A Candid Interview with Ms. Neha Jha, Curator- MAP Festival 2017

Ms. Neha Jha, Curator- MAP Festival 2017 - TGN

MUMBAI,  20 JULY,  2017  (TGN) : Neha Mishra Jha is the founder of Event Eyes Communications (EEC), which organises creative events inMumbai. A post graduate in Journalism & Mass Communications, Neha has more than 10 years of experience in writing and editing. Having worked with leading media houses and Packaging B2B events, it was only four years ago that she decided to make her passion- her job. Through EEC events, she gets a chance to meet creative people and explore creative ideas, which keep on inspiring her life and work. What if You Conference, curated by her, came up as one of the most popular college events of Mumbai.

MAP Festival is a close to heart event for her and she is all focused on raising art & culture awareness among young generation with it.

When she is not working on events, she writes! Neha has performed at various open mic sessions, judged school poetry competitions, published a poetry e-book ‘Moods & Musings’ and maintains a blog atwww.nehanarrates.com

Q) We have witnessed festival dedicated to only Music/Art/Poetry. Would like to know how different MAP is compared to other festivals?

Ans. When we talk about Music, Art and Poetry festivals there are many in Mumbai; but when we talk about festivals in Navi Mumbai, there isn’t any big festival which can be called as complete art festival. So the Objective behind organizing this festival is to give Navi Mumbai a chance to witness such festival and is meant for local people, college students, corporate etc.

Q) Do we have any celebrities coming to the event?

Ans. Yes, The event is likely witness huge participation from Navi Mumbai college students, Corporates, Bollywood personalities, Artists and Art lovers such as NMMC- Navi Mumbai Mayor, Shri Sudhakar Sonawane, Sushant Divgikar, Model, Actor, Singer,Mohinder Pratap Singh, Producer, Director,Jyoti Kapoor, Screenwriter, RakeshTiwari,Poet, Artist, Jingle Composer,Rouble Nagi, Mural Artist/Sculptor and Social Worker, Kartik Sharma, Percussionist and Didgeridoo Player, Dr. Radhakrishnan Pillai, Author, Founder-Chanakya’s Institute, Nupur Saraswat, Stage Performer, Anjali Kirpalani, Author, Writer, Sudeep Pagedar, Spoken-word Artist, Harshit Anurag, Founder- inkStation and many others.

Q) How many footfalls do you expect at the event?

Ans. Around 800 people. The auditorium can accommodate around 500 people and exhibit area around 300 people

Q) How did this idea generated?

Ans. We have been doing college event since 2013 and also we did lots of cultural events. The concept is not new as such but in Navi Mumbai it’s organised for the first time. Earlier we had done an event in Sophia College on Women Empowerment. Here, at MAP 2017 the topics are more or less the same on Music, Arts and Poetry; but we do it in a different way. The musicians if we talk about are good bamboo players, the garbage been players which are not so common. We try and bring uncommon aspects to the event. So the idea generated on basically Navi Mumbai not having any such event.

Q) Do we have any sponsors for the event?

Ans. Yes, we have Mahindra SSG, Women Empower India Association associated with the event. We also have Tata Tea as a gift sponsors.

Q) Will there be any entry fees?

Ans. The Entry is absolutely FREE but On-spot or online registration is a must.

Q) Tell us something more about the event?

Ans. MAP 2017 is a cultural good cause event. The festival will also have severaldiscussions including Music that Matters! By Anup Jalota,Veteran Singer and Composer on22nd July at 10:30 am and Art and Music Interactive Talk with Sushant Divgikar, Actor and Rouble Nagi, Mural Artiston 23rd July at 4:00 pm

Workshops on different topics such as andPaint your heart on 22nd July at 11:00 am andPowerful Poetry on 23rd July at 2:30 PMrespectively will be held by the artists and experts who will share their anecdotes and pass on useful information to interested patrons.

MAP Awards is another interesting aspect of the event; wherein, awards for best Poet, Artist, Author and initiatives will be felicitated.

