Dismisses application filed by the State of Maharashtra seeking vacation of stay

Delhi: Direct selling company QNet and its sub-franchisee Vihaan Direct Selling (India) Pvt. Ltd were granted further relief today when the Supreme Court granted no interference to the stay issued earlier in March.

Bench of Justice Nariman and Justice Kaul heard the matter briefly and observed that the stay granted on the earlier occasion needs no interference. The court thereafter dismissed the application filed by the State of Maharashtra seeking vacation of stay.

The Hon’ble Supreme Court sought information from the State on the status of the appointment of the Monitoring Authority. In response, the state of Maharashtra indicated that they have not taken any steps in this regard.

Earlier on March 27, 2017, the Supreme Court had ordered a stay on all FIRs and proceedings against QNet’s business in India. The order is seen as a positive development for the direct selling industry as it comes at a juncture when the government is trying to instill confidence in the industry with the introduction of the model Direct Selling Guidelines.

India: Sayre Therapeutics with a portfolio of oncology and immunology focused commercial products, has entered into an exclusive license agreement with Navidea Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. (NYSE MKT: NAVB) (“Navidea”), a company focused on the development and commercialization of precision immunodiagnostic agents and immunotherapeutic, for the development and commercialization of Tc 99m tilmanocept in India.

The receptor-targeted, radiopharmaceutical imaging agent was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2013 and by the European Medicines Agency in November 2014 under the brand name LYMPHOSEEK®. Tc 99m Tilmanocept is already commercialized in three major European Countries along with the US and represents Next-Generation Standard of Diagnosis for Sentinel Lymph Node Detection. Tc 99m Tilmanocept is approved for guiding sentinel lymph node biopsy in patients with clinically node negative breast cancer, squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity, or melanoma.
Shukrit Sudhir Chimote, CEO, Sayre Therapeutics, stated, “Our collaboration with Navidea is a testament to our efforts in introducing innovative cancer products to the Indian subcontinent. Sayre is committed to the access and availability of life-saving medicines in South Asia, to benefit the patient community and improve their quality of life.”

Praveen Bose, Senior Vice-President, Sales & Marketing, Sayre Therapeutics, stated, “Cancer of the breast affects approximately 155,000 patients in India every year. Tc 99m tilmanocept, the only targeted radio-diagnostic will be a welcome addition to the current armamentarium. In an US study of 31 patients, Tc 99m tilmanocept exhibited high specificity for identification of cancer affected lymph nodes, ensuring accurate staging and treatment of patients. In another study of 148 patients, Tc 99m tilmanocept identified more cancer affected lymph nodes per patient than conventional method of staining with vital blue dye. This targeted detection of higher number of lymph nodes, ensures precise staging of disease and appropriate therapy of patients. Cancer of the head and neck is a dreaded disease in India affecting approximately 160,000 patients every year. Currently Elective Neck Dissection (END) is the gold standard for assessment of spread of tumor to lymph nodes in patients with head and neck cancer. In a study of 101 head and neck cancer patients in the US, Tc 99m tilmanocept provided a high Negative Predictive Value (NPV), identifying correctly the lymph nodes that were free of cancer. This means, Tc 99m tilmanocept can be used to assess cancer spread in head and neck cancer patients, sparing the potential morbidity associated with END and offer better QOL (Quality of Life) to these patients.”

New Delhi: Even as online shopping is fast catching up and large malls are offering multibrand retail variety to customers, the traditional and oldest method of direct selling is also entrenching itself in the market place. According to a recently published report of the World Federation of Direct Selling Associations, the retail sales of the Direct Selling Industry stood at USD 183 billion globally. The Asia Pacific region was the highest contributor with as much as 46 per cent of sales coming from this region.

The US was in the second spot with 33 per cent of the sales while Europe brought in 20 per cent. Africa and the Middle East were the lowest in terms of retails sales with just about 1 per cent of the global sales coming from that region. Total retail sales of USD 183 billion in 2016 were up 1.9 per cent from the previous year and have been growing at a healthy pace of 5.20 per cent.

