If you are looking for an excellent tablet that serves as a healthy companion to your already large phones, there are only so many good options in India. Samsung makes excellent AMOLED tablets, but those are priced in similar categories as the iPads and the sheer iPad OS features, ecosystem locks, and restricted customisations are in a niche of their own. Xiaomi launched its Pad 5 almost two years ago, and this year it finally has competition from OnePlus. I bought the Pad 5 during its first sale and have been using it ever since. It has got several updates and is running the on the latest MIUI 14 OS based on Android 13. There is a significant price difference between the two, but how good is the new OnePlus Pad vs Xiaomi’s offering from two years ago? Let’s find out.
Design and built – Two different approaches
The Xiaomi Pad 5 features what you would consider an iPad Pro design form factor. It’s a polycarbonate matte-finish rear design with a camera island familiar to Xiaomi phones during the launch year. The rounded rectangle design is excellent to hold in hands from different angles and feels symmetrical. Overall it’s a tried and tested design with tactile buttons and relatively thicker bezels. Quad speakers with Dolby Atmos support stereo switching based on the tablet’s orientation. At 511 gms, the tablet does feel tiring to hold when gaming for long, but a stand can solve this issue for most tablets. At 11 inches in a 16:10 aspect ratio, the physical dimensions are smaller than the OnePlus Pad.
The OnePlus Pad has an exciting design with a 2K 11.61-inch display. Despite weighing more than the Xiaomi Pad 5, at 550 gms, the OnePlus Pad feels slimmer to hold thanks to the clever design. Both the tablets miss a headphone jack, which is a huge turn-off. So they had the space to fill in 4 speakers in both tablets but could not make room for a little headphone jack? OnePlus expects you to use this tablet in landscape mode for most of your usage. Hence, the cameras are also placed in landscape orientation at their rear and upfront.
Display – 500nits of goodness
Why does one take a tablet? It has to be their display. In 2021, Xiaomi offered the Pad 5 with 500 nits of brightness IPS 2.5K+ panel with a 120Hz refresh rate. The content looks rich, and display settings allow ample customisations on both tablets. In isolation, these tablets provide excellent video viewing performance coupled with great audio quality from Dolby Vision and Atmos support on both these tablets. The OnePlus Pad hits the ball right out of the park with support for a 144Hz refresh rate and a similar 2k resolution with similar 500 nits of brightness. OnePlus also offers various customisation options on the display as per your liking, which are more or less similar to Xiaomi Pad 5.
The real difference arises when one watches HDR content. Playing the same content next to each other reveals that the Xiaomi Pad 5 does good black levels, but then again, it suffers insane black crush issues. A thing reminiscent of 2021 Xiaomi devices in India, my Xiaomi Mi 11x has this black crush issue when playing HDR content. The OnePlus Pad, on the other hand, does not produce the same HDR brightness levels or deep black contrasts, but overall is the better display among the two for overall content consumption. Games and HDR content have no issues in the darkest areas, while the extra screen estate brings an increased immersive experience. On standard videos, you cannot go wrong with either of the tablets with sharpness, colours and saturation.
Performance – More than satisfactory
Considering that the Xiaomi Pad 5 was launched in the year 2021, it bought a balanced performance with the Snapdragon 860. It’s a 7nm SoC and has been performing flawlessly since the time I own the Xiaomi Pad 5. I have been gaming on this tablet ever since, and with updates, the tablet has become more efficient, if not powerful. The 6GB RAM + 3GB expandable is enough in most scenarios, but MIUI could get aggressive at RAM management, especially with gaming apps in the background.
OnePlus Pad is powered by a 4nm Mediatek Dimensity 9000 processor with 12GB RAM + 4 GB expandable. This one performs flawlessly and at times, better than the Snapdragon 860 in the Xiaomi Pad 5. This is apparent, especially during gaming; you can carry much higher frames and graphics settings in comparison. For example, Call of Duty mobile allows 120fps on the OnePlus Pad compared to a max of 90fps on the Pad 5. RAM management is similar to Xiaomi Pad 5, though games tend to reload if put in the background for more time than necessary. Overall, the wireless connectivity with dual-band WiFi on both pads is impressive, with the OnePlus Pad scoring high on WiFi 6 support and Bluetooth 5.3 compared to Bluetooth 5 on the Pad 5. Every app opens and performs excellently on these tablets.