Q) Do we have art on Sale?

Ans. Yes, we have table top exhibition, it’s not in a big way; our focus is not on exhibition. We have students and artist from Navi Mumbai to showcase their work. A small area will be dedicated to this.ENDS

Walmart India Signs MOU with GOI for expansion in Maharashtra

Mr. Sunil Porwal Additinal Chief Secretary (Industry), Government of Maharashtra and Krish Iyer, President & CEO of Walmart India, signed the MoU in the presence of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis-TGN

Mumbai, 12 July, 2017 (GPN) : The Government of Maharashtra and Wal-Mart India Pvt.Ltd. today signed an Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to build 15 additional Cash & Carry stores under the brand of Best Price in the State of Maharashtra. Walmart India already has 2 Cash & Carry stores in the State – in Aurangabad and in Amravati.

The new Cash & Carry stores will be set up across different cities, where sites are being currently finalized. The Cash & Carry stores have the potential to augment the local economy in terms of job creation, farmer training, supplier engagement and women’s economic empowerment. With 15 stores in Maharashtra, Walmart India will be creating 30,000 direct and indirect jobs, with each store providing employment opportunity to 2,000 people, directly and indirectly. Mr. Sunil Porwal Additinal Chief Secretary (Industry), Government of Maharashtra and Krish Iyer, President & CEO of Walmart India, signed the MoU in the presence of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. ACS in Chief Minister’s office Mr. Praveen Pardeshi, IAS from the Government of Maharashtra and Rajneesh Kumar, Senior Vice President & Head of Corporate Affairs, Walmart India, were present in this occasion.ENDS

GST Quotes By Mr Anil Agrawal, MD and CEO, Comfort Securities Ltd.

Mr Anil Agrawal, MD and CEO, Comfort Securities Ltd. - TGN

Mumbai, 3 July, 2017 (TGN) : All businesses, small or large, will be impacted by this new indirect tax regime. GST will be levied on both, goods and services and will subsume and replace the current indirect taxes such as excise, VAT, and service tax. GST is destination tax, meaning the tax base will shift from origin to consumption. It will help to build a transparent and corruption free tax administration.

Currently, some sectors like the textile industry are exempted from taxes or pay low tax. There is no doubt that GST has increased the administrative cost because of inadequate infra structure facility like connectivity, electricity supply in remote areas, literate manpower, etc. All the stock transfer will lead to taxability under GST laws. The time gap in between the stock transfer and sale of stock will have a huge impact on the cash flow i.e. working capital. During each stock transfer the business needs to pay the tax under GST, while the input tax credit is effectively used when those stocks will be sold by the receiving branch location. In this case every time the business needs to pay the Tax amount for each stock transfer while he can utilize the credit against the output liabilities at the time of sale only. Thus, for many sectors the tax burden will increase which in turn will increase the price of the final goods.
For Common Man items to get cheaper: Prices of movie tickets may become cheaper in most states, Dining in restaurants, Televisions, etc.

For Common Man items to get costlier: Renewal premium for life insurance policies, banking and investment services, residential rent, school fees , etc.

Under GST the turnover limit has been reduced to Rs. 20 lakh thus increasing the tax burden for many manufacturing SMEs.

Once GST is implemented, most of the current challenges of this move will be a story of the past. India will become a single market where goods can move freely and there will lesser compliances to deal with for businesses.ENDS.

Global Direct Selling Industry clocked USD 183 Billion in retail sales, says World Federation of Direct Selling Associations Report

New Delhi, July 3, 2017 (TGN)  :  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 suchQNet 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.

Tubacex opens Regional Distribution Centre for Asian Market in India

L – R : Mr. P V ANAND, GENERAL MANAGER TSS – ASIA, Mr. MANUEL SARABIA FIGUEROA, C.O.O TSS SPAIN – TUBACEX GROUP WORLDWIDE, Mr. AJAY SAMBRANI, MANAGING DIRECTOR – TSS TUBACEX GROUP ASIA AND MIDDLE EAST DURING THE PRESS BRIEFING IN MUMBAI ON 27th JUNE, 2017- TGN.

