21st April, Fresh Plaza ,Gift Alphonso mangoes with the click of a button Relish the flavor of the season with Window2India

• As the Mango Mania sets in, Window2India gives a reason to smile to all mango lovers! Keeping with this sentiment Window2India has launched 'Mango First' in association with Kay Bee Exports, India's leading integrated fruit exporter. It provides the option of buying mangoes online and getting them delivered at the door step without any additional shipping or freight charges. This is the first online retailing venture for Kay Bee Exports.
  
  The customer can send Alphonso Mangoes - the choicest of the season - as a perfect gift for the entire family. These premium mangoes are specially packed and dispatched by courier, ensuring damage-free delivery. This comes at no extra shipping cost. All a customer needs to do is -select the special mango offer on Window2India.com and submit the mandatory details.
  
  For further details visit the website:
  http://window2india.com/cms/Premium-Mangoes/index.html
  
  India is the largest producer of mangoes. It produces a mammoth quantity of nearly 14 million metric tonnes, which comes to half of worldwide production of mangoes. Out of this, Mango First provides premium quality mangoes in packages of 1, 2 or 3 dozen. India has very few players in the organized retailing space. Kay Bee exports are India's leading integrated fruit and vegetable exporter for past 20 years. Mango First is their first retailing venture in online space.
  
  From sourcing to ripening and packaging, close attention is paid at each stage of the supply chain and high quality standards are maintained throughout the production process. Mango First does not use chemicals or artificial processes to ripen the mangoes. They use innovative natural ripening system. Specific Gravity Test is applied to weed out the affected mangoes -undersized/oversized/blemished/damaged/diseased mangoes are removed at the sorting table. Mangoes are graded on the bases of size, weight, shape and colour or as per the market requirements Each Mango is carefully wrapped in coloured wires for added protection. Graded mangoes are packed in well-ventilated, sturdy boxes with appropriate labeling as per the requirements. These mangoes are then transported to the distribution centers through specialized vans. Further they are gift-wrapped / re-packed into special mango gift boxes.
  
  An official Spokesperson from Window2India said "We are very pleased to announce this innovative gifting service called Mango First in association with Kay Bee exports. The service gives NRIs an opportunity to buy export quality Alphonso mangoes and get it delivered at their doorstep."
  
  Kaushal Khakhar, Director Commercial from Mango First said "Kay Bee export has been the one of the leading exporters of fruits and vegetables for over 20years .Our alliance with Window2India to provide Mango First, online service for gifting mangos gives us a platform to extend our services to NRI customers. Mango First has given us an opportunity to service our final consumers directly and we want to make the most of it by dedicating our resources and best agricultural practices to delight our customers."
  
  

18th April, Economic Times (Mumbai, Calcutta, Hydrabad, Gujarat), Times Of India, Times Card celebrates its first anniversary

• MUMBAI: TimesofMoney celebrates the first anniversary of Times Card (a joint initiative of Barclaycard and TimesofMoney) with a series of fabulous offers exclusively for its customers. The offers span popular customer pursuits such as shopping, movies, personal grooming, entertainment and leisure.
  
  Times Card has over the past year continued to unveil exciting offers for its base of over 1, 00,000 satisfied customers. Existing offers on the Card include: 'Shoppers Whoppers' -- the promotion that allows you to 'shop till you drop' at amazing prices; 'Movie Mania' - wherein cardholders can avail of tickets of their favorite movie at the theatre of their choice and 'Beauty & Body' - for all who would like to indulge in rejuvenating beauty treatments at leading salons and spas around the country, at prices that are unbelievable. For all those who need to get away from the grind, the Times Card has a special 'Holidays' category, which offers cardholders irresistible holiday packages across the country. Foodies can also find solace in 'Culinary Stops', which acts as a guide to the country's best restaurants.
  
  The card also provides privilege access to a host of prominent celebrity events and parties including Filmfare Awards and the Pantaloons Femina Miss India beauty pageant.
  
  Speaking on the occasion Avijit Nanda, president, TimesofMoney said, " Over the last year, Times Card has successfully redefined the entertainment experience of masses. Positioned to be an aspirational credit card for the high spenders, 'Times Card' has created compelling value by introducing exclusive offers that form an integral part of the card offering. These offers span across entertainment, dining, shopping, travel, body and beauty. We are confident that in the coming years Times Card will deliver its promise of introducing customers to a new world of entertainment experience."
  