OS – Tables turn
Performance shall only be as good as the software it runs on. This applies to both the Xiaomi Pad 5 and the OnePlus Pad. OnePlus Pad runs on the Oxygen OS 13.1, and apart from flexible Windows settings, nothing resembles anything special for the tablet. OnePlus needs to improve on this and provide an OTA update specifically for the OnePlus Pad. This feels like Color/Oxygen OS displayed on a large screen. The Xiaomi Pad 5 takes the cake in the software department. The tablet is feature loaded with gestures, multitasking capabilities with up to 5 windows running together, a dock accessible in most apps irrespective of the orientation and much more. MIUI 14 on the Pad 5 eliminates all the bloatware usually associated with affordable Xiaomi devices and brings a neat usage experience tailored to the tablet form factor.
Camera – They exist
OnePlus thinks we use the tablet in landscape orientation and never turn it to portrait mode like we never consume digital magazines or read articles online in comfortable portrait modes. Nonetheless, the camera placement is questionable. If you’re right-handed, you will smudge the rear and front cameras on the OnePlus Pad by simply holding the tablet. The best part is that the front 8MP with motion tracking and the rear 13MP camera are decent enough for use. Do not expect any phone-level performance from either tablet, but here are some photos and videos for your reference.
Accessories – Promises
Apart from chargers, the additional accessories for OnePlus Pad include a magnetic keyboard with a mouse pad that supports gestures. This accessory is worth 8K INR, making it a perfect small productive machine on the go. The typing experience is excellent for a tablet accessory, and the mouse pad is generous enough for the form factor. There’s also a stylus for all the creatives out there, which costs 5K INR and is nothing as impressive as the Apple Pencil or the Samsung S-pen but does its job well and charges magnetically via the OnePlus Pad. Xiaomi, on the other hand, has disappointed big time with its accessories options, there is only the Pen that can be had for 6K INR and brings 240Hz touch sampling with pressure points, but there is still no keyboard case available. Bluetooth keyboard is the only option as of now for the Xiaomi Pad 5. I hope they bring promised accessories with the next iteration; that said, isn’t it high time?
Battery and charging
The Xiaomi Pad 5 has a generous 8720mAh battery which charges via the bundled 33W charger. The OnePlus Pad has a 9510mAh battery which charges at 67W via the bundled 100W charger. The OnePlus Pad charges faster and lasts longer thanks to its efficiency and the Mediatek Dimensity 9000 4nm processor. If the Xiaomi Pad 5 lasts about 2-3 days over gaming, video consumption and music listening, the OnePlus Pad can easily surpass that time by almost 12 more hours than the Pad 5.
Verdict
The OnePlus Pad is definitely the one to get among the two if you are in the market for a great Android tablet. The Xiaomi Pad 5 was launched almost two years ago and still serves as an excellent value proposition for people strictly on a budget. In a world where flagship phones cost twice as much as these tablets, the OnePlus Pad brings flagship performance in a significant form factor. It is worth the additional asking price compared to the Xiaomi Pad 5. I am a Xiaomi Pad 5 owner, and the OnePlus Pad impresses with the hardware but desperately needs good tablet-oriented software. An exemplary job OnePlus on your first tablet. Xiaomi, it’s time for the Pad 6!
There was a time in History when a corporation-owned factory could cause black clouds of toxic smoke in the air and dump tonnes of toxic waste into a nearby water stream without facing any consequences. There was no legal body to regulate harm to the environment as no EPA, Clean Air Act, or Clean Water Act was in place. However, things changed drastically in 1970 when US Senator Gaylord Nelson created Earth Day to make environmental issues a national agenda and eventually an international one.
Over 50 years down the line, Earth Day is celebrated every year on April 22 and holds great significance not just among environmentalists but also among the general public. Before we go on to the theme of Earth Day 2023. Here is a brief history of the day which celebrated Mother Earth –
History of Earth Day
Gaylord Nelson was a junior senator from Wisconsin who had grave concerns surrounding the deteriorating environment in the United States. It was back in January 1969 when he witnessed the horrors of a massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, California. Nelson was inspired by the student anti-war movement and wanted to bring the same enthusiasm to issues like water and air pollution. He announced the idea of a teach-in on college campuses to US media and chose Pete McCloskey as his co-chair. The campus teach-ins were organized by Denis Hayes, a 22-year-old activist on April 22.