Mumbai, 28 June 2017 (TGN) :Spanish based multinational TUBACEX Group, today inaugurated the ‘Regional Distribution Centre’ at SEZ of Kandla Port. With this, the largest worldwide producer of Seamless Tubes in Stainless Steel and High-Nickel Alloys and provider of Premium Tubular Solutions, has further boosted its presence in India. This Stock and Service Center is part of ‘Tubacex Service Solutions (TSS)– a global master distributor (with already having presence in Dubai, Iran, Spain, France, Austria, Houston and Brazil) is aimed at offering immediate product availability and tailor-made special services to Indian customers.

Tubacex caters its products range to the most critical segments like Oil & Gas, Petrochemical, Chemical, Power Generation, Aerospace and Water Desalination to name a few.

While addressing to media Mr Ajay Sambrani, MD, Tubacex – Asia & Middle East & North Africa said “This distribution center will serve the biggest portfolio in Asia of Seamless Stainless Steel Tubes and Pipes including a Hydraulic & Instrumentations and Heat Exchangers stock plan for quick deliveries. With TSS India, we reinforce our commercial positioning in India bringing our tubular solutions closer to our customers with a stock & service center supported by a global network of industrial plants and warehouses integrated in the Tubacex Group worldwide”.

Briefing on a journey of Tubacex in India so far Mr Sambrani further said “Tubacex first established its Asia Sales Office in India in2014, followed by an acquisition of  Seamless Stainless Steel Tube business and manufacturing plant of Steelage India at Umbergaon, Gujarat in 2015. Now in2017, with opening of ‘Tubacex Service Solutions (TSS)’ in Kandala Port with an aim to supply products and tailor-made service to entire Asia continent has made group’s presence complete in India.

Group’s strategic decisions about expansion in India market have helped the Group’s positioning in gaining competitiveness in standard products, whereas reinforcing its TUBACEX positioning in higher added-value products, with particular emphasis on Asia, with the strengthening of the company’s sales team.
TSS India Facilities : Asia has become one of the main markets in TUBACEX Group positioning, where the 69% of the Group’s sales are destined. Its Premium business strategy takes relevance in this market with special focus on the Caspian Sea, where the Tubacex Group has received its largest order to supply umbilical tubes for the Shah Deniz Project, one of the world’s largest gas fields or China, a market in which five orders have been placed recently for new power stations, as well as an important order for Premium tubes for one of the country’s main refineries. These orders also include significant engineering solutions for the end user, such as full tube connection packages and services for gas extraction wells. They represent a qualitative and quantitative leap in terms of client relations and business model conception.

TUBACEX commitment in the country goes beyond its business approach with the launching of a social action program in support of UNICEF to promote Education and access to Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in the schools covering 5 blocks of Palghar district, Maharashtra in India.This agreement is framed within the initiatives of the TUBACEX Foundation and will have a three-year term and it is fully-aligned with the lines of action of UNICEF and the ‘Clean School Clean India’ campaign promoted by the Indian Government.ENDS.

LANXESS presents leather trends for the autumn-winter season 2018/19

Mumbai, 23 June,  2017 (TGN) :Specialty chemicals company LANXESS, one of the leading manufacturers of leather chemicals worldwide, is now offering a sneak preview of the upcoming leather trends for the autumn-winter season 2018/19. In a specially outlined collection, LANXESS reveals the novelties for the season in terms of look, feel and overall impression by various leather designs. With this forecast, the LANXESS Leather business unit is creating a real competitive advantage: The valuable guidance for designers and leather manufacturers helps to implement any new trend early. Furthermore, tanneries receive relevant formulations and practical advice on processing.