In 2016 the total retail sales reported by the Asia Pacific region stood at USD 83.75 billion up 1.10 per cent from the previous year. The industry has been growing at a 3-year CAGR of 6.70 per cent in this region. The potential of the Indian market can be gauged from the numbers as the Direct Selling industry in India is close to USD 1.18 billion. Also, as per the report, among the various categories of goods that the industry sells, Wellness occupies the top slot, contributing to 35 per cent of the total sales. This is closely followed by Cosmetics & Personal Care which bring in 35 per cent of the sales, while Household Goods & Durables account for 12 per cent. Other categories such as Clothing & Accessories, Home Care, Utilities, Financial Services and others bring in the rest.

Considering this trend, a lot of companies are now expected to launch their products in the Indian market, especially in the wellness and the cosmetics and personal care categories. Existing companies such QNet have already braced themselves up for the bright future that they see and have already began launching new products. The industry also holds a good position on one more important parameter – the number of entrepreneurs that it has been successful in creating over the years. The total number of independent representatives registered globally in this industry stand at a little above 10 crore as of 2016 while there are more than 40 lakh Indians who have embraced this industry as a source of living. The large number of employable population that India produces calls for huge number of employment generation or creating opportunities for self employment.

The Direct Selling Industry with its capability is a likely solution to this problem. This billion-dollar industry has been growing in India despite various issues ranging from a widely misconstrued business model to lack of a proper regulatory framework. Various multinational direct selling companies that set up shop in India have had their fair share of run-ins with the law.

‘The lack of a proper regulatory authority to oversee the business of direct selling companies in India led to many complaints. Despite some difficulties, we are quite upbeat about India. In fact QNet will be launching new products in the Indian market over the next three to four months. These health and personal care products have done extremely well in global markets. We are launching these products in India with locally sourced ingredients.” said Trevor Kuna, global CEO of QNet elaborating on the future plans of the company.

The Direct Selling Guidelines issued by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs have paved the way for a more structured and disciplined business environment for companies. The government’s move towards implementing the GST Act will further help companies in India. The industry expects clarity in policy for it and with the steps taken by the Ministry to facilitate ‘Ease of doing business’ and MNCs will start putting India on their investment map. QNet has already committed an additional investments of Rs. 300 crs in the next 5 years and is launching 8-10 new products in the current year.

(UNI)

Vitamin By Sonalika’s Online Website & Australian Football League themed collection launched by ex – Victorian Premier Hon Ted Baillieu, Melbourne, Australia, on Sonalika’s birthday.

The dynamic “Vitamin” by Sonalika Pradhan couturier label showcased its AFL themed effervescent collection & launched its online store & website www.vitaminbysonalika.com in Melbourne. The launch was felicitated by ex – Victorian Premier Hon. Ted Baillieu.

“When it comes to Australian Football, we have this culture that has been there for more than 100 years – the club colors. Everybody had everything in club colors, Sonalika has done a beautiful job in developing a fashion line with it. It will make going to footy more fun. I bet there are young Indian girls playing footy in AFL womans’ and this collection further supports the game’s multi – culture” congratulates Ted.

Rashi Kapoor, Australia Indian Business Council (AIBC) President, Victoria & Vitamin’s Brand Ambassador was the show stopper at the night embellished in RFC colors. She also announced Sonalika as the Head for Fashion Chapter of AIBC Victoria, further outlining & strengthening Sonalika’s contribution of multi – cultural taste to the Australian fashion industry.

Not only was the night special as an exclusive collection got underway, Vitamin By Sonalika now offers unique ensemble for Men. So now our men can equally grace their lady on any occasion, being adorned in impeccable Vitamin (or shall we say VitaMen). The night also saw celebration of its creative director Sonalika Pradhan’s birthday with kids Dhruvika Pradhan & Ojasvi Pradhan.

