Bipin Pandit, COO, The Advertising Club, shares his experiences of completing 25 years in the advertising body.

“It was on 1st March, 1998 that I joined The Advertising Club. My appointment letter was issued by the most respected, ever smiling and immensly popular Ramesh Narayan, who was the President then. Time really flies and how 25 years have gone by is something of which I think now and look upon the entire journey with lots of satisfaction, sense of achievement and accomplishment.”

Pandit further says: “It is extremely satisfying that I have been the point person and an integral part of 22 Effies, 21 Emvies, 10 Abbys, 15 Goafest, 12 Adasia, 3 Marquees, 500 plus jury sessions.”

The Times of India group, the official country representative of Cannes Lions in India, has launched the Young Lions India competition in 3 categories – Print, Media and Marketing. The deadline for entries will be April 7, 2023.

The competition is dedicated to identifying and celebrating young creative, media and marketing professionals and showcasing their creativity on a global platform. The winners will get to attend the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity, which is scheduled from June 19^th to 23^rd.

Professionals aged 30 and under (born on or after 23^rd June, 1992) can submit their entries in either of the three categories on the official website of the competition (www.timesyounglions.com).

Entries will be judged by industry leaders following which, the shortlisted teams from each of the three categories will present their work to the jury members. All the entries received will be put under screening for eligibility and a team of two participants will be selected by an independent Jury appointed in India. 

After working on award-winning international and multilingual media productions across the world, former Indian journalist & independent filmmaker, Prerana Thakurdesai, launches her own film production company - Ghumantu Pictures. The New York based company will specialize in creating art that elevates innovation in filmmaking, undiscovered ideas and culturally authentic storytelling.

The title of the company alludes to Prerana’s nomadic and colorful childhood as an armed services kid, and her passion of unveiling stories from nooks and corners of the world as a journalist and filmmaker. At a time when Indian documentaries are gaining international attention, Ghumantu Pictures aims to be the creator that bridges the gap between India and the rest of the world through the power of art that intersects with transcontinental ideas. “This moment of exploration is here to stay. We will continue to explore each other's lives, cultures and minds. Ghumantu Pictures will be a collaborative and equitable vehicle that aims to go deeper into finding meaning and linking it to entertainment,” says Prerana.

The just launched production company has already lined up its first co-production due to premiere in summer 2023. The Last Ecstatic Days is a transformative feature documentary film about conscious dying, set in Asheville, North Carolina. The film traces the journey of a young dying man named Ethan Sisser who uses viral social media posts to manifest an incredible death care community in real life led by an Indian American doctor. Directed by Scott Kirschenbaum, The Last Ecstatic Days is executive produced by David Seidler, Oscar-winning writer of The King’s Speech; Tommy Pallotta, Emmy Award-winning producer of Waking Life, A Scanner Darkly, and Apollo 10½: A Space Age Childhood; Dr. Jessica Zitter, palliative care expert, New York Times writer and subject of the Oscar-nominated documentary Extremis; & boasts of original soundtrack by Grammy & Golden Globe winning composer, Alex Ebert.

Homegrown ice cream brand NOTO has raised 2 million USD in pre-series A funding led by investors White Whale Ventures and Rainmatter.

Previously, the brand had raised ₹4 crores in a funding round led by investors such as Titan Capital, Rockstud Capital, VCAT (Venture Catalysts), Bollywood actor and producer John Abraham, WEH Ventures, and other angel investors. Since its inception, the brand has been satisfying the sweet cravings of many Indians with its low-calorie ice creams and fruit popsicles. Now with funding, the company aims to strengthen its foundation in existing markets as well as tap into the vast market in tier-1 and tier-2 cities. Besides that, NOTO will also be working toward new product development and building on the core team. Currently, the company has an ARR of 35 crores and is targeting an ARR of 50 crores by the end of the summer. The company has indeed grown by leaps and bounds and is being led by a workforce of more than 200 people.

"Consumers today are more conscious about their diet and are unable to find healthier alternatives to indulgent categories. NOTO has carved a niche in the ice cream market, offering low-calorie, guilt-free ice creams with an uncompromising focus on taste. Through a combination of great products, attractive packaging, and affordable pricing, NOTO has garnered a loyal customer base and built a strong brand in a short period of time. We are excited to be on board Varun and Ashni's journey in creating a serious dent in the ice cream market in India." says Shapath Parikh, partner at White Whale Ventures, a multi-asset investment manager focusing on venture capital and listed equities in India.

"What we've realized at Rainmatter is that it's not reasonable to expect people to stop bingeing on things they love. Instead, the better thing to do is to make healthier alternatives easily available. That's what we love about NOTO, and we're excited to join them on this journey," says Nithin Kamath, director of Rainmatter Foundation.