The trends that have been announced for autumn-winter season 2018/19 are:

L’INIZIO
It is the beginning of a new season, we let time flow freely and we embrace the already cold scent of the winter. Autumn comes along with long and dark lights and light golden tones, in addition to different shades. The leaves of trees are blown through the air and dress us in amazing colors.

TEMPO PER SCOLLEGARE

Time stops and proposes a reunion with our deepest thoughts that become strong and dramatic. Thus, giving way to this season of the year that brings darkness, shades of blue and purple that connect along with the organic color of orange. 

NEL CORSO DEL TEMPO

Time flies, and our lingering, mature thoughts advance the emergence of moving surfaces from the world of technics and industry, composed of geometric shapes inspired by the faint light of winter. Monochromatic colors are blended, flowing and intertwining with clear and calm colors. 

IL CORSO

Time passes. The colors near the brown of the earth, red of the winter fruits and those that brought us the evolution of billions of years. They do not seem to be altered and they paint archeological forms sorted randomly over time.

LANXESS is a leading specialty chemicals company with sales of EUR 7.7 billion in 2016and about 16,700 employees in 25 countries. The company is currently represented at 54 production sites worldwide. The core business of LANXESS is the development, manufacturing and marketing of chemical intermediates, specialty chemicals and plastics. Through ARLANXEO, the joint venture with Saudi Aramco, LANXESS is also a leading supplier of synthetic rubber. LANXESS is listed in the leading sustainability indices Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI World) and FTSE4Good.
Forward-Looking Statements
This company release contains certain forward-looking statements, including assumptions, opinions, expectations and views of the company or cited from third party sources. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could cause the actual results, financial position, development or performance of LANXESS AG to differ materially from the estimations expressed or implied herein. LANXESS AG does not guarantee that the assumptions underlying such forward-looking statements are free from errors nor does it accept any responsibility for the future accuracy of the opinions expressed in this presentation or the actual occurrence of the forecast developments. No representation or warranty (expressed or implied) is made as to, and no reliance should be placed on, any information, estimates, targets and opinions, contained herein, and no liability whatsoever is accepted as to any errors, omissions or misstatements contained herein, and accordingly, no representative of LANXESS AG or any of its affiliated companies or any of such person’s officers, directors or employees accept any liability whatsoever arising directly or indirectly from the use of this document.ENDS.

INDEX Fairs 2017 concludes its 29th edition

India’s big event for furniture, interiors and design

Mumbai, June, 2017 (TGN) : : INDEX Fairs 2017, India’s leading architectural, interiors and design show concluded its 29^th Edition on June 11, 2017. The Expo was held at theBombay Convention and Exhibition Center (BCEC), Goregaon.

The key dignitaries present at the inaugural included Arti Kirloskar, Patron of the Arts and Indian Craft Heritage, Pune; Ms. Rosimar Suzano, Hon. Consul General of Brazil; Mr. Soungeun Kim, Hon. Consul General of the Republic of Korea; Mr. Niranjan Hiranandani, Chairman, NAREDCO; Mr. Mukesh Mehta, Vic Chairman, NAREDCO; Ar. Prem Nath, Architect Prem Nath and Associates, Mumbai; Ar. Reza Kabul, ARK Architect Reza Kabul, Mumbai; Mr. Dilip Dahanukar, Chairman, Dahanukar Foundation for the Arts, Mumbai; Mr. Kim, Kyewon, Chairman, Korea Federation of Furniture Industry Cooperatives, Seoul Korea; Mr. L A Khan, MD & Founder UMG INDEX Fairs, among various other players of the industry.

The four-day fair saw the participation of over 200 companies promoting 2500 brands with exhibitors from China, Korea, Turkey, Taiwan and Italy. The fair aimed to connect manufacturers and traders dealing in furniture and fittings, OEM white goods, accessories, lighting and a complete range of materials for kitchen, office and hardware for contract use, with architects, interior designers, and builders, project managers, and consultants, procurement heads across the hospitality, corporate and government sectors.