The evening concluded with Vitamin Style Awards presented to the guests – in the categories like “Best Female & Male Outfit”, “Best Hair & Make up” & “Best Stylish Couple”.

Don’t forget to check out www.vitaminbysonalika.com or email vitaminbysonalika@gmail.com if you would like something personalized to your choice (Fb/insta @vitaminbysonalika).

Prudent Eco Systems, a Bangalore based startup; recently announced its latest product, Marigold Solar Composter.

“Marigold Solar Composters are designed for waste management in the urban environment where space and other logistics for collection & eco -friendly disposal are a real challenge. By using modern technology and the forces of nature, our product ensures safe & hygienic composting of household waste. Use of our composter ensures waste is composted into rich & organized fertilizer which again goes back into nature for home gardening,” shared Ravindra Karnad, who is motivated & excited, Founder – Prudent Eco Systems. In fact Ravindra Karnad is an electric engineer from IIT Kanpur., He has had a career spanning over 3 decades in telecom, industrial automation and finally in the semiconductor industry. His last assignment was at Texas Instruments which he gave up in 2014 to start Prudent Eco Systems.

“The Marigold Mini that we recently launched is most suitable for a family that generates up to 1 litre of waste per day. The bin can take 4 – 6 weeks of waste. Made out of stainless steel on the inside, the design ensures optimized rapid & clean aerobic composting of the waste without a need of any proprietary additives to speed up the process. The process is simple, mess proof and takes place under natural conditions. This bin also ensures that no rodents enter it while the leachates (if any, usually none) collect in a separate tray that can easily be removed for cleaning. The product is built on what I call “Passive Technology” with minimal moving parts. This leads to solutions which last for years, with minimal or zero maintenance. The user sees the outcome & technology remains in the background.

When asked about his inspiration for “Passive Technology”, Ravi shared “The best example of such technology is the 5 hundred year old acoustic system of Golconda fort. In Europe, Roman Aqueducts are great example of using passive technology to solve the problem of drinking water for a large urban population. In these solutions we all understand there is some technology at play but it’s invisible to the layman but has served the purpose for centuries”
“The products have done very well across residential complexes in Bangalore where gated communities such as Ferns Paradise (Doddenakundi), Brigade Paramount, Admirality Manor to name a few, are using Marigold composters to convert their wet waste (of up to 200 kg per day) to organic fertilizer”, added Ravi.

Unlike many other composting systems, the Marigold System does not involve the use of special additives or accelerators with microbes. Prudent Eco Systems believes that composting is a natural process which should be bereft of “enhancers”. The composter uses easily available dry leaves (in powdered form) or other equivalent agricultural waste.

Marigold System bins is available in the following sizes: 1. Mini (19 Lit), 2. Small (38 Litres), 3. Large (180 Litres), 4. Extra Large (360 Litres) & 5. Ultra Large (540 Litres).

“We did extensive research amongst people who were interested in composting – including early adopters. We found consumers wanted an odor free, easy to use device that would help them compost their kitchen waste rapidly without flies or rodents. As the composter would be placed in the house – they also wanted one that looked attractive and was easy to clean. Prudent was able to address all these requirements by designing a household composter for urban living in India’, shared Rini Dutta, founder, Centric Brand Advisors which is a branding & marketing consulting firm based out of Bangalore.

Imagine a day when you have party at home & the music system is not working. You are expecting a guest & your air conditioner is not cooling up to the mark. Kids want to watch their favorite cartoon & television display has gone blank. You have a presentation to prepare, but your laptop hangs on you. You are expecting an important call & your smartphone is not responding. These experiences are common nightmares in our day – to -day life is harrowing experience as well. Finding the right technician or expert is very difficult as there is good chance that the local technician may not solve the issue even after spending a good amount of time.

This is a very fast growing market – number of devices in a household is exploding & internet of things is becoming a reality. With this, maintaining devices is becoming increasingly difficult for the consumers. This is primarily because the segment is highly unorganized & fragmented, with customers being forced to choose between expensive services at authorized centres & unreliable services from unorganized, mom – & – pop stores. The lack of transparency in pricing & reliability of repair services is also a concern.