The brand was founded in 2019 by the husband-wife duo Ashni and Varun Sheth. A paradise for ice cream lovers, NOTO brings forth delicious ice creams with a healthy twist! This is a market that is dominated by many national and international players, such as Amul, Baskin Robbins, Havmor, Vadilal, and more; however, that hasn't stopped NOTO from becoming a force to be reckoned with. The company is now on track to become profitable by FY24 and aims at strengthening its distribution via digital channels and making a bigger impact all over India. As of now, NOTO is available in more than 5 cities, which include Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi, Pune, Chennai, Nagpur, Jaipur, Mangalore, etc. Also, NOTO is available for on-demand delivery on order.eatnoto.com and on food delivery platforms such as Swiggy, Zomato, Instamart, Zepto, and BBnow, in addition to being in gourmet stores across the country. The company operates on a hyper-local dark store model, which allows them to cater to impulse demand within 30–40 minutes. NOTO solely runs and manages all dark stores across five cities and, hence, is able to give the best product experience to the customer.
Besides that, the company has also decided on keeping its product mix dynamic based on customer feedback, establishing a strong distribution network, and working towards maintaining clear, honest communication in order to stay relevant and stand out from its competition in the market.

"NOTO was born to revolutionize the way people consume sweets. It's a common myth that if it's easy on the calories, it's not going to satiate those taste buds. We aim to disrupt this misconception one dessert at a time. Finding the sweet spot between taste and health has been the brand's mission, and they've achieved it by ensuring each scoop is just as creamy and satiating as regular ice cream.

With over 6 categories ranging from fruity popsicles to mini bites of ice cream to a vegan range and even traditional Indian mithai, NOTO is for everyone who wants to make healthy living a lifestyle," says Ashni Sheth, the co-founder and marketing and communications head of NOTO. She is a communications major from St. Xavier's College, Mumbai, and design alumni from Istituto Marangoni, Milan.

The story of NOTO began when Varun Sheth, NOTOs co-founder, and product development head, came face-to-face with his battle of curbing his sweet cravings in a bid to manage his weight. "It got me thinking — life's real joy is in that extra scoop to celebrate your friend's promotion, a cupcake too many on your birthday, or more than a generous helping of cake just because. We shouldn't have to give up on that. We Indians have a strong sweet craving, but we also wish to cut down on our sugar intake for health reasons. That's when the idea of starting a brand that provides a healthier, guilt-free alternative hit us," says Varun, who holds a degree in Culinary Arts from New York.

NOTO's main mission is to spread happiness with its healthy yet tasty desserts. Each 125-ml tub of ice cream has 75–95 calories, 3 grams of fat, 75% less sugar, and more protein compared to regular ice creams. The ice creams are made of high-quality ingredients and are available in a variety of flavors, such as Dark Chocolate, Belgian Chocolate, Blueberry, Strawberry, Mangoes &Cream, Salted Caramel, and lots more. Then there is also a range of fruit popsicles that have zero added sugar and are made with 40% real fruit (unsweetened), apple concentrate (not the one that comes in a tetra pack), vitamin C, and prebiotic fiber. The selection includes flavors like Strawberry Raspberry, Kala Jamun, Orange, Piña Colada, and Mango Coconut.

NOTO also has a delightful range of vegan frozen desserts with zero added sugar and made with almond protein, in addition to ice creams and popsicles. This is because vegan is a rapidly growing category, contributing upwards of 30%. Then there are the 'Mini Bites of Ice Cream,' which are a crowd favorite. A divine combination of creamy ice cream coated with crunchy dark chocolate, each Bitecarries 30 calories and has zero added sugar. Finally, it's difficult to resist NOTO's delectable range of Indian mithais, which are made by halwais using age-old traditional techniques and the purest ingredients, all while adhering to our promise of bringing you low-calorie sweet treats with ZERO added sugar.

"When we started NOTO, it was a blank canvas; creating awareness for the category was challenging but also very fulfilling. As founders, we were present at every front-facing event or point of sale to understand and converse with our potential customers. It gave us tremendous insight into behavioral and consumption patterns, which in turn helped us tailor our strategy and communication," says Varun.

NOTO has a lot in the works, both in terms of product and geographical expansion, and the brand is determined to become a one-stop shop for all 'good for you' desserts.
"There is no set formula or key to success when one starts an entrepreneurial journey. It's a balancing act of passion and reality: being agile enough to understand what the market needs and, most importantly, listening to your consumers. It's important to celebrate milestones irrespective of how small or big they may be," says Ashni.

The closing ceremony of Mathrubhumi's centenary celebrations will be conducted on March 18 at the CIAL Convention Centre in Kochi. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate the valedictory functions.

Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Anurag Singh Thakur will unveil the souvenir at the event.