  Samir Bhatia, Managing Director -- India and Indian Ocean, Barclays GRCB said, "The Times Card is constantly seeking to create compelling value proposition for our ever-growing customer base of over 1 lakh. Over the last year, we have created value-for-money platforms providing customers with a unique experience across categories such as shopping, entertainment, hospitality, travel, leisure and personal grooming. We endeavour to leverage our innovative customer-centric initiatives and achieve several more milestones in the years to come."
  
  The card, which is powered by Visa, is currently available in over 15 cities, which cover the metros. Gaining access to the card is easy and is absolutely hassle free. Customers can swipe and earn points, which are then redeemed, and this has proved to be a good incentive. This card is accepted at more than 26 million merchant establishments in India as well as globally.
  
  About Times Card
  
  Times Card from TimesofMoney is the first entertainment Credit Card of its kind in India. It offers exclusive discounts across blockbuster movie premieres, rocking live concerts, celebrity parties and a whole new experience of entertainment. Times Card is weaved along the 5 C's of Convenience, Comfort, Care, Cohesive and Comprehensive. Positioned to be an aspirational credit card for the high spenders, it gives a powerful option to do more. These offers and discounts span across a large number of merchants spread across movies, dining, shopping, body and beauty and holiday destinations.
  
  

24th March, Sunnyvale, Kids, Teens and Youth Enthralled audience during Ugadi Celebrations Organized by BATA

• Bay Area Telugu Association organized the 8th Annual Ugadi Telugu Mela and Youth Talent Show on March 21, 2009 at Sunnyvale Temple Community Center in Sunnyvale, California celebrating the "VIRODHI NAMA samvatsaram". The venue Sunnyvale Temple auditorium had a new look with decoration of traditional flowers, backdrops, and lights; and a daylong cultural program involving four-year kids to adults took place that mesmerized the Bay area Telugu people from 10:00 AM through 10:00 PM in the evening . This program was sponsored by the following patrons:Grand Sponsor: Ravi Tax Preparation Services & Raji InsurancePlatinum Sponsors: Channel Real Estate and Mortgage.Gold Sponsor: PNG Jewelers, Namaste Plaza, Remit2India (remit2india.com)Part of the day-long event, "Youth Talent Show" ran from 10am through 6pm. The Youth Talent show has been providing a platform for youth to showcase their talents in music, dance and other fields. The ever increasing participation of children from a tender age of 4 to 15 in large numbers shows the hard work put in the by the kids in learning telugu language and arts and the dedication of parents to ensure their children are in touch with our language, culture and festivals. This year’s talent show had over 85 entries in dance and singing competitions with over 300 children participating in sub-junior, junior and senior categories. Additionally, there were over 60 entries for Art, Caroms and Chess competitions.
         BATA advisory board member and Cultural Chair Ms Vijaya Aasuri started the evening program and stated that the main goal of Ugadi program is to showcase and celebrate Telugu culture while entertaining the audience. During the show, Priest Sri Chintapally Venkateshwara Sharma blessed the show and attendees. The first performance was Kuchipudi dance for Ganesha Koutvam by group of eight kids, choreographed by Sunita Pendekanti. The next item was Matru Bodha directed by Vani Gundlapalli and it was written & composed by Varanasi Venkat Rao. Then came the "chiru Sandadi" dances by 4-10 years old kids for ensemble of songs celebrating the diversity of styles and songs such as Kannu Kotthina, Appdo Ippudo, Confussion, and Dhoom Dhummari. There were over 60 kids participated in this small segment of dances alone. Most of these kids were first-timer.Speaking at this event, Ravi Thiruveedhula, the out-going President of BATA, mentioned that he has received tremendous support from Telugu community, BATA committee, Artists, and the volunteers through out the last year making all program very success.s on the stage, and were very well trained by the choreographers Vijaya Aasuri and Srilu Veligeti. Prasad Mangina (newly elected President of BATA)thanked Jayaram Komati, Ramesh Mandalapu, Yugandhar Karakala, Ravi Thiruveedhula, Vijaya Aasuri and Veeru Vuppala for their continued support and encouragement since he has been associated with BATA. Prasad was pleased with his election as well as with the new committee and expressed confidence that the new team will continue the activities with the same interest and intensity. Ravi and Prasad also thanked the efforts of volunteers in making the program a grand success and thanked the sponsors Ravi & Raji Gondipalli (Ravi Tax Services), Sri Gopi Reddy (Channel Real Estate and Mortgage), Vishaka (PNG Jewelers), Gurdeep Suri (Remit2India.com), and Hari Babu (Namaste Plaza). Additionally they thanked the local businesses that have set-up the booths such as tax services, real estate promoters, dentists, jewelers, educational institute, boutiques, mehndi and non-profit organizations. Towards the end of the program, the much-awaited results from the Talent Show were announced by Srilu Veligeti, and cheers have erupted in the hall every time a name and prize announced from each of the categories of competitions. The program was concluded with the prize distribution, medals and certificates to Youth Talent show participants.
  