Sensing a market opportunity, Helpforsure is doing its bit to bring some relief to customers in electronics repair sector. Helpforsure is the idea of 3 enthusiastic entrepreneurs – Rajesh Bhatia, Kusum Shukla Bhatia & Utkarsh Gupta. The founders realized the state of the device repair industry owing to the trying experience they suffered in getting their devices repaired at some point or the other. This was the pathway for a transparent, tech – enabled platform that leveraged technology to deliver value – driven, high – quality repair & maintenance services for electronic devices, home appliances and other local home services, leading to the inception of HelpForSure Home Services. The company is committed to ensure that the users get high quality services, at best price, without running from pillars to posts.

Helpforsure has already created a niche for itself in the electronics repair space that includes Smartphones, Laptops & Home Appliances such as refrigerators, ACs, LED televisions et al. The company plans to procure quality parts directly from the source & deliver them to the consumers in the repair. The supply chain benefit will be passed on to the customers.

The founders plan to move 30% of the repairs through online mediums using Artificial Intelligence (AI) & chatbots. “This is the future of repair, and we want to be the 1st few in the category to use technology to solve issues. We also plan to file a few patents in this niche / nascent area” said Ms. Kusum. The founders have considerable expertise in filing patents & IPs.

Helpforsure has made consistent growth in this sector through its different approach & customer – centric offering. “We are currently operational in Bangalore and are planning to expand to Chennai, Mumbai & NCR after the complete concept validation & are seeking active funding in another 2 months”, Utkarsh Gupta reported.

Founder Rajesh Bhatia says that Helpforsure has witnessed 30% growth (month on month). “We are expected to touch 500 electronic repair transactions per month over the next 2 months”, says Rajesh.

Rajesh Bhatia has 18 years of experience in the software industry. He has handled varied roles in his career that includes Software architecture, General Management & Product Management. He has 30 US patents in the area of cloud computing, mobility, security & printing.

Utkarsh Gupta, after his graduation from IIT Kanpur, worked with Oil & Gas major in India & Europe. He has extensive experience in technical consultancy & project management.

Kusum Shukla has 12 years of experience as marketing professional. She handled varied positions in her career that includes marketing & communication, marketing management & operations. Before Helpforsure she worked with MNCs such as Thermo fisher Scientific & Mettler Toledo Inc & cofounded start up: eSimply Office.

Bangalore: HMD Global, the home of Nokia phones, today announced the sales start for the Nokia 3 – a stunning new smartphone designed to deliver an outstanding experience with unprecedented value. With a precision machined aluminium frame forged out of a single piece of aluminium, laminated 5” display with sculpted Corning® Gorilla® Glass and seamlessly integrated 8MP wide aperture cameras (front and back), the Nokia 3 packs a truly premium quality smartphone experience into its compact and elegant form. The Nokia 3 delivers Android™ in its pure form, giving you the ability to use your phone, your way. Nokia 3 will be available across top mobile retail stores in the country at a recommended best buy price of Rs. 9,499/-. The company delivered the Nokia 3 to first consumers at Sangeetha Retail in Bangalore today.

“Premium is an experience, not a price point. We’ve been extremely thoughtful about the overall performance of the Nokia 3, to ensure that a premium high quality experience is fully accessible for everyone,” said Pranav Shroff, ‎Director, Global Portfolio Strategy, HMD Global. “We’ve thought hard about how the phone will be used, and then crafted a beautiful device to make sure it looks as good as it performs.”

Superior craftsmanship at an affordable price

The Nokia 3 has looks that will turn heads. With a precision machined aluminium frame, delivering exceptional structural integrity, and polycarbonate back, the Nokia 3’s robust design provides protection where it counts. Matte Black, Silver White, Tempered Blue and Copper White – the Nokia 3 boasts quality craftsmanship at an unprecedented price.

