ITV

Tag: Bangladesh

  • India’s tourism bonanza continues as foreign arrivals hit record high

    India’s tourism bonanza continues as foreign arrivals hit record high

    MUMBAI: India’s tourism sector is roaring back to life, with foreign tourist arrivals surging to nearly 100 million last year—the highest on record. The ministry of tourism announced that 99.5 million foreigners visited India in 2024, up from just 15.3 million during the pandemic-ravaged year of 2021.

    The recovery has been spectacular. Foreign exchange earnings from tourism more than quadrupled from Rs 64,000 crore in 2021 to Rs 293,000 crore in 2024. Tourism’s share of GDP has jumped from a measly 1.5 per cent in 2020-21 to 5.2 per cent in 2023-24, making it a significant economic driver.

    Americans lead the charge, with 1.8 million visitors in 2024, followed closely by Bangladeshis at 1.75million. The British, Australians and Canadians round up the top five source markets. Notably, Australia saw its visitor numbers soar from just 34,000 in 2021 to over 518,000 in 2024.

    The boom has created jobs too. Employment in tourism rose from 68 million  positions in 2020-21 to 84.6 million in 2023-24, providing livelihoods for millions across the country.

    Union minister for tourism and culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat shared these figures in parliament, highlighting how India has bounced back from the travel restrictions that decimated global tourism. International tourist arrivals, including non-resident Indians, reached 206 million in 2024.

    The numbers suggest India is capitalising on pent-up demand for travel as the world emerges from the pandemic’s shadow. With its rich cultural heritage, diverse landscapes and competitive costs, India appears well-positioned to maintain this momentum.

  • Kho-Khoaching class act sets sport on global fast track

    Kho-Khoaching class act sets sport on global fast track

    MUMBAI: Kho Kho, the homegrown Indian game of agility and grit, just got a high-speed upgrade on and off the mat. As the sport stretches beyond its traditional roots to stake its claim on the global stage, the Kho Kho Federation of India (KKFI) is playing tag with the future by launching its most advanced training initiative yet.

    The Advanced Level III-A Training Course for coaches and technical officials kicked off on June 2, 2025, at SGT University, Budhera, and will run till June 15. Organised by KKFI under the aegis of the International Kho Kho Federation (IKKF), the course is no ordinary classroom drill, it’s a knowledge sprint featuring 20 international coaches and officials from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Iran, Australia, England, Korea and Malaysia, alongside 50 Indian coaches and 65 technical officials.

    From biomechanics to sports psychology, recovery techniques to anti-doping awareness, the curriculum mirrors a sport in metamorphosis. With morning fitness sessions and rigorous classroom modules, participants are being immersed in a next-gen playbook designed to take Kho Kho from kabaddi’s countryside cousin to a globally recognised sport.

    5 June was a masterclass in modernisation with sessions on sports science by Pooja Bhati, anti-doping education by Vikas Tyagi and Anurag, and tactical training by legendary coach H. V. Nataraj. The day began with a sweat-inducing physical drill by Ashwani Sharma, reinforcing the discipline behind the dash.

    “This course reflects our commitment to preparing a new generation of coaches and officials who are equipped with the knowledge, tools, and international exposure to take Kho Kho to the next level,” said KKFI president Sudhanshu Mittal. He also underlined how the sport is evolving with mat-based gameplay, a Decision Review System (DRS) and even the strategic ‘Wazir’ role.

    The training for coaches wraps up on June 11 with a practical exam and reflective session, before the officials’ segment begins from 12–15 June.

    With 135 participants in total and a syllabus as sharp as the game’s signature sprints, this course is more than just a seminar, it’s Kho Kho’s statement of intent. The message is clear: India isn’t just where the game began. It’s where the global future of Kho Kho is being written one pivot, one pass, and now, one world-class coach at a time.

