear segments. Jewellery, however, has managed to hold on to demand in the quarter. "In the discretionary space, demand moderation in urban markets is expected to impact the quick-service restaurant and apparel categories the most, while paint, luggage, and jewellery should see resilient growth," Systematic Institutional Equities observed in its preview of the sector.
A leader of reserve and quiet dignity, former prime minister Manmohan Singh had a keen taste for Urdu verses, and his poetic banters with Bharatiya Janata Party leader Sushma Swaraj in the Lok Sabha are among the most viewed parliamentary debates on social media.
India's newest Olympic heroes Manu Bhaker and Aman Sehrawat were the special guests on Kaun Banega Crorepati.
'I will do it again. I am ready to put my life in danger a second time. This is my land, this is my responsibility'
Notwithstanding lower growth rates recorded in the first quarter (Q1) of 2023-24 (FY24), which spanned from April to June, footwear stocks have seen some gains in the past two trading sessions. Bata India saw an increase of approximately 5 per cent, driven by positive expectations surrounding a potential tie-up in the sports/athleisure segment. This development is viewed favourably due to the segment's higher growth rates.
'Even today, though my hair looks different, people recognise me wherever I go. They come up and say 'Aap Maine Pyar Kiya mein thi, na?' I think it's going to follow me to the grave.'
Notwithstanding the inflation pinch, analysts believe the Indian retail sector is on the 'cusp of accelerated earnings growth' as consumer sentiment and discretionary purchases bounce back from the Covid-19 pandemic. "The shift in consumer preference from the unorganised sector to the organised, coupled with uptick in domestic demand as people resume work from office, will cheer the Indian retail sector," says Nishit Master, portfolio manager, Axis Securities. Shopping malls are witnessing increased footfall in lower tier towns and standalone stores as consumption picks up and mobility improves.
Akash Deep and Jasprit Bumrah saved India the blushes in the Brisbane Test with a resolute 10th wicket partnership but the rookie pacer on Sunday said his focus was on a wholesome contribution to the team rather than looking to "merely save the follow-on".
In the last one year, the Sensex has fallen 2.17 per cent, while the BSE midcap index has risen 2.08 per cent. And, there is scope for value picking that can yield good returns.
There was more to him than he let on, asserts Aditi Phadnis.
'The impact of CEO transition is fairly even for stocks, with about half (53 per cent) of the events not producing any change in the relative performance of the stock.'