Denis Hayes understood the movement’s potential to inspire all Americans leading him to build a national staff consisting of 85 people to promote events across the country. Soon, other faith groups and organizations latched on to the cause leading to ‘Earth Day’ as we know it today. The name change to Earth Day quickly sparked interest among the media eventually inspiring 20 million Americans to show their support.
Groups already in place fighting individually against oil spills, raw sewage, toxic dumps, and other environmental causes united on Earth Day as they shared common values. In a rare political alignment, both the Democratic and Republican parties pledged their support to Earth Day in 1970. The end of Earth Day in 1970 led to the formation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency which introduced a number of environment-centric acts. It was back in 1990 when Denis Hayes took Earth Day on a global scale. Senator Nelson also earned a Presidential Medal of Freedom for his role in the formation of Earth Day.
Current Significance
This will be the first time an Earth Day theme is being continued into the next year. Last year’s ‘Invest in Our Planet’ theme will be acting as the continuation of the 2023 theme which is focused on engaging businesses, governments, institutions, and more than a billion people who participate in Earth Day activities to their part. Kathleen Rogers, the President of EARTHDAY.Org previously shared the vision for 2023 saying, “In 2023 we must come together again in partnership for the planet. Businesses, governments, and civil society are equally responsible for taking action against the climate crisis and lighting the spark to accelerate change towards a green, prosperous, and equitable future. We must join together in our fight for the green revolution and for the health of future generations. The time is now to Invest In Our Planet,”
An official press release by the Earth Day organization announcing 2023’s theme shared that investing in a green economy is the only path to a prosperous future. The statement adds furthermore that human influence is unequivocally to blame for the warming of the planet and some form of climate disruption will now be felt for centuries to come.
Not just governments, but businesses and humans all need to work together to bring about the revolutionary progress required to save the planet. Here’s how this is achievable –
1. Businesses including investors and financial markets need to drive value for their institutions and society through green innovations and practices. There have been multiple economic revolutions in the past powered by the private sector which now needs to emphasize the green revolution.
2. Governments need to incentivize their citizens, businesses and institutions to innovate sustainable practices. Additionally, educating the general public and advancing their interest in creating an equitable and sustainable global system is also required.
3. Citizens at an individual level need to push for sustainable solutions across the board as both voters and consumers. A push from the citizens can motivate governments to take proactive steps in conserving the environment while moving towards green development. The voice of the people holds great significance in making the changes the planet needs right now.
Earth Day Facts You Probably Didn’t Know
1. April 22 was chosen as the date for Earth Day because it fell between Spring Break and final exams leading to maximum student involvement
2. About 10 per cent of the US population took part in the first Earth Day demonstration
3. The passage of the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species Acts was inspired by the first Earth Day in 1970
4. Nearly 1 billion people across the globe take part in Earth Day activities
5. On Earth Day 2022, 28 million trees were planted in Afghanistan under the ‘Planet Trees Not Bombs’ campaign
6. Humans today use 50 per cent more natural resources than we did 30 years ago
7. An average American today produces 4.5 pounds of trash every day
8.Nearly 80 per cent of all plastic waste ever created by humans is still in the environment
We’re living in the digital era which means the human experience is now deeply connected with the digital world. Be it food or clothes, all things required are now just a few clicks away making our lives easier. On the other hand, there are a plethora of applications designed to help people from every walk of life be it kindergarten rhymes or senior citizen support. The digital landscape has undoubtedly changed how people lived their lives but a few grave concerns remain the same. One such concern is that of women’s safety.