  • From cradle to kitchen Foodxp serves up postpartum comfort on a plate

    From cradle to kitchen Foodxp serves up postpartum comfort on a plate

    MUMBAI: Move over fancy plating and fast food postpartum plates are having a moment. Foodxp, the food and lifestyle entertainment channel, is set to debut a refreshingly grounded culinary series titled Diapers to Delight, spotlighting the often-overlooked world of postpartum nourishment. Premiering 26 May at 9:00 PM IST, the show will air across India, Bangladesh, the US, and the UAE, bringing heartfelt recipes and ancient Ayurvedic wisdom to modern screens.

    Hosted by chef Deepa Chauhan, the series features 15 plus carefully curated dishes designed to nurture new mothers from the protein-packed Gond ke laddoo to warming Raab and Moringa soup. The recipes are as practical as they are healing, tapping into traditional Indian kitchens to serve dishes that comfort both body and spirit.

    “Diapers to Delight isn’t your typical food show. While most focus on street snacks or fancy plating, this one asks a question we often forget: what should a new mom eat after childbirth? With warmth, wisdom, and a dash of spice, it serves up answers rooted in care and tradition,” says Foodxp creative director Geetika Jain.

    At a time when fast-paced living has edged out age-old practices, the show aims to reclaim the kitchen as a space of support, healing, and family wisdom not just for Indian audiences, but also for diaspora families seeking cultural reconnection through food.

    To take its mission further, Foodxp is launching a free digital companion recipe book, featuring all the dishes from the show. It’s a small but meaningful step in helping new mothers and caregivers whip up recovery-friendly meals with ease.

    “When I had my children, I wish I had access to something like this. Through this show, I hope to make that journey easier for other women,” shares chef Deepa Chauhan.

    So whether you’re a first-time parent, a curious caregiver, or someone who just loves a good bowl of warm, healing food mark your calendars. Diapers to Delight is not just cooking; it’s caring served hot.

  • Nivea India gets new sales director in Srikanth Iyer

    Nivea India gets new sales director in Srikanth Iyer

    MUMBAI: He loves reading and sharing his thoughts about leadership. Former Kimberly-Clarke sales director Srikanth Iyer has hopped over to Nivea India with the same title. With a career of more than 16 years spent in sales, Iyer has had tenures with various multinational and Indian companies.

    The BE in computer science Mumbai university and IMT Ghaziabad PGDM in marketing joined Patni Computer System out of college, and then got into selling beer while at Sab Miller as area manager. He then spent a good six years at Pepsico looking after the Mumbai territory’s sales and customer marketing before developing a sweet tooth and joining Mondelez handling Eclairs, Halls,  Bournvita and Tang for a year and some months before being given charge of the largest territory for the company.

    Opportunity came his way from Himalayan Wellness Co to take over as business head for Bangladesh. He gladly took it up  and led a team of 500 across functions and developed the market for Himalaya face care , body care, hair care, baby care and animal care products. A position he held for two years.

    A short stint of less than a year followed at Metro Wholesale India which he joined as senior vice-president head of sales and marketing. He then joined Kimberly Clark India as sales director leading the company’s sales strategy and its execution.

    “Srikanth has led route-to-market transformations, implemented alternate distribution models, and partnered on product innovation. Over his career, he has built high-performing teams that drove profitability and achieved significant market share gains across categories such as personal care, baby care, wellness, and retail, establishing himself as a results-driven FMCG leader,” said Nivea India in a post on linkedin. “ At Nivea  India, Srikanth will lead our sales strategies, strengthen distribution networks, and enhance market presence, supporting our mission to provide trusted skincare solutions to consumers across the country.”

  • 27th Sports acquires marketing mandate for India-Bangladesh test & ODI series

    27th Sports acquires marketing mandate for India-Bangladesh test & ODI series

    Mumbai: The global investment firm 27th Investments-backed 27th Sports has acquired exclusive commercial rights for India-Bangladesh’s three-match ODI and 2-match test series.

    Dubai-based 27th Sports have acquired exclusive rights from Impress-Mattra Consortium, the on-ground rights holder of all Bangladesh cricket team’s home series.