  

20th February, Economic Times, Business Standard, Remit2India offers 'Assured Extra Money' to all customers

• MUMBAI: As a part of its 8th anniversary celebrations, Remit2India, India's leading online remittance service announced its Assured Extra Money offer on each transaction for its customers. This distinctive and lucrative proposal provides every customer who transacts through Remit2Indiaan assured extra paisa on each money transfer . All transactions stand to get an extra paisa benefit upto Rs. 8888 during the offer period on successful disbursal done to the beneficiary. The Offer opened on Feb 13th, 2009 and closes at 9:30 am- IST on March 6th, 2009. This offer is available to all customers serviced by Remit2Indiaacross the globe. Speaking on the occasion, Mr.Avijit Nanda, President TimesofMoney said, "This anniversary gives us an apt platform to re imbibe our promise - to deliver the best service and have the vision of being the best in class online remittance service provider. We would like to thank our customers around the world for having faith in us and appreciating our unique product offering. To express our gratitude, we have announced a rewarding scheme for all our customers and we are confident that we will deliver our best ensuring customer delight." Remit2India,India's leading remittance service provider, finished 8 years on the 14th of this month. Started as India's first independent money transfer portal, Remit2India has expanded its product portfolio to include various services like online shopping platform & property services for NRIs .It has also introduced several innovative services like BillPay2Indiawhich allows NRIsto pay their bills online ,Guaranteed Rate Transfers, which allows a customer to fix the exchange rate at the time of booking of transaction and many more .Its disbursement solutions have revolutionized the face of remittances ,making it seamless and customer friendly
  
  

17th February , DPA, Indians begin to return home as Gulf dreams crash downturn on Asian remittances (Feature)Business Features