If you’re an Indian reader then I do not need to reiterate the horrors women go through in our country. Robbery, domestic violence, assaults and rapes are over the news in India at a disturbing rate which begs us to ask the question of whether women are truly safe in the country. In our women’s special edition, we wanted to get our readers acquainted with these women’s safety applications in case of an unfortunate event. Check them out now
112 India
Perhaps the most important application when it comes to women’s safety in the country is the 112 India app. It is an all-in-one women’s safety app that can be used to issue SOS alerts with only one single tap in any situation. The application is available on both Android and iOS devices in 23 states and Union Territories across India. Users need to simply register themselves using their phone number and add the necessary information. In addition, users may also be asked to enter an emergency contact number to notify that person in case of an emergency. The app’s functionality is pretty straightforward too as it automatically sends the user’s details like name, age, emergency contact, and location to nearby volunteers and generates an automated call to 112 which is the state emergency control room.
My Safetipin: Complete Safety
In today’s age, women and men function on an equal footing. This means, more and more women are now stepping out of the house to work and provide for their families. However, the unfair threat of safety looms over women which has been effectively addressed by the My Safetipin application. This app’s goal is to make cities safer by generating safety scores for places around the country by collecting massive data. The application sports features like GPS tracking, emergency contact numbers, direction to safe locations around cities, pins and alerts for unsafe areas and also provides the safest route options for women.
Sheroes
Sadly, social media is also not an entirely safe place for women. Receiving threats and unsolicited pictures is a common occurrence women face around the world. This is where Sheroes comes into the picture, it is a leading social media platform exclusively for women. At Sheroes, women can share their passions through posts and videos in a safe digital environment. Sheroes is not just limited to being a social media platform for women but also a helpline where women can chat anonymously and share their feelings. Community legal support and Mahila Kanoon support are also available at Sheroes.
bSafe
bSafe is a comprehensive safety app for women that boasts a wide range of features. It’s equipped with the bSafe alarm which broadcasts the exact location and an audio-video from the location for ease with your emergency contact. It also features the ‘Follow Me’ feature which allows users to virtually track GPS until their loved ones have arrived at the location. An interesting feature in the application is the fake call feature which helps people escape an unwanted situation by pretending they’re on a call with someone.
Chilla
Chilla is a unique application that serves the singular purpose of triggering an alert message. Women can be stuck in situations where they are unable to press the emergency button on their phone during an attack, in such cases, they can shout loudly and activate the SOS alert on their device.
In today’s fast-paced world, women are busier than ever. Whether juggling work, family, friends, or hobbies, women need technology to keep up with their busy lifestyles. Luckily, there are plenty of portable devices and apps available that can help women stay organised, connected, and productive on the go. Let’s explore 10 of the best portable devices and apps for busy women.
Portable Devices:
Woman with VR headset at home
Smartphones:
Smartphones are essential for women on the go and shouldn’t be on the list, as everyone has a smartphone in hand. They allow you to stay connected with family, friends, and colleagues while providing access to essential apps like email, calendars, and social media. When choosing a smartphone, look for one with a large screen, long battery life, and a good camera, as these features are essential for women who use their phones for personal and professional purposes.
E-readers:
E-readers are a must-have for women who love to read as they allow you to carry thousands of books wherever you go without the added weight of a physical book. E-readers also come with built-in lighting, making them ideal for reading in low-light conditions. Look for an e-reader with a long battery life and a high-resolution display, and if you’re old school, having a physical book is not a problem, classics are irreplaceable.
Fitness trackers:
Fitness trackers are perfect for women who want to stay on top of their health and fitness goals. They allow you to track your steps, calories burned, and sleep patterns, giving you valuable insights into your overall health. While buying a fitness tracker, look for one with a heart rate monitor and GPS tracking, as these features are helpful for tracking workouts.
Wireless Earbuds:
Wireless earbuds are perfect for women who love to listen to music or podcasts on the go. They’re lightweight and portable and don’t require wires or cords, making them ideal for women who are always on the move. Look for earbuds with good battery life and noise-cancelling capabilities for the best experience.
Portable chargers:
Portable chargers are essential for women who rely on their devices throughout the day. They allow you to charge your smartphone, tablet, or other devices while on the go, ensuring you never run out of battery power. Look for a portable charger with a high capacity and fast charging capabilities.
Productivity apps:
Evernote:
Evernote is a versatile app that can help women streamline their lives in various ways. It offers a digital platform to store notes, ideas, to-do lists, and other important information. With Evernote, women can manage daily tasks, set reminders, and organise schedules. The app lets them capture and save important documents, receipts, and photos. Evernote also provides a safe and secure platform for women to store sensitive information, such as medical records and financial documents.