Ministers K Rajan and P Rajeev, Opposition leader VD Satheesan, writer C Radhakrishnan, MPs Benny Behanan, Jose K Mani, Jeby Mather, and Anwar Sadat MLA will offer felicitations. MV Shreyams Kumar, Managing Director, Mathrubhumi, will preside over the event. The one-year-long centenary celebrations were kick-started by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 18, 2022.

India Today Group’s, digital news channel UP Tak is all set to organize one of the biggest festival, UP Tak Utsav, in Ayodhya. This two-day fest will witness engaging sessions with political leaders, spiritual gurus along with poetry and musical performances by popular artists. 

The festival on 17th & 18th March, 2023, will have speakers and artists from different genres. The list includes deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya & Brijesh Pathak along with names like Maithili Thakur, Shadab band, Malini Awasthi , Jaivijay Sachan, Anamika Amber, Gauranga Das , Manoj Munteshar, Jaya Kishori, to name a few personalities, who will be on stage at UP Tak Utsav.

Commenting on the event, Milind Khandekar, Managing Editor, TAK channels says, ‘This event is a testimony to the popularity and the support that UP Tak has received from its viewers. Through this endeavor, our aim is to further strengthen connect with viewers and give them a different experience rich with cultural heritage of the state.”

The event will be telecast live on our website www.uptak.in  along with all the social media platforms including Facebook and YouTube.

Vivek Gaur, CEO, Tak channels & The Lallantop, India Today Group says, “UP Tak has seen an exponential growth. It has a fan base of close to 8 million across all social media platforms. This initiative is to show our commitment towards our viewers and give them an essence of festivities.”

The schedule for the performances at UP Tak Utsav are mentioned below:

The election season has started early in Karnataka and News First is first off the blocks.

News First kicked off election season with Matha Yudha 2023 (Battles for Votes 2023) and Nimma Kshetradhalli News First (News First in Your Constituency). Jabardasth (Prime Time Election Decoder) and Idhidhu Idhange (Inside Political News As It Is) followed. News First is now ready with its weekend trump card, Naanu Mukhyamantri (Me and the Chief Minister).

In a major programming innovation coup, News First has roped in Karnataka’s most famous TV legal eagle, TN Seetharam to host a weekend show on the channel. For the First time on Indian News Television, Fiction meets Fact, says the Program Promotions. TN Seetharam (TNS) is considered a Prime Time Guru in Kannada GEC. The auteur has had a series of successes on the small screen. Muktha, Muktha Muktha, Maya Mrugha, Manvantara, Magalu Janaki are some of his ‘M’inently feted soaps across Karnataka. His latest show Mathay Mayamruga is currently on air.

Bringing TNS onto News First was planned long back says Maruthi SH - Editor in Chief - News First “TN Seetharam is a household name in Karnataka. His content strong stories have made him a legend on GEC. Also his demeanour is calm and composed. Since its launch News First has positioned itself as not just another news channel. So noise and News First don’t go together. So partnering with TNS fit like a glove for News First” In Naanu Mukhyamantri TNS engages in a one on one with Karnataka’s Current Chief Minister and Eight Former Chief Ministers. The style is easy conversational and not his usual incisive style.

Speaking about the show TNS had this to say “News First is one of the few watchable news channels in Karnataka. My daughter too is a big fan of theirs ! So when Ravi and Maruthi approached me, I thought why not be part of some thing unique and professional. The CM and the ex CMS are all very good friends of mine. So it wasn’t too difficult to get them to open up, wholeheartedly.”

News First is known for Constant Smart Brand Integrations, Innovative Selling Ideas and Event Associations on Scale. With this first of kind show on Indian News Television, News First seeks to stay true to and enhance its brand reputation. News First MD & CEO Ravikumar on Naanu Mukhyamantri “News First is always looking to innovate its content and programming. We’ve won appreciation for our inspirational business shows like Nannu Nanna Sadhane (Me and my achievement), Mane Mane Meenakshi (Afternoon show for women - No: 1 in its slot) and Social Programming to uplift the man on the ground Naanu Mukhyamantri is an innovation we are proud of. Fiction meeting Fact is a rarity. With Naanu Mukhyamantri, we are achieving just that” S Divaakar Business Head News First was equally optimistic about the show.

“We expect Naanu Mukhyamantri to be a milestone in Kannada News Industry. TN Seetharam and News First on Prime Time, are a brand fit made for Weekend Television” News First appears to have a winner on its hands with Naanu Mukhyamantri featuring the ever reliable TN Seetharam and Karnataka’s most widely recognised and followed political heavyweights. Naanu Mukhyamantri (Me and the Chief Minister) Naanu Mukhyamantri (Me and the Chief Minister) premiered on March 4th 2023, Saturday at 7pm, exclusively on News First. A repeat show is scheduled on March 5th, Sunday at 11am. Each episode is for 45 Minutes. The show runs through April 29th, 2023.