Exceptional viewing experience

Featuring a fully laminated IPS display with no airgap and sculpted Corning® Gorilla® Glass, the Nokia 3 screen offers durability and superb clarity delivering a viewing experience that is second to none. With fewer reflections thanks to the polarised screen, the experience is crisp and clear offering unbeatable visibility even in bright sunlight.

Capture the moment

The Nokia 3 has been designed to give a premium experience at an affordable price. The 8MP autofocus rear and front facing cameras have been balanced with large pixel size and aperture to deliver great images, particularly in low light situations. Combined with the exclusive camera user interface, to provide automatic scene detection, it is easy to take great shots every time. And with unlimited free cloud storage via Google Photos[i], you can snap all you want safe in the knowledge that every moment you capture can be automatically and securely backed up.

Always Pure Android
With the Nokia 3 you will have a pure Android experience for your device. With monthly security updates your Nokia 3 is safe, up-to-date as well as clutter-free – putting choice at the heart of the consumer experience. And with the latest Android comes the latest features including Doze, which saves battery life while the phone is stored. The new Nokia 3 features Google’s most recent innovation, the Google Assistant, building further on a great Android experience. Our teams have worked together to ensure conversations with the Google Assistant happen seamlessly on Nokia smartphones.

Availability

On Nokia 3, the Vodafone consumers will get 5GB data per month @ Rs. 149** per month for 3 months. Consumers will also get Rs. 2500 off (Rs. 1800 on hotels & Rs.700 off on domestic flights) on Makemytrip.com

HMD Global has appointed over 400 distributors in India to support its range of smartphones and feature phones. Through this network, Nokia smartphones and feature phones will be available at more than 80,000 retail outlets across the country.

The company is also investing in a robust after-sales network branded Nokia Mobile Care. By June end, over 300 cities will have a Nokia Mobile Care presence. In addition, consumers will have the opportunity to avail a device pick-up/drop service in 100 more cities. For the new age millennial consumer, we will also have Nokia Mobile Care support in the form of voice and web support.

Accessories

We offer a range of accessories perfectly tailored to suit the Nokia 3. The Nokia Stereo Headset WH-201, with an in-ear design for passive background noise reduction and audio leakage prevention, has been specially crafted to suit the Nokia 3.
Notes to Editors:

Technical Specifications[i]
• EMEA & APAC Networks: GSM: 850/900/1800/1900 WCDMA: Band 1, 2, 5, 8 LTE: Band 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40
• Network speed: LTE Cat. 4, 150Mbps DL/50Mbps UL
• Available in dual SIM variants
• OS: Android Nougat
• CPU: MTK 6737, Quad-core 1.3Ghz
• RAM: 2 GB LPPDDR 3
• Storage: 16 GB internal user memory[ii] with MicroSD card slot (support up to 128 GB support)
• Form factor: Touch monoblock with capacitive system keys
• Display: 5.0” IPS LCD HD (1280 x 720, 16:9), sculpted Corning® Gorilla® Glass, Polariser, 450 nits
• Camera: Primary camera: 8MP AF, 1.12um, f/2, flash, Front facing camera: 8MP AF, 1.12um, f/2, FOV 84˚ display flash
• Connectivity & Sensors: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, BT 4.2, GPS/AGPS, FM/RDS, NFC, Ambient light sensor, Proximity sensor, Accelerometer (G-sensor), E-compass, Gyroscope, Micro USB (USB 2.0), OTG, 3.5mm ADJ
• Battery: Integrated 2630 mAh battery[iii]
• Audio: Single speaker
• Dimensions: 143.4 x 71.4 x 8.48 mm (camera bump: 8.68mm)

DS-Max Company is in the forefront of construction activities in Bangalore and has also conducted several memorable social programmes at various occasions besides during the Company Anniversary functions.