The first day of the fair ended with the Smoking Hot appreciations awards for the architects and developers. The event was attended by prominent industry leaders and experts. The senior members of the industry like Ar. Christopher Charles Benninger, Ar. Prem Nath and Ar. Uttam Jain were felicitated for their years of work in the architecture industry. The Architects couples like Ar. Annkur Khosla and Ar. Faquih Kaif, Ar. Prashant and Hemanti Sutaria, Ar. Kalhan Mattoo and Santha Gaur Mattoo, Ar. Sanjay Puri & Ar. Nina Puri, Ar. Alan Abraham & Ar. Anca Abraham, Ar. Krupa Zubin & Ar. Zubin Zainuddin were presented for their contribution in the industry.

Index Fairs’ partnership with leading design publication IFJ has seen knowledge forums such as the IFJ seminars and focused industry meets. The seminar and panel discussion on The Workspace 2017: Deconstruction and Reconstruction of Offices boasted eminent speakers Ar. Ninad Tipnis, Ar. Kalhan Mathoo, Ar. Kshitij Limaye, Ar. Swapnil Sawant, Ar. Yatin Patel, Ar. Bharat Yamsamwar, Ar. Somnath Dutta Roy, and Dr. Abhijit Sarkar. The seminar threw light on Workspace industry in India and offered an understanding of design-based value addition in such projects.The day three of the fair saw the launch of the IFJ Special Bamboo edition launched by Ar. Bobby Mukerjee, Ar. Conrad Gonsalves and Ar. Nitin Khillawala. The launch was followed by a musical performance by Ar. Conrad Gonsalves, Ar. Nitin Khillawala and their team members.

INDEX Fairs 2017 received an immense support from the industry as well as various professional associations such asAll India Hardware Association (AIHA), Hospitality Purchasing Managers Forum (HPMF), and National Real Estate Development Council (NAREDCO).

On the successful conclusion of the INDEX Fairs 2017, Mr. L A Khan, Managing Director, INDEX Fairs said, “Index fairs have been the leading international platform for interiors, architecture, and design bringing together suppliers, buyers and manufactures to a design platform. The 29^th edition looks ahead towards meeting the demand of the elite and luxury segment especially in the field of interior and the architecture industry. The show witnessed larger participation than the previous edition from India and across the globe. INDEX Fairs is a distinctive platform that gives its participants an opportunity to showcase their innovation in design industry. We expect more participation in the years to come.”ENDS. 

JACQUELINE FERNANDEZ LAUNCHES THE BODY SHOP’S BIGGEST CAMPAIGN AGAINST ANIMAL TESTING

Jacqueline Fernandez, Brand Ambassador of The Body Shop - Photo By TGN.

Jacqueline Fernandez, Brand Ambassador,The Body Shop India with Shriti Malhotra, COO, The Body Shop India Launches Forever Against Animal Testing Campaign – Photo By TGN

Mumbai, 12 June,  2017 (TGN) : The Body Shop has today launched a new campaign for a global ban on cosmetics animal testing on products and ingredients by 2020, revolutionizing the beauty industry and protecting millions of animals around the world. Partnering with the leading non – profit organization working to end animal testing, Cruelty Free International, The Body Shop will take the campaign to the highest authority, the United Nations, and request an international convention banning cosmetics testing on animals.

The potential for animal testing is still a huge risk around the world, with over 80% of countries still having no laws against testing in cosmetics. Despite the fact that most countries do not require safety data based on animal tests and reliable alternatives are available and that beauty companies like The Body Shop use innovative and effective cruelty–free ingredients in their products. Cruelty Free International estimates that approximately 500,000 animals are still used in some countries in cosmetics testing every year.

Speaking on the campaign, Jacqueline Fernandez, Brand Ambassador of The Body Shop India says,“Real beauty cannot be  achieved at the cost of harming anyone especially animals. The concept of animal testing for cosmetic brands should be banned. A socially responsible conglomerate would prefer not to implement testing measures that prove hazardous to anyone’s health. That’s why I extend support to The Body Shop’s noble initiative to end this atrocious practice across this industry by launching a campaign to spread a global ban on animal testing of cosmetic products and ingredients. I request you all to sign the petition and save our animals.”