Fitbit:
The Fitbit app is a powerful tool for women who want to track and monitor their physical activity and overall health. The app allows women to set fitness goals, monitor progress, and analyse their workouts. It also offers personalised insights and tips to help women stay motivated and on track with their fitness goals. Additionally, the app provides features such as sleep tracking and food logging to help women maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Headspace:
Headspace is a meditation and mindfulness app that can benefit women’s well-being. With daily meditation sessions, Headspace can help reduce stress, and anxiety and improve sleep quality. The app provides a variety of guided meditations that cater to different levels and lifestyles along with unique features such as “SOS meditations” to use during moments of crisis and “mini-meditations” for busy schedules. Headspace is an excellent app for women who want to prioritise their mental health and wants to develop a sense of calm, clarity, and focus in their daily lives.
Duolingo:
Duolingo is a language-learning app that can benefit women in various ways. Learning a new language can open up opportunities for travel, work, and personal growth. Duolingo offers interactive lessons and games that make learning a new language fun and engaging. The app provides personalized learning plans based on individual strengths and weaknesses, allowing women to progress at their own pace. Duolingo’s social features enable women to connect with others who are learning the same language and practice speaking skills. It is an excellent app for women who want to expand their horizons and learn a new language.
Pocket:
Pocket is a valuable app that can benefit women who want to stay up-to-date on news, trends, and industry developments. It offers a platform for saving and organising articles, videos, and other online content for later reading or viewing. With Pocket, women can curate their reading lists and categorise content based on interests or themes. The app also provides personalised recommendations based on saved content, making discovering new and relevant information easy. Ladies, if you want to stay informed and knowledgeable about various topics and industries, Pocket is a must-have app to have on your smartphone.
Trello:
Trello is a popular app that can be an asset in a woman’s daily life. It provides a flexible platform for visually organising tasks, projects, and ideas. Trello allows women to manage their daily tasks and track their progress using customisable boards, lists, and cards. Trello’s intuitive interface makes it easy to use, even for those who are not tech-savvy. The app also enables women to collaborate with others on group projects or assignments, making it an excellent tool for both personal and professional use.
Asana:
Asana is a versatile app that can help women streamline their personal and professional lives. It provides a digital platform for managing tasks, projects, and teams. With Asana, women can organise their schedules, set reminders, and assign tasks to themselves or others. It also enables them to collaborate on group projects or assignments with colleagues or friends. The app also offers a comprehensive suite of features for project management, including timelines, calendars, and progress tracking.
MyFitnessPal:
MyFitnessPal is an app designed to help women manage their diet and maintain a healthy lifestyle. It offers a platform for tracking calorie intake, setting weight goals, and monitoring progress. With a vast food database, women can easily log their meals and snacks and scan barcodes for easy tracking. MyFitnessPal also offers personalised recommendations for nutrient intake based on individual goals and preferences. The app offers community support and motivation through its active user base.
Mint:
Mint is a financial management app that can benefit women in various ways. It offers a comprehensive platform for tracking expenses, creating budgets, and monitoring financial health. With Mint, women can connect their bank accounts, credit cards, and other financial accounts to view all their finances in one place. The app provides personalised insights and tips for saving money, reducing debt, and achieving financial goals. It also offers alerts and reminders for bill payments and other financial tasks.
Video Conferencing Apps:
Video conferencing apps, such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet and Skype, have become essential for women (or perhaps everyone) in both personal and professional settings. They enable women to connect with colleagues, clients, friends, and family from anywhere worldwide, making communication more accessible and convenient. With video conferencing, women can conduct virtual meetings, attend online classes, and stay in touch with loved ones despite the distance. These apps also offer screen-sharing and recording features, making collaboration and documentation more efficient.
We’re in a month that celebrates women’s milestones and their extraordinary roles in all spheres of society. However, women’s history month holds a more profound significance than just the bells and whistles we see on social media through various trends and hashtags. It is not just an opportunity for men to appreciate women but also the society as a whole to address the issues women face on a daily basis and still excel.