During DS-MAX Company Anniversary function, we take the pleasure of honoring achievers of various fields. In continuation of this tradition, we are honoring 12 famous artists from the Film Industry by honoring them with “DS-MAX Kalashree National Awards-20 17”. For the first time we are introducing “DS-MAX YOGA SHREE AWARD”. Two renowned world famous personalities are recognized for this award and the above famous personalities will be honored with “DS-MAX YOGASHREE”.

This year our company Anniversary program will be held on 19th June, 2017 after noon 3.30 pm onwards, at Chowdaiah Memorial Hall, Vyalikaval, Bangalore.

As a part of our Corporate Social Responsibility, we are felicitating 12 senior artist of the South Indian Film Industry.

This time we are pleased to honor the following famous film artists, who have significant Fan followings and have acquired the love and affection from the general public with “DS-MAX KALA SHREE AWARD”.

Shri H 0 Gangaraju

Shri Girish Kasaravalli

Smt. Roopa Devi

Shri Kala Samrat S Narayan

Smt Malati Sudheer

Shri Ravi Kale

Shri K Bhagyaraj

Smt. Ambika

Shri C Kalyan

Smt. Rama Prabha

Shri.Lalu Alex

Smt. Kalaranjini.

The ceremony will be graced by

1) Shwasa Guru Shree ShreeShree Vachanananda Swamiji,

2)Sri Sri Shivanubhava Charamurthy Shivarudra Swamiji,

3)Smt. G Padmavathi, Mayor of BBMP Bengaluru,

4)Shri K S Eshwarappa, Former Deputy Chief Minister, Govt of Karnataka &

Karnataka Legislative Council Opposition Party Leader,

5)Shri Dinesh Gundu Rao, Working President of KPCC,

6)Shri Basavaraj Shivalingappa Horatti, Former Minister & Member of Legislative Council, Govt of Karnataka,

7)Shri Raju Gowda, S.T YuvaMorcha- State President and Former Minister, Govt of Karnataka,

8)Shri Pilot Baba, Spiritual Guru, Writer, Former Fighter Pilot Mahayog Foundation, who will be honor the recipients of awards.

The Occasion shall be graced by special guests from the film Industry who have acted as Heroes and Heroine on the silver screen. The ceremony will have cultural programmes by famous national level artists.

“DS-MAX KALA SHREE NATIONAL AWARDS” AND “DS-MAX YOGA SHREE AWARDS” India yoga has embraced the world and now every year June 21 is celebrated as INTERNATIONAL YOGA DAY. On this occasion our company is honoring, for the first time, two great personalities with DS MAX YOGA SHREE awards for their remarkable achievements . and contribution to the worldwide In the field of yoga.

Tao Porchon-Lynch who is 98 years old who holds a Guinness book of world records, the oldest yoga master, still teaching yoga from NEW YORK, USA will be honored with yoga shree award for life time achievement in the field of yoga. She was a model, Hollywood actor, practicing and teaching yoga since decades, at the age of 98 she still conducts yoga classes in New York City.

YOGAMATA Keio Aikawa, founder Aikawa Yoga, Japan will be honored with yoga shree award for life time achievement in the field of yoga. Both of them are spreading peace across world by conduction yoga and meditation camps across the globe.

Apart from the above 12 famous personalities of film fraternity will be honored with Ka1ashree National award.

Discount broking was a novelty item, a curio animal in the overall scheme of things of the Indian equity markets. However, the past 3-4 years have seen this curio concept take firm roots and grow faster in scale compared to the overall equity brokerage sector growth.

The reasons behind this are not far to seek. While most market observers talk of cost differential as the main reason, the fact is that cost cuts alone have never turned a market on its head. The online space is full of stories, from 1999 to 2-16, where businesses have offered service at lower costs, often at zero or negative costs, and none have been able to sustain. It is always the service element, at the price point, which makes the difference. So then what exactly is it about the discount broking business that can provide a good service experience?