    This is the third major signing in cricket for 27th Sports after the India-Sri Lanka Women’s ODI & T20 Series in Sri Lanka and the high-profile Road Safety World Series T20 where the Sachin Tendulkar-led India Legends team emerged winners defeating Sri Lanka Legends for the second consecutive time in the final.

    Recently, 27th Sports also acquired The Hawks franchisee in the World Tennis League to be held in Dubai from December 19 to 24. The team comprises Alexander Zverev, Dominic Thiem, Elena Rybakina and Annett Kontaveit.          

    27th Investment CEO and president Anil Damani said, “I thank the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) for giving us this opportunity and believing in our capabilities to deliver even in times of elevated global uncertainty. I am also very happy that in line with our vision of investing in growing economies, Bangladesh has a strong track record of growth and development, and like the Bangladesh cricket team, which has time and again proved that they can be world beaters, the country is also regarded as a rising star among South Asian economies.”  

    Speaking about the high-voltage series, 27th Sports CEO and co-founder Sangeet Shirodkar said, “It has been a matter of great pride and honour to partner with the Impress-Mattra Consortium for India-Bangladesh series where all top players of both countries will be in fray. We are extremely proud to be working in this series as exclusive commercial rights partner and we are thankful to all in Bangladesh who have made this possible. It is also a great opportunity for us to strengthen our ties with our partners here and widen our network in Bangladesh which is one of the fastest emerging markets in world cricket. Bangladesh’s passion for cricket is second to none and their rivalry with India is also well documented, so I look forward to an exciting series and a memorable association with the Impress-Mattra Consortium and the BCB.”

    The Impress-Mattra Consortium has been working with BCB for more than a decade now. The consortium currently holds the right for all the home series in Bangladesh till 2023 which includes the India versus Bangladesh series to be played in December 2022.

    Impress-Mattra Consortium spokesperson Sanaul Arefeen said, “Bangladesh cricket will see a new marketing partner in this series. The country’s cricket market is growing, and as a result, not only domestic organizations but foreign companies too are also showing interest in joining Bangladesh cricket today, which is not only helping the country’s cricket move forward, but also creating a healthy competitive field. We welcome 27th Sports and are excited to have them on board for this series.”

  • Sony Pictures Networks secures exclusive television & digital rights for DFB-Pokal

    Sony Pictures Networks secures exclusive television & digital rights for DFB-Pokal

    Mumbai: Sony Pictures Networks (SPN) has secured the exclusive media rights to broadcast the DFB-Pokal season 2022-23. The broadcaster will have exclusive rights to televise the league in India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Maldives, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. The agreement also grants SPN the exclusive right to live-stream all matches on its premium OTT platform, SonyLIV.

    The second round began on 18 October and SPN’s sports channels are broadcasting the majority of this year’s DFB-Pokal season. The competition features 64 teams from various German leagues, including the Bundesliga, Bundesliga 2, and 3rd Division, as well as lower tier regional leagues. The DFB-Pokal title is significant at the European conference level, as the winner secures qualification for the UEFA Europa League group stage.

    The reigning champions RB Leipzig will defend their first-ever DFB-Pokal title against some of Germany’s best teams in the 80th edition. Fans will also have the opportunity to see one of Spain’s most revered footballing legends, Xabi Alonso, take over as manager of Bayer Leverkusen.

  • Amazon Prime Video to stream New Zealand-Bangladesh test series

    Amazon Prime Video to stream New Zealand-Bangladesh test series

    Mumbai: Amazon Prime Video is set to exclusively stream the two-match Walton Test series between New Zealand and Bangladesh starting on 1 January 2022 at 3.30 a.m onwards. The match will count towards the ongoing 2021-23 World Test Championship.

    The New Zealand squad comprises players such as Trent Boult, Rachin Ravindra, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, Kyle Jamieson, among others, alongside captain Tom Latham. The Bangladesh team will have Mominul Haque as its captain while Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Abu Jayed, among others, will be a part of the team.