Women are indeed achievers, risk-takers, entrepreneurs, and multi-taskers. Over the years, women have made significant progress in breaking down barriers and overcoming obstacles in various fields. They have demonstrated their ability to lead and succeed in areas previously dominated by men. Women have made remarkable progress in various spheres of life over the past few decades, and their contributions to society are becoming increasingly recognized and valued.
Women are also excellent multi-taskers, balancing their work, family, and social lives with great skill and efficiency. They’re known for their ability to handle many responsibilities simultaneously and still achieve their goals. Women have shown that they can excel in various fields and are capable of achieving great things when given the opportunity. Their contributions to society are invaluable, and we should continue to support and empower women to achieve their full potential.
Women Entrepreneurs in India:
India has seen a jump in the number of women entrepreneurs in recent years. Women entrepreneurs are breaking barriers and challenging societal norms to create successful businesses across various industries. They are inspiring other women to take the leap and become entrepreneurs themselves.
However, women entrepreneurs still face significant challenges, such as gender biases, lack of access to capital, and limited networking opportunities. Efforts are being made to create an environment that supports and encourages women entrepreneurs, including mentorship programs, financial incentives, and policy initiatives.
Challenges Faced by Women Entrepreneurs in India:
Missing Role Models: There is a lack of female role models in the business world, which can make it difficult for women to envision themselves as entrepreneurs.
Social Responsibilities: Women entrepreneurs in India often face the dual burden of running a business and fulfilling their social and familial responsibilities.
Industry Restrictions: Certain industries are more male-dominated than others, making it difficult for women to enter and succeed in these sectors.
Education: A lack of access to education and vocational training can hinder women from developing the necessary skills and knowledge to become successful entrepreneurs.
Ways To Help Women Overcome Barriers:
Access to Capital: Providing access to capital through government schemes or private organizations can help women entrepreneurs start and grow their businesses.
Mentorship and Networking: Connecting women entrepreneurs with successful businesswomen can provide them with guidance, advice, and networking opportunities.
Skill Development and Training: Providing education and training programs tailored to the needs of women entrepreneurs can help them develop the necessary skills to succeed in their businesses.
Policy Changes: Changing policies to promote gender equality, such as promoting property ownership for women or offering tax incentives to women-led businesses, can help address some of the barriers faced by women entrepreneurs.
Awareness and Advocacy: Raising awareness about the challenges women entrepreneurs face and advocating for their rights and opportunities can help create a more supportive environment for female entrepreneurship in India.
Women are mothers, sisters, daughters, and friends, but they are also so much more than that. They are innovators, leaders, and change-makers who have made immeasurable contributions to every aspect of society. From the arts to the sciences, from politics to business, women have broken barriers and shattered glass ceilings, proving time and time again that they are just as capable as their male counterparts.
Girls cartoons design, Friendship together friends happy people and young theme Vector illustration
So today, let us celebrate the incredible strength, resilience, and determination of women everywhere. Let us honour their sacrifices and continue to make them, and pledge to support and uplift them in every way possible. Because when women are given the freedom and opportunities to succeed, we all benefit. Here is Exhibit’s special women’s edition where we celebrate the backbone of our society – WOMEN!
A self-motivated leader and a passionate professional ready to take up challenges with a pragmatic approach
An enterprising leader with great people management skills leading towards the accomplishment of common goals & objectives
guided by my life mantras – to be a student for life, to be open to learning from one and all
Q2. What is the one subject you think aspiring leaders should learn?
Leaders need to learn that leadership is no longer about the title(s) or designation(s). It fundamentally revolves around influence, impact, inspiration, ideology and integrity
Influence: doing or getting things done in line with larger organizational goals
Impact: how your internal & external stakeholders perceive you
Inspiration: how your superiors and subordinates always look up to you
Ideology: the right exposure, experience and understanding that you have gained over the years
Integrity: your love, passion & commitment towards your job/organization/team/society at large, even when no one is watching
Q3. One thing you believe is essential for sustained growth
I believe in maintaining relationships, whether it’s old customers or making new ones. The effort in building a new relationship is 10 times the cost of maintaining an existing one for sustained growth.
Q4. One book that you love and the one you’ve bookmarked?
