MAM
IDSA announces 30% growth among direct selling member companies
BANGALORE: Indian Direct Selling Association (IDSA) chairman Manoj Shirodkar has announced the company’s annual survey findings 2004 in Bangalore today.
IDSA is the a regulatory and promoting body for the direct selling industry in the country.
IDSA revealed that the total turnover of member companies stood at Rs.13.81 billion for the year 2004-05. This meant a growth of around 30 per cent over last year’s revenues of Rs.10.54 billion. Life Insurance contributed Rs.2.55 billion to this growth and seems to be the prominent growth driver. IDSA forecasts an exponential sales growth of about 10 times over the next 10 years. IDSA estimates the turnover of non-IDSA companies as around Rs.10.64 billion.
The findings also revealed that the sales force of the direct selling industry (both IDSA and non-IDSA) grew to about 1.3 million in India, up from last year’s 1.2 million and that since 1995 around 3 million persons have tried their hand at direct selling. Almost 750,000 sales persons are currently active in the business, buying or selling at least once in two months and 60% of this sales force comprises of women. The number of products increased by 30 to 380 with 2100 variants in 2004.
40 towns and cities were added last year and direct selling now reaches 2200 towns and 50 cities (metros and mini-metros) with over 1700 town and cities being serviced by courier companies.
IDSA is the Indian counterpart of the Washington, USA based World Federation of Direct Selling Associations (WFDSA) which self-regulates direct selling in 58 countries. Direct selling companies hold patents for 764 products world wide as per IDSA.
IDSA comprises of (a) 14 active members –Altos Enterprises, AMC cookware, Amway India, Avon Beauty Products, Daehsan Trading (India), Direct Educational Technologies, Forever Living (HNB) Hindustan Lever Network, Herballife International, Modicare, Oriflame, Quantum International, Sunrider India, Tupperware India (b) two probationary members Max New York Life Insurance Company and Shriram Direct to Home and (c) associate member PS Press, New Delhi.
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.