• New Delhi - Amid new layoffs each passing day, the evenings at Dubai's Jebel Ali labour camps, home to thousands of South Asian workers, are fraught with economic uncertainty and gloom. Half a dozen migrants gathered recently at a flat to comfort Indian construction worker Sunam Mallaiah, who had just lost his job. Unsure of their own livelihoods, the men were unable to offer words of hope. Mallaiah went into debt and sold his land in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh to raise 150,000 rupees (3,090 dollars) for a recruitment agent to get him work in Dubai, one of the seven states of the United Arab Emirates. Merely weeks into his 1,600 dirhams-a-month (436-dollars-a-month) job, the 30-year-old's dreams of a better life for his wife and child back home have faded away. With the building boom going bust after the global economic downturn hit the region, older workers like Bangladeshi Shahjehan Alam are worried about their friend. 'He is mostly quiet, troubled about how to return home with debt and an empty pocket,' Alam said in a telephone interview. 'We fear he might commit suicide.' India's Overseas Affairs Ministry insists the situation is not alarming, but reports of job losses and wage cuts have been pouring in from the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, which have been hit by a combination of a slump in oil prices and a downturn in the construction, real estate and tourism sectors because of the global slowdown. There are 1.8 million Indians in the United Arab Emirates and 400,000 in Bahrain, accounting for about half the 5 million Indian workers and managers in the Gulf region. Indians have been affected to a lesser extent in other Gulf countries such as Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. Although there are no exact figures, the Indian consulate in Dubai has said construction firms there had bulk-booked planes next month to fly 20,000 to 30,000 workers back home on long leave or to redeploy them on projects in other Gulf nations like Qatar. According to unofficial estimates, Andhra Pradesh has seen thousands returning to their homes in the northern Telangana region over the past few months while Kerala, another southern state that sends huge numbers of workers abroad, is reporting 150 returns a week. White-collar Indian professionals and technicians are facing the axe too. The spate of job losses is mostly in the financial and banking sectors and hotels. Those in sales and marketing are also regarded as dispensable. 'Four of my friends from the finance sector and hotels were fired overnight from their jobs though they were very good professionals,' an Indian executive with Emirates International Telecom said. 'With several firms going in for cost-cutting, people are being hired at lower wages. Others are forced to return as their salaries do not support their stay anymore.' 'Till 2008, the Gulf was witnessing realty and construction booms and attracted workers in droves,' KV Shamsuddin, who heads an Indian welfare organization in Dubai, said by telephone. 'But now, 260 billion dollars worth of real estate projects are reported to have been delayed or shelved in the UAE.' According to workers, property giants like Nakheel, Damac, Emaar Properties PJSC and al-Shafar have laid off thousands of workers over the past few months. 'Some companies have sent them back on leave without pay while a few even use the lottery system for terminating services,' Alam said. Concerned that a wave of redundancies could translate into a crisis, the Indian government is keeping a close watch. But although the situation is dire for the overseas workers, the lack of jobs in the Gulf is not expected to have a major effect on the Indian economy overall, Overseas Affairs Ministry spokesman Akshay Rout said. Indians, comprising 38 per cent of the 13 million expatriates in six Gulf countries, contribute more than one-fifth of India's total overseas remittances, which constitute 3 per cent of the country's gross domestic product. Migration to the Gulf region, which employs the largest number of Indians outside the country, has helped countless thousands of Indian families avoid poverty in the past decade. Remittances have driven construction, tourism and education in states like Kerala and Andhra Pradesh. 'Layoffs, especially in the construction sector, are likely to have serious economic repercussions for households in India as many depend on remittances,' said Avijit Nanda, president of TimesofMoney, a leading Indian online payment-service provider. 'Since January, there have been appeals by the diaspora for financial help and starting rehabilitation and re-employment schemes,' an Overseas Affairs Ministry official said on the condition of anonymity.
  
  

14th February,Make your wallet smile this Valentines Season, with Times Card offers

• Times Card, India’s first co-branded entertainment credit card from TimesofMoney and Barclays has announced an exclusive Valentines Day Offer for all its customers. This offer ensures saving on every spend for the card members across movies, dining, shopping, body ,beauty and holiday destinations.
  Highlights of the Offer:
  •Discounts are offered in five Consortiums-namely Entertainment, Culinary, Shopping, Beauty & Health and Travel.
  •Entertainment:
  Exclusive Tie-up with Multiplexes across the town to offer 25% flat discount on latest Movies (Anytime, Any movie)
  •Dining :
  Times Card offers 15-20% discount at all famous eateries like Mumbai:Maroosh , Diva Maharashtra , Goa Portuguese Bangalore: Oriental Blossom, Ruby Tuesday
  •Shopping:
  Times Card offers discounts on Stand alone retail chains like : - Mumbai:Freedom Fashion, Collezioni Moda - Gini and Jony and Palm Tree all over India. -Delhi : H2O Plus, Blue Oyster.
  Beauty & Health:
  Discounts on Beauty & Wellness Outlets like Jawed Habib& Cher Hair & Beauty Lounge.
  •Travel :
  Discounts on Hotels & Resorts like Hotel Hard Rock, Ramee Group Of Hotels. Please log on to: www.timescard.com ,for more information Google Trends shows that search volume started soaring as of Feb. 1 and it will continue to surge right up until Feb. 14. But the proceeds are not just limited to retailers of chocolate and flowers. There are plenty of opportunities for innovative giftings.Courtsey:Google Trends . Current Shopping Trends : During recession ,in effort to economise, people were also searching for vouchers 35 per cent more this year than last, as well as budget meals, which have grown in terms of search frequency by 53 per cent. Google Trends shows that shopping volume during valentines season started soaring as of Feb. 1 and it will continue to surge right up until Feb. 14. But the proceeds are not just limited to retailers of chocolate and flowers. There are plenty of opportunities for innovative gift shopping . Top gifting trends this season Gifts are an expression of mutual love and affection. They add an extra flavor to the festivities. The year end festive season witnessed a change in the gifting trend. Gifts, this year are more utility based and depend on the functional value to the user. Compared to last year where top gift categories were accessories and cosmetics the trend this year is more towards spa /holiday packages and electronic gadgets. Top ten gift categories this season are: Mobile phones and electronic gadgets, holiday/Spa packages, gift vouchers, Apparels, Cosmetic packages, chocolates, cakes & cookies and watches.
  Times Card:
  Times Card is the first entertainment Credit Card of its kind in India. It offers exclusive discounts across blockbuster movie premieres, rocking live concerts, celebrity parties and a whole new experience of entertainment. Times Card is weaved along the 5 C's of Convenience, Comfort, Care, Cohesive and Comprehensive. Times Card aims to provide the card members a powerful option to do more with the same spends through the various offers and discounts across a large number of merchants spread across movies, dining, shopping, body and beauty and holiday destinations.
  
