Brands
Mumbai Indians ropes in Usha International as official partner for IPL 7
MUMBAI: This Indian Premier League season, the teams are going all out to engage with their fans. Mumbai Indians that has roped Usha International as its official partner, has taken a step ahead in this and has started contests across the digital platform.
Spread out throughout the month, the lucky winners of the contest will win Mumbai Indians merchandise, autographed bat as well as tickets for the Mumbai Indians Vs Rajasthan Royals match. All that the participants need to do is respond to various questions based around Usha products and Mumbai Indians.
Usha International’s collaboration with Mumbai Indians and sports personalities such as Saina Nehwal is a part of its larger effort in promoting sports and engaging with the younger audience.
“Usha International promotes a wide array of sporting initiatives across the country as it blends well with their brand ethos ‘PLAY’. I am excited to be associated with this company and was real fun in supporting Mumbai Indians at their home ground match,” said Usha International brand ambassador Saina Nehwal.
Usha International, for the past 25 years has been actively supporting sporting initiatives which includes the Mawana Marathon, Ultimate Frisbee, Golf (junior, ladies, amateur and professional) and now Cricket. Recently, the company also partnered with the All India Cricket Association for the Deaf (AICAD) for the inaugural edition of the USHA Deaf IPL. As a part of the skill development initiative, Usha International has opened over 3000 ‘Silai Schools’ in non electrified villages across India to empower women and make them self- reliant.
Brands
Samsung India mobile chief quits after 18 years
Raju Antony Pullan’s exit leaves a gaping hole at the top as Chinese rivals tighten their grip
GURGAON: Raju Antony Pullan has had enough. The senior vice-president and head of Samsung India’s mobile phone business has put in his papers after 18 years at the Korean giant, a tenure long enough to have watched the company stride to the top of India’s smartphone market and then stumble, badly, as Chinese upstarts muscled in.
Pullan, who ran sales, marketing and every last function of the smartphone business, tendered his resignation on Thursday and is currently serving out his notice period. Samsung has not named a successor. It has a second line of leadership waiting in the wings, Aditya Babbar and Hiren Rathod among them, but no decision has been made on who steps up.
The timing is awkward. Samsung has been haemorrhaging market share to Chinese brands and now clings to a top-two position only in the premium segment, where it scraps it out with Apple. Losing the man who stewarded the mobile business through its best and worst years hardly helps steady the ship.
A company that once owned India’s smartphone market is now fighting to stay relevant in it. Pullan’s departure is less a footnote than a flashing red light.