To be honest, there are quite a few, but IKIGAI & “Wings of Fire” – The autobiography of Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam is my absolute favourite.
Q5. Leadership quotes that inspire you.
“Be the player who runs for the GOAL and not a referee who looks for FAULTS.”
“If you want to change the FRUITS, you will first have to change the ROOTS. If you want to change the VISIBLE, you must first change the INVISIBLE.”
Q6. What is your unique way of maintaining a work-life balance?
The key is to avoid carrying workplace baggage back home and personal baggage to the workplace. Always find substantial time for a workout to maintain a healthy mind and body.
Q7. Significant learning in the past couple of years?
In the past few years, we have witnessed a paradigm shift in consumer behaviour, and it has become significant for brands to adapt their strategies, prioritize them and eventually deliver the right product or message to the new-age consumers.
Q8. To cite a few must-haves Marketing Strategies:
Trust is built on privacy
The omnichannel offering is appreciated
Revisit / Rework / Reconsider your messaging to Consumers
Flexible & empathetic customer service, along with state-of-the-art products and competitive pricing, is the key
Tangible benefits lead to brand loyalty
Keep innovating
Q9. Some productivity apps and technologies you use in your daily life?
My must-haves are MS Teams, Dropbox, OneNote, etc., and of course, a smartphone.
Q10. What is your technology detox?
I like to indulge in activities like running, road travel, photography, reading, cooking etc.
Q11. If money was not a bar, what piece of tech and automobile would you own?
I am happy with what I have, but if I must choose one thing if money was not a bar, I would preferably be a Philanthropist.
With his soulful voice, catchy tunes, and engaging lyrics, Guru Randhawa has taken the Punjabi music industry by storm and has won the hearts of millions of fans not just in India but across the globe. Besides being a musician, he is a tech-savvy individual who has leveraged the power of technology to reach out to his fans and grow his fan base, along with experimenting with new-age music production techniques.
His ability to blend traditional Punjabi folk music with contemporary pop beats is a testament to his innovative spirit and willingness to embrace new technologies. In this exclusive interview, we delve deeper into Guru Randhawa’s journey as a musician and his thoughts on the intersection of music and technology. We explore the various aspects of his work that have made him a household name in the Indian music industry.
Exhibit: What was it like working with Kapil Sharma on your latest song?
Guru Randhawa: It is always great working with artists whom you admire. Kapil Paaji has been a dear friend since I’ve known him. I love his work, and it was great to collaborate with him on his debut song. While I was shooting for Kapil Sharma’s show, we discussed the idea of making a song together, and I’m glad to see it come to life. The response has been really great as well.
Ex: How do you think the driving experience has changed over the years as technology and electric vehicles have become more prevalent?
Guru: I think advances in fields of technology are happening at a rapid rate, and the future of cars is electric. In fact, we see a lot of that in developed countries, and it’s making its way to IndiGuru: Driving cars has indeed become a seamless experience with assistance like ADAS and many more.
Ex: Out of all your songs, which one holds the most emotional value for you?
Guru: My recent song, “Alone”, is very emotional, and I’m currently enjoying that.
Ex: Are there any songs or albums you think are particularly suited for driving, and why?
Guru: I like listening to soundtracks of Hans Zimmer, I enjoy Weekend’s music on drives, some Punjabi legends, and trying out new artists as well.
Ex: You’ve been in the music industry for over a decade now. How has the journey been? And what advice would you give to aspiring musicians who are just starting out?
Guru: Yes. I’m grateful for everything. God has been kind, and it’s all a blessing! I’m thankful to my fans for their undivided support. Honestly, I’ve grown so much as an individual and artist. Overall, it’s been an enriching experience for me and very special too. As I said, I started my career as an independent artist and always kept at it. I believe one should never give up, keep putting in that effort, and love what you do, even if it is challenging. Consistency transcends into success.
Ex: How does the experience of driving a car compare to performing on stage or recording music?
Guru: Yes, both activities involve adventure and thrill. Sometimes both are really relaxing as well. Each day is a new experience that I look forward to.
Ex: You’ve collaborated with many different artists over the years, from Pitbull to Jay Sean. Who would you like to work with next, and why?
Guru: I would love to collaborate with Bruno Mars because I absolutely love his music.
