MAM
Alok Varman rejoins Pepperfry as head of supply chain
Mumbai: Pepperfry, an e-commerce furniture and home decor company, has announced the return of Alok Varman as head of supply chain. Alok will be instrumental in further strengthening Pepperfry’s position as India’s leading furniture and home decor company. In his new role, he will focus on optimising the supply chain to ensure a seamless customer experience across all channels. His deep understanding of Pepperfry’s business, supply chain and a proven track record will be crucial in driving Pepperfry’s continued growth by ensuring a seamless customer experience across all channels.
Alok brings over 23 years of experience in strategic business management, supply chain, omnichannel business and customer experience spanning across sectors ranging from retail, e-commerce to B2B & B2C wholesale marketplace. As a founding team member of Pepperfry, Alok played a critical role in building its strong logistics and warehousing infrastructure. His decade-long association with the brand saw him lead the expansion of the company’s experience stores, making it an integral part of the omnichannel strategy.
Before rejoining Pepperfry, Alok was the COO at Isho.com, a D2C eCommerce furniture startup in Bangladesh, where he enhanced customer experiences and led the brand’s entry into the Indian market. He has also held notable positions such as VP at Wydr.in, senior manager at Carnation Auto India, and manager of consumer operations at Guthy-Renker LLC.
Speaking on the new appointment, Pepperfry co-founder & CEO Ashish Shah said, “We are excited to welcome Alok back to Pepperfry. His deep understanding of the business operations and passion for the category will be invaluable as we continue to optimise our operations towards delivering a superlative experience to our customers through our proprietary big box supply chain that reaches 300 cities across the country.”
Expressing his enthusiasm about his new role, Varman added, “I am thrilled to rejoin Pepperfry at this exciting time and to work under the leadership of Ashish Shah. I look forward to working with the team to further optimise our supply chain, deliver an exceptional customer experience, and continue to drive the growth of Pepperfry with excellence and innovation.”
Since Alok’s expertise spans across diverse industries, he is known for his ability to identify opportunities, build people-driven and technology-enabled processes, and cultivate value-based businesses. Pepperfry is confident that the newly-appointed head of supply chain’s leadership will drive the company to new heights, reinforcing its commitment to providing exceptional furniture and home goods to customers across India.
Brands
HP launches Smart Champs learning game show with JioStar for students
Sanya Malhotra hosts quiz series blending fun, learning and prizes
NEW DELHI: HP India has teamed up with JioStar to launch HP Smart Champs, a new learning-based game show designed to make education engaging for school students across the country.
Hosted by Sanya Malhotra, the 10-episode series brings together students from Grades 5 to 9, who compete in teams through quiz and puzzle-based challenges that test knowledge, logic and teamwork. The show will begin streaming on JioHotstar from April 11 and will premiere on Nick on April 18, with weekend episodes airing at 7 PM.
Powered by HP Smart Tank printers, the format integrates print-based learning into the gameplay, using worksheets, clues and visual problem-solving tools to encourage hands-on participation. The idea is to move students beyond rote memorisation and towards more applied, curiosity-led learning.
The competition promises high stakes, with winners set to receive a cash prize of Rs 10 lakh, while runners-up will take home Rs 5 lakh. Additional rewards include HP AI laptops, Smart Tank printers and accessories, while the winning school will be awarded an HP Smart Tech Lab.
Speaking about the initiative, HP India managing director Ipsita Dasgupta said, “At HP, we believe nurturing India’s youth is key to the country’s progress, and technology plays a foundational role in enabling this. With HP Smart Champs, we wanted to create something beyond traditional learning, a fun-filled platform where curiosity, creativity and critical thinking take centre stage.”
On the show’s reach, JioStar head entertainment sales Mahesh Shetty said, “HP Smart Champs reflects how children today learn through exploration and experience. With Nick and JioHotstar, we are creating a multi-screen approach that is both engaging and meaningful.”
Highlighting the role of print, HP India senior director print Satish Kumar said, “The show brings print-based learning to life in an engaging format, helping students develop deeper understanding through hands-on experiences.”
The journey to the finale began with participation from over 1,000 schools across 26 cities, narrowing down to 34 finalists who will compete in a studio showdown in Mumbai.
With its blend of entertainment, education and technology, HP Smart Champs is positioning itself as more than just a quiz show. It is a nationwide push to make learning interactive, accessible and, above all, a lot more fun.