Shriti Malhotra, COO, The Body Shop India says, “We are pleased to say that India was the first country in South Asia to ban Animal Testing in 2013. The Body Shop is proud to be a cruelty free brand and a staunch supporter of effective, modern,  non-animal alternatives to cosmetic animal testing. With our’Forever Against Animal Testing’ (FAAT) campaign we are asking our customers to help us end the unnecessary and out-dated practice of animal testing for good by signing the petition in our stores or on our website.”

Rules on animal testing in cosmetics are currently patchwork, with legislation differing around the world leaving consumers ill informed. Traditional animal tests have never been validated for their use in reliably detecting the safety of cosmetic products and ingredients. There are now modern alternatives such as artificially grown human skin, that are, in the majority of cases, as effective as the animal test they replace and have been validated by authorities.

Jessie Macneil – Brown, Senior Manager International Campaigns and Corporate Responsibility, The Body Shop, says: “The Body Shop passionately believes that no animal should be harmed in the name of cosmetics and that animal testing on products and ingredients is outdated, cruel and unnecessary. This is why The Body Shop and Cruelty Free International have partnered to deliver the largest and most ambitious campaign ever to seek a global ban on the use of animals to test cosmetic products and ingredients.

“This campaign will finish what we both started back in the 1980s.  We are calling on at least 8 million people from every corner of the globe who care about animal welfare to join our cause and sign our petition. We will take this petition to the United Nations to compel them to create a global law a ban animal testing in cosmetic products and ingredients. With an international law enforced, consumers would finally be confident that any cosmetics they buy are cruelty free. It’s time to end animal testing for cosmetics purposes once and for all.  Join us to make it happen.”

Michelle Thew, CEO of Cruelty Free International says: “People are confused about animal testing.  The world over, people want this cruel practice to end, yet existing laws are a patchwork of different rules with some very big gaps. While more and more countries require non-animal safety tests and many have taken steps to prohibit cosmetics testing on animals, there is more work to be done.  Where animal testing is allowed – on both products and ingredients – most countries do not require testing data to be made available to the public or even to regulators. This makes it extremely difficult to know how widespread animal testing is. What we know is that one single test may involve hundreds of animals.  If just one company or one country relies on animal testing, the impact on animal lives could be huge. Because 80% of countries around the world still allow animal testing for cosmetics, a global ban is the only way to truly eliminate animal suffering. We are delighted Cruelty Free International and The Body Shop are together campaigning for a ban that would finally end animal testing forever.” 

The Body Shop and Cruelty Free International’s new campaign is calling for an international ban on animal testing in cosmetics, on both products and ingredients, everywhere and forever. It is the most ambitious campaign ever against animal testing, and aims to engage eight million people to sign the petition calling on the United Nations to introduce an international convention to end the practice once and for all. The petition can be signed online or at any of The Body Shop’s 3,000 stores across the world. Consumers are being encouraged to use the campaign hashtag, #ForeverAgainstAnimalTesting, on social media to raise awareness of the issue.ENDS.

Central Depository Services (India) Limited – Initial Public Offer to open on Monday, June 19, 2017, and to close on Wednesday, June 21, 2017 : Price Band fixed from Rs. 145 to Rs. 149 per Equity Share

P S Reddy [Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Central Depository Services (India) Limited], Bharat Sheth [Chief Financial Officer, Central Depository Services (India) Limited] at the CDSL IPO press conference - Photo By TGN

L-R:Utpal Oza (Nomura Financial Advisory And Securities (India) Private Limited), Salil Pitale (Axis Capital Limited), P S Reddy [Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Central Depository Services (India) Limited], Bharat Sheth [Chief Financial Officer, Central Depository Services (India) Limited], Narayanan Sadanandan (SBI Capital Markets Limited) and Dipti Samant (Edelweiss Financial Services Limited) at the CDSL IPO press conference.- Photo By TGN