Ex: Your music often blends traditional Punjabi sounds with modern beats and rhythms. How do you balance these two influences in your work?
Guru: I think it comes to me naturally, maybe because I was born in a village in Punjab and later moved to Delhi for higher studies. So I think both places have had their influences on my music and style.
Ex: Your song “Lahore” became a massive hit, with over 1 billion views on YouTube. Did you expect it to become so popular, and what do you think made it resonate with so many people?
Guru: Well, I think it is the simplicity of the song that makes it easier for people to connect.
Ex: You’re known for your energetic live performances. How do you prepare for a show, both mentally and physically?
Guru: Yes, of course, we work hard on our live shows regarding a set list, rehearsals and production. Not just for live shows, but otherwise, on a regular basis, I take care of my health.
Ex: Do you think there is a connection between music and driving, and if so, how would you describe it?
Guru: Yes. Music has a connection with everything. It’s the rhythm of life. It enhances the state of mind and is the best company while driving. I like listening to my songs first in the car, which gives me the right feel about them.
What is a unicorn startup? The term unicorn refers to privately held companies valued at over $1 billion. India’s startup ecosystem is home to a number of well-known and emerging unicorn startups, out of which Flipkart is the most notable and most successful unicorn startup. The success of Flipkart has been driven by the rapid adoption of online shopping in India and the company’s ability to adapt quickly to the changing market.
Besides Flipkart, there are about 108* unicorn startups in India, but here, we’re only focusing on the 17 unicorns, which are a mix of already emerged and a few emerging ones, as we’re focusing more on the behind-the-scenes stories. Over the last 10-15 years, India’s unicorn startups have not only made a significant impact in their respective sectors but also have become a symbol of the country’s rapidly growing technology and startup ecosystem.
Byju’s
Industry – EdTech
Founded in – 2011
Entered the Unicorn Club in – 2018
Tagline – Fall in love with learning
Valuation – $22 billion
Founders – Byju Raveendran and Divya Gokulnath
Parent Organization – Think and Learn Private Ltd
The Story –
Byju Raveendran, a B.Tech graduate from a small town in Kerala, was working in a multinational shipping firm as a service engineer. In 2023, he started helping his friends prepare for the CAT entrance exam, as he had a burning desire to make a difference in the field of learning and teaching. While preparing, out of curiosity, he decided to appear in the exam and scored 100%.
Later, he started conducting free mathematical workshops but realised there had to be a better way to teach and learn. Determined to make a change, Byju and his co-founder wife, Divya Gokulnath, started working on a new learning platform, where he offered interactive video lessons on a wide range of subjects, from mathematics and science to history and geography.
The platform they created was designed to make learning more fun and engaging and to help students easily understand complex concepts. Today we call that platform, Byju’s, and it has over 150 million registered students and is valued at $22 billion. With its strong focus on technology, innovation, and scalability, Byju’s is well-positioned for continued growth in the future.
A quote from the founder that can change your perspective
“Education is the single most powerful tool that can shape the way our youth thinks” – Byju Raveendran
When you’re determined to make your dreams come true, you work tirelessly to build them, and Kunal Shah is one such hard-working individual. He began his career as a software engineer before venturing into the world of entrepreneurship with PaisaBack and FreeCharge. After the acquisition of FreeCharge, he founded CRED in 2018, as he wanted to offer more privileges and benefits to people having good credit scores.
The company was started with a mission to make credit card payments simple and transparent for consumers as the industry was plagued by hidden charges and confusing terms and conditions. CRED was always focused on building a strong brand, and one of the key factors that contributed to the company’s success was its focus on customer experience, which helped the company earn over 7 million users.
What’s next?
To enable a good life for creditworthy individuals.
A quote from the founder that can change your perspective
‘If you look at history, nobody has been rewarded for paying back on time. We want to fix that.’ – Kunal Shah
Dream11
Industry – Fantasy Sports Platform
Founded in – 2008
Entered the Unicorn Club in – 2019
Tagline – Jab Dream bada ho, toh koi akela nahi hota. Dream Big, Dream11!
Valuation – $8 billion
Founders – Bhavit Sheth & Harsh Jain
Parent Organization – Sporta Technologies
The