    Up until now, New Zealand and Bangladesh have played in 15 test matches, with New Zealand coming out victorious 12 times, and the other three games being drawn.

    The first test match in the series is scheduled to be played at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui, Tauranga from 1-5 January. The second and final test match is scheduled to commence on 9 January and conclude on 13 January at Hagley Oval, Christchurch.

  • Mipcom Online Plus attracts sizeable Indian presence

    Mipcom Online Plus attracts sizeable Indian presence

    MUMBAI: Mipcom began its virtual edition of the annual content syndication get together on 12 October. Titled Mipcom Online+, it is based on a high end artificial intelligence driven platform called Grip, developed by a sister tech firm under Relx group, of which organiser Reed Midem is a part.

    The virtual exhibition has proved to be a smash hit with more than 6,000 professionals – including 800 virtual exhibitors and 26 country pavilions – and 2,200 buyers participating virtually from 100 countries.

    Reed Midem was initially considering to run both digital and physical versions in Cannes like it has done for decades, but dropped the idea because of the continuing Covid2019 menace. It pivoted quickly and, over a month, attracted sizable participation – probably the most by a trading market in its online avatar in 2020.

    Read more news on Mipcom 

    “We are very pleased to be receiving strong support from the industry which is quite excited about meeting online in the current international environment when meeting in person from around the world is not yet possible,” said Reed Midem TV division director Laurine Garaude. “We are, of course, sad not to be meeting in Cannes for the 36th Mipcom. But we are also excited about the new Mipcom experience that we are creating online.”

    Mipcom Online Plus has attracted several initiatives and partners such as Korea Country of Honour, A&E Networks, Nippon TV, Sony and Televisa.

    The highlight of this year’s edition is the continued presence from the Services Export Promotion Council (SEPC) virtual pavilion, with more than 12 companies coming under its umbrella and taking advantage of the cost benefits it offers.

    “Mipcom is one of the important markets we have identified to help push Indian entertainment exports,” says SEPC chairman Manek Dawar. “We wanted to be aggressive, but we will wait for next year’s edition in Cannes and really fire on all cylinders.”

    SEPC has roped in content export veteran Hirachand Dand to spearhead its entertainment division. The online SEPC initiative is being headed by SEPC deputy director general Abhay Sinha.

    Overall, more than 70 executives from India’s media and entertainment sector – covering TV, TV production, animation, distributors of TV shows and films, dubbing services – are taking part in Mipcom Week which is slated to end on 16 October. However, the platform will be open for screenings, virtual meetings, networking and matchmaking till 17 November.

    “I am really delighted with the India presence at Mipcom Online Plus,” says India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh representative Anil Wanvari. “Content syndication and trading has been at a low because of Covid2019. For many companies it is a crucial revenue stream. I am really hoping the next few days and weeks will help kickstart this engine for India’s content folks.”

  • Bengali OTT platform Addatimes launches in Bangladesh

    Bengali OTT platform Addatimes launches in Bangladesh

    MUMBAI: Addatimes, Bengali entertainment OTT platform and web channel with music, original web shows and short films, has launched in Bangladesh to coincide with the Eid-Ul-Fitr celebrations. Addatimes is targeting five million subscribers within the first years of its launch. The yearly subscription plan for Bangladesh market is 299 Taka.

    The partnership between Addatimes and LBC Media Entertainment Company, a concern of Agrani Holdings Group, and Allianz FMCG Holdings Ltd was announced recently. As a distribution partner, Agrani Holdings Group will expand Addatimes' reach and business by entrusting the online streaming platform to OEMs, telecom companies and internet service providers, among others. They will also promote the brand in Bangladesh through marketing projects.

     Addatimes founder and promoter Rajiv Mehra said, “Bengali is the eighth-most popularly spoken language in the world and Bangladesh is a country where the Bengali language is all-encompassing. Since Dr Sakib has such an in-depth understanding of the Bangladeshi market, this partnership was a real no-brainer. We at Addatimes feel, that this was the right time to expand our reach and so we have moved forward with this decision. We have all the ingredients to serve the Bangladeshi audience the real feast of entertainment.’