Mumbai, June 12, 2017 (TGN) : Central Depository Services (India) Limited (“Company” or “Issuer” or “CDSL”) proposes to open on Monday, June 19, 2017, an Initial Public Offering of up to 35,167,208 equity shares of face value of Rs. 10 each (“Equity Shares”) for cash at a price per Equity Share (including a share premium) through an offer for sale of up to 27,217,850 Equity Shares by BSE Limited; up to 4,775,000 Equity Shares by State Bank of India; up to 2,174,358 Equity Shares by Bank of Baroda; and up to 1,000,000 Equity Shares by The Calcutta Stock Exchange (“Offer”) (together the “Selling Shareholders”). The Price Band for the Offer is fixed from Rs. 145 to Rs. 149 per Equity Share. Bids can be made for a minimum of 100 Equity Shares and in multiples of 100 Equity Shares thereafter. The Bid/ Offer will close on Wednesday, June 21, 2017.

The Offer comprises a net offer to the Public of 34,467,208 Equity Shares (the “Net Offer”) and a reservation of 700,000 Equity Shares for subscription by Eligible Employees (as defined in the RHP) (the “Employee Reservation Portion”). The Offer shall constitute up to 33.65% of the fully diluted post-Offer paid-up equity share capital of the Company and the Net Offer to the Public would constitute 32.98% of the post-offer Equity Share Capital.

The Global Co-ordinators and Book Running Lead Managers (“GCBRLMs”) to the Offer are Axis Capital Limited, Edelweiss Financial Services Limited, Nomura Financial Advisory and Securities (India) Private Limited and SBI Capital Markets Limited. The Book Running Lead Managers (“BRLMs”) are Haitong Securities India Private Limited, IDBI Capital Markets & Securities Limited and YES Securities (India) Limited.

The Company and the Selling Shareholders may, in consultation with the GCBRLMs & BRLMs, consider participation by Anchor Investors in accordance with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Issue of Capital and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2009 as amended (“ICDR Regulations”). The Anchor Investor Biding Date shall be one Working Day prior to the Offer Opening Date; i.e., Friday, June 16, 2017.

The Equity Shares offered through the RHP are proposed to be listed on National Stock Exchange of India Limited (“NSE”).

The Offer is being made through the Book Building Process, in reliance of Regulation 26(1) of the ICDR Regulations, wherein not more than 50% of the Net Offer shall be available for allocation on a proportionate basis to Qualified Institutional Buyers (“QIBs”). 5% of the QIB Portion (other than Anchor Investor Portion) will be available for allocation on a proportionate basis to Mutual Funds only, and the remainder of the QIB Portion will be available for allocation on a proportionate basis to all QIB Bidders (other than Anchor Investor Portion), including Mutual Funds, subject to valid Bids being received at or above the Offer Price. Further, not less than 15% of the Net Offer will be available for allocation on a proportionate basis to Non-Institutional Investors and not less than 35% of the Net Offer will be available for allocation to Retail Individual Investors, in accordance with the ICDR Regulations, subject to valid Bids being received at or above the Offer Price. Further, 700,000 Equity Shares will be available for allocation on a proportionate basis to Eligible Employees, subject to valid Bids being received at or above the Offer Price.ENDS.

The Red Herring Prospectus (“RHP”) is available on the website of Securities and Exchange Board of India (“SEBI”) and NSE at www.sebi.gov.in andwww.nseindia.com, respectively; and at the respective websites of the Global Co-ordinators & Book Running Lead Managers (“GCBRLMs”) at www.axiscapital.co.in,www.edelweissfin.com,www.nomuraholdings.com/company/group/asia/india/index.html andwww.sbicaps.com; and at the websites of the BRLMs at www.htisec.com,www.idbicapital.com and www.yesinvest.inrespectively.