MAM
Skill India partners with Coca-Cola India to launch the retailer skill development program
Mumbai: To empower the retailer community in the states of Odisha and Uttar
Pradesh, the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), working under the aegis of the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE) announced a partnership with Coca-Cola India today to launch the Super Power Retailer Program under the Skill India Mission. The program is being piloted in the state of Odisha.
The partnership was formally announced in the esteemed presence of the Union Minister for Education and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan; Ved Mani Tiwari, COO, NSDC; and Sanket Ray, president, Coca-Cola India & Southwest Asia.
The program facilitates the empowerment and progress of the retailers, marking a significant milestone in Skill India’s efforts to support the workforce. The initiative focuses on enabling retailers by focusing on building their capacity and capability in today’s modern retailing sector. It focuses on providing training to small and micro retailers, equipping them with the knowledge and skills needed to better understand consumer behaviours and their preferences. It aims to provide retailers with skills, tools and techniques that are required to succeed in the constantly changing retailer ecosystem and to spread knowledge of best practices, equipping traditional retailers with the right skill set necessary to make their business more profitable, as well as build their business skills.
The Super Power Retailer Program will offer industry-specific skills such as customer management, inventory and stock management, financial management etc. that are tailored to the professional needs of retailers, making the retailers proficient and enhancing their knowledge. As part of the program, the participants will undergo a 14-hour training which will comprise of two hours of classroom session and 12 hours of digital training. The training will include physical classroom sessions along with an app-based Learning Management System (LMS) that is accessible on mobile and handheld devices for online modules. The modules will be hosted on Skill India Digital’s platform (SID) and the training will be executed through a multimedia approach with a blend of videos, and texts, by experienced trainers facilitating learning. The participants will receive a certificate upon completion of classroom, online training, and assessment modules.
Under the partnership, NSDC will support Coca-Cola India in expanding the program’s outreach on SID. This involves creating and refining training content that aligns with industry-specific skill requirements. Additionally, NSDC will facilitate the recruitment of trainers for program implementation and ensure a seamless learning experience by providing the requisite training infrastructure.
Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Hon’ble Union Minister for Education and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, said, “As the auspicious celebrations of Durga Puja begin today, we launch the Super Power Retailer program in partnership with Coca-Cola India to empower our retailers and provide training to them on expanding their businesses and enhancing consumer experiences. I am confident that the initiative will play a pivotal role in strengthening India’s economy by skilling, reskilling, and upskilling the retailers by paving the way for their growth. I congratulate all the successful self-reliant retailers who have been awarded today.”
“Aligned with the Hon’ble Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of making our workforce the biggest beneficiary of developed India, the program aims to provide 14 hours of quality retail training through the Skill India Digital Portal. The retailers will be trained on how to plan and implement business strategies and utilise the vast opportunities extended by digital platforms. The training modules will be available in multiple languages which will enable small shopkeepers as well as big businessmen across the country. We acknowledge this effort to enable a retail ecosystem that will exceed customer expectations, embrace the Future of Work, and provide exponential growth to the industry.” He added.
Reflecting on this milestone, Ved Mani Tiwari, COO, NSDC said, “A transformative revolution is underway within India’s skill development ecosystem, driven by an unwavering commitment to empower the country’s youth and its ambitious workforce through skill acquisition, enhancement, and adaptation. With Coca-Cola India aligning its efforts with Skill India Digital, I believe that both our aspiring and established retailers will receive top-notch training to strengthen their capacity and capability. Guided by the Hon’ble Minister’s leadership, the introduction of the Academic Bank of Credit, a digital repository of prior learning experience will further empower our nation’s youth. I encourage corporations to collaborate with Skill India Digital to position India as the global Skill Hub.”
Coca-Cola India & Southwest Asia, president Sanket Ray said, “At Coca-Cola India, we strive to create value for the retailer ecosystem which is an integral part of the business value chain. In the evolving consumer landscape, equipping retailers with key entrepreneurial and digital skills enhances their relevance for today’s consumers and enables them to be future-ready. We applaud the efforts of the Skill India Mission that fosters innovation and provides industry-specific skills which are accessible to all.”
By collaborating and aligning efforts, the Government of India and industry stakeholders can shape a skilling ecosystem that drives excellence and economic growth.
MAM
Sleepwell unveils nationwide sleep study on World Sleep Day
79 per cent use screens before bed, 36 per cent of 18–25-year-olds sleep ≤5 hours.
MUMBAI: Sleepwell just dropped the pillow truth bomb because when India’s sleeping less and scrolling more, even the mattress wants to stage an intervention. On World Sleep Day 2026, Sleepwell released its nationwide Sleep Study, painting a stark picture of India’s escalating sleep crisis. The findings show that 79% of Indians use screens right before bed, fuelling restless nights and drowsy days. Alarmingly, 36% of young adults aged 18–25 sleep five hours or less making them the country’s most sleep-deprived group.
The study also busts the myth of “catch-up sleep”, 65% of respondents actually sleep even later on weekends, pointing to increasingly irregular patterns that spill fatigue into the working week. Mattress discomfort emerged as a frequently overlooked culprit behind late-night wake-ups and constant leak-anxiety checks.
To drive the message home, Sleepwell’s CMO Puneet Gulati appeared on Zee Business, stressing that quality sleep isn’t a luxury, it’s foundational health. He highlighted how the right mattress can transform restless nights into restorative ones.
The brand doubled down with clever late-night activations, partnering with a quick-commerce platform to serve contextual ads between 11 pm and 3 am, gently nudging bleary-eyed scrollers to consider mattress discomfort as the reason they’re still awake and pointing them to the nearest Sleepwell store. Digital influencers and creators also shared relatable stories of how poor sleep fuels impulsive late-night behaviour.
In a nation that celebrates hustle but quietly pays for it in lost rest, Sleepwell isn’t just selling mattresses, it’s selling the radical idea that sometimes the bravest thing you can do is close your eyes and actually sleep well.