    Addatimes director and co-promoter Nispal Singh Raney said “We at Addatimes are incredibly happy with this new association. We have faith in the abilities of our friends at Agrani and we hope that this is just the beginning of a very fruitful partnership.”

    Agrani CEO Sakib M Rahman commented on the partnership, "Our group has over the years earned the reputation of rapidly developing strategic business environments with a strong understanding of the local culture."

    "Addatimes is one of the most popular Indian-Bengali online streaming giants, offering a wide variety of content. Our distribution network will focus on providing the video-on-demand service across the country. The execution of the OTT platform will be carried out by the group's sister concern companies, Agrani Trading Company Limited and LBC Media Entertainment Company, in Bangladesh," he added.

     LBC also has a strategic association with Insomnia Media and Content Services LLP for curating, developing and producing content for LBC across genres and formats. “We are excited about Addatimes launch in the Bangladesh Market. Insomnia is here to tell compelling Untold stories, with global production values for the evolving audience,” Insomnia co-founder Juhi Parekh Mehta said.

    The Addatimes Prime Bengali web series include the premium web series The Senapatis, and  Oh Mother!, Feluda, Khyapa, One Night Stand and Sufiyana among others. Viewers can watch the first web-episodes of all these shows for free only on Addatimes. The platform has varied content slate including periodic drama to contemporary romance.

  • Eros Now enters Bangladesh market

    Eros Now enters Bangladesh market

    Mumbai: Eros International Plc-owned OTT platform Eros Now today announced its association with Allianz International Holdings Ltd, a holding company and investment house with a significant presence in the middle-east, Africa, Asia and North America. The company has a strong understanding of the local culture and through its investment in various sectors, it has a diverse service offering that makes it one of the leading organisations in the region. As part of the collaboration, Allianz Holdings will distribute the video-on-demand service, Eros Now in Bangladesh.

    Bangladesh is home to a large audience base that consumes Indian entertainment content, especially Bollywood movies. Given its proximity to India, the Bangladeshis share various similarities and tastes, including their appreciation for Bollywood and other Indian content. The Eros Now-Allianz Holdings partnership will enable the former to expand its offering to the country and capture a large share of audience. The content catalogue of Eros Now comprises over 12,000 movie titles, original shows, music videos, international shows, and short-format content category Quickie, to name a few.

    As a distribution partner in Bangladesh, Allianz Holdings will expand Eros Now’s reach and business by distributing the online streaming platform to telecom and internet providers, OEM’s including set-top boxes and TV sets as well as promote the brand in the country through marketing tie-ups. Eros Now’s physical subscription card will also be available in more than 100,000 retail outlets, thus offering Bangladeshis easy access to premium entertainment content.

    Eros Digital chairman-CEO Rishika Lulla Singh said: “Strategic market expansion has further strengthened the growth of Eros Now. The association with Allianz Holdings enables us to offer our wide-ranging Indian entertainment content, especially popular Bengali movies, to the wide consumer base in Bangladesh. The content line-up includes some incredible titles such as Goopy Bagha Phiray Elo, Hirak Rajar Deshe, Mauchaak, Rup Katha Noy that will certainly entice the Bengali movie fan base as we deepen our reach in the underserved market.”

    Eros Now CEO Ali Hussein commented: “Indian content has unprecedented demand in South Asian countries including Bangladesh. We are constantly building a stronger connect with audiences across the globe by partnering with the most trusted brands. Allianz Holdings and we share similar ideologies; the distribution portfolio will thus enable us to tap a massive fan base for Indian online content in Bangladesh.”

    Allianz Holdings Ltd CEO Sakib M Rahman adds: “Allianz Holdings has over the years earned the reputation of rapidly developing business environment with a strong understanding of local culture. Eros Now is one of the most preferred Indian online streaming giants offering a wide variety of content that will entice the Bangladesh audience. Our strong distribution network focuses on serving the video-on-demand service to the potential consumers across the country.”