The primary need is client convenience. Prakarsh Gagdani, CEO, 5paisa.com elucidates that account opening ease is a paramount need in the industry where a mere 3-5% of the population has demat accounts. Bank accounts, with the Jan Dhan trigger, are today around 40-45% of the population and that in itself is a challenging procedure for the financial non-literate population. Therefore, ease of procedure is the key. As Gagdani asserts, if documentation is in place, a client can have an account opened at 5paisa in an hour. Indeed, with the e-KYC process in place, hardly any physical signatures are needed and most of the work can be done on the basis of Aadhar, bank account documents and similar verifiable papers.

Likewise, the speed and ease of transaction in the case of a technology-driven discount broking business with minimal human interface is another influencer. Like in the case of account opening, speed, simplicity and convenience are big factors.
Cost is no doubt a vital influencer. From the investor viewpoint, the flat cost per transaction, irrespective of size is a cost saver. It also means that any investment advice given by the broker does not have any element of greed because the transaction fee is the same irrespective of the size of the transaction. With no push from the brokerage side, the individual will actually experience a more relaxed transaction. The equity market is rife with instances where the broker pressure actually unbalances the client and he loses sight of his original aims and gets into transactions which are regretted later.

Then comes the post-transaction processes, here again discount brokers have their digital interfaces in place. As Gagdani explains, when the MIS in the form of contracts and ledgers is put online and available on demand, the comfort factor is expanded. This process, which has much investment behind it, is a massive organisational convenience for both the company and the customer.

Everything said and done, the Indian equity market is absolutely ripe for the discount broking model. In the US equity market, where retail is 40% of total volumes, discount broking is 70% of the retail volumes, which indicates that it has a quarter of the total market. In India, by contrast, while the retail volume is comparable, discount broking is barely 7-8% of the total volume.

Therefore conceptually, given the growth visible in equities, the massive potential for rise in equity-holding households (as evinced by the gap in bank and demat accounts) and then the potential for discount broking as a proportion of total brokerages, the business case for discount broking is highly exciting.

With its multi-product offering and a platform giving much convenience to the client at any stage, 5paisa.com is definitely a differentiated player in the broking space. Apart from the discount broking services, it also includes other value-added products like mutual funds and insurance. 5paisa.com has invested around Rs.10 crore in its infrastructure, including in robotics. It has created a Robo Advisory platform, where investors get options for their investment allocations with zero or minimal human interface, in a very convenient and user-friendly manner.

Apart from the ease of account opening and operations, 5paisa.com also provides education on myriad aspects of the product bouquet that it offers to investors. It is effectively a full-service product offering to investors at the cost level of discount broking. 5paisa.com also intends to grow its product offering to other areas like personal and vehicle loans, where its technology investment can be properly leveraged for online transaction fulfilment.

Given the immense scope visible for discount broking and the differential position that 5paisa.com is creating for itself, it also offers tangible value for those investors who would want to have exposure to discount broking as an investment. This is because it is the first such business to be listed on any domestic exchange (as a spin-off from its parent).

by The Express Tribune

Google has launched a new service to help Muslims with their prayers during the holy month of Ramazan. The popular search engine will now let users locate the accurate direction of the Holy Kaaba using its Qibla Finder service.

The web-based service can be used on most smartphones after users have enabled it to identify their location. What’s more interesting is Android users will also get an augmented reality experience that uses the phone camera to draw a clear blue line pointing towards the direction of the Qibla.

iOS users however won’t get the augmented reality feature and will only show a blue line to mark the correct direction.

Users can avail the service simply by searching ‘qibla finder’ on Google and clicking on the featured link at the top or visit the service directly using the qiblafinder.withgoogle.com link.

It is however the worth mentioning that the service uses a smartphone’s built in compass to function and therefore won’t work with devices that lack the feature.

The new service follows a series of updates to Google applications to help users mark the month of Ramazan. The updates featured on Google’s Ramazan hub include Ramazan-specific notifications on Google Maps as well as a collection of the month’s most critically acclaimed Ramazan TV series on YouTube, Mosalsalat.