Brands
Sindhu face of Kite ’17 festival
MUMBAI: Kite flying is a favourite amusement in many countries and India too. Usually, Kites fly with strings. However, in the Kite 2017, Telangana State’s 2nd International Kite Festival, which will be held from 12 – 17 January in Hyderabad, is going to introduce ‘Remote controlled kites’ which will be flown for the first time in India.
PV Sindhu, Telangana state icon, first Indian woman to win an Olympics silver medal will be the face of the festival.
Remote controlled kite flying is something revolutionary that has not been witnessed much in India. The joy of remote control kite flying offers altogether a new experience; first time to Indians disclosed Aga Khan Academy head Geoffrey Fisher. These kites will fly at a special night flying curtain raiser event at People’s Plaza in Hyderabad on Thursday.
“This is something revolutionary—the joy of remote controlled kite flying offers a new experience altogether for Indians, as they are not dependent on wind but instead use propellers powered by rechargeable batteries,” Fisher disclosed.
KITE 2017 festival is organised for the cause of women’s empowerment through girl child education. It aims to raise the tourism profile and rich cultural heritage of Hyderabad as a ‘hidden jewel’ of India by attracting renowned international kite flyers from 16 countries and 10 pan Indian clubs to Telangana State.
International teams from 17 countries and 10 pan-Indian kite flying clubs to provide electrifying demonstrations throughout the week.
Brands
Abhinav Rastogi named global marketing director for YouTube Shopping
Google veteran to scale creator commerce and expand shopping across global markets
SINGAPORE: Abhinav Rastogi has stepped into a new role as global marketing director for YouTube Shopping, marking the latest chapter in a more than decade-long career at Google.
Rastogi, who took on the position in February and is based in Singapore, will lead global marketing for YouTube Shopping, a platform designed to connect creators, viewers and merchants in a single ecosystem. His remit includes expanding the service into new markets and strengthening its positioning as a growth channel for both creators and brands.
In a reflective note on the transition, Rastogi pointed to a simple but powerful idea driving the role. For years, creators have quietly built trust with audiences through consistent and authentic content, and that trust often shapes purchasing decisions. What is changing now, he said, is the infrastructure around that behaviour. YouTube Shopping aims to make it easier for viewers to discover and buy products recommended by creators they already follow.
The scale is already significant. More than half a million creators have joined the programme, with recent expansion into Japan through a partnership with Rakuten signalling further global ambitions.
Rastogi believes the future of shopping on YouTube will be driven by a blend of creators, content and communities. In his view, it is the human voice behind the screen, not just the product, that ultimately builds trust and drives discovery.
Prior to this role, he served as director of marketing, YouTube Asia Pacific, where he led regional marketing across creator engagement, brand building and reputation. During that time, he played a key role in launching and scaling YouTube Shopping across eight markets in the region.
Earlier stints at Google include group product marketing manager, consumer apps, overseeing growth for products such as Search, Maps and Assistant across India and Southeast Asia, and product marketing manager roles spanning consumer apps and YouTube, where he contributed to launches including YouTube Music, YouTube Originals and YouTube Shorts.
Rastogi began his career in consulting with Boston Consulting Group and A.T. Kearney, before moving into the technology sector. He is an alumnus of Indian Institute of Management Calcutta and Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur.
Alongside his corporate role, he is also an active angel investor, backing early-stage startups in consumer technology and electric mobility across India and Southeast Asia.
As he settles into the new role, Rastogi is betting on a future where every video can double up as a storefront, and where commerce feels less like a transaction and more like a recommendation from a trusted voice.