  

16th January,Business of Cinema, Times Card offers 25% discount on movie tickets

• Entertainment credit card from TimesofMoney and Barclays - Times Card - is providing a unique proposition for movie buffs. It offers 25% discount on movie tickets -anytime, any movie, any day. This discount can be availed at multiplexes like Fame Adlabs, Fun Cinemas, and Cinemax across the city. Card holders get to watch a movie at 3/4th of its cost. With the purchase of a couple of movie tickets, the cardholder earns discount. All a customer needs to do is; check the theatre details at www.timescard.com and book the tickets at the counter to avail the discount. Along with this discount offer, Times Cardholders are also eligible for special discounts on the latest movie blockbuster releases, concerts, high profile shows, top brand apparels, footwear, furniture, holiday resorts, weekend destinations and special packages, beauty salons, spas, fitness centers, health clinics, dance academies and many more.
  
  

1st January,Remit2India bonds with NRIs and their families

• REMIT2INDIA, INDIA’S leading online remittance portal, organised NRI family day, a meet for NRIs and their families at St Antonio D Silva School, Dadar, Mumbai on December 21, 2008. The event had a healthy attendance with more than 1000 NRIs and their families. The event was testimony to the euphoria NRI families’ back home could garner. The event was aimed at celebrating the bond Remit2India shares with its NRI customers and their families and to reinforce the magic by striking an emotional chord. It also offered an excellent opportunity to vendors to interact with thousands of potential customers at a personal level. NRI Family Day presented a range of options from entertainment and lifestyle interests to its guests. There were four zones put up, which offered the guests with delicious food, free health check-up, free eye check-up, free astrology advice and the likes. At the health zone, an expert from Asian Heart Institute explained the health concerns for the middle aged, their food habits and advisable exercises. More than 400 people got their free health check ups done and attended the fitness and yoga session. The investment zone provided financial advisory to the audience through stalls by insurance, mutual funds houses and property developers. The experts from ArthaMoney, ING Vysya and Times Card helped them with their queries on how they can maximise their returns from investments apart from innovative financial product offerings. Speakers from Croma, Lodha Builders, Tata Housing and ING also discussed their product offerings and the benefits they hold for the NRI and their beneficiaries in India. The entertainment zone had laughter therapy show by stand-up comedian from television, music, astrology etc for the audience. There were hosts of cultural programmes like comedy shows and games. The Radio Jockeys (RJs) from Radio Mirchi also charmed the audience throughout the evening with regular games and music. The participants were also given free vouchers from Country Club and Travel port. Stalls like free mehendi and tattoo had a turnout of more than 200 people. The participants got their horoscopes by Bejan Daruwalla. Lastly, the connect zone had Remit2India and Window2India brands present. The Remit2India booth on one hand, clarified queries adeptly regarding the money transfer process, while handing out mementoes to the customers. The crowd continued to pour till late in the evening. The fun filled evening finally came to an end with a raffle draw worth rupees two lakh. This initiative was taken by Remit2India, remittance arm of TimesofMoney group to establish a connect with the beneficiaries of the money remitted by NRIs. It also gave an opportunity to families of NRIs to address their concerns regarding the brand and their expectations from it. "The event has been a resounding success and we are delighted with the overwhelming response. We hope to recreate similar success in other cities as well," said official spokesperson, Remit2India.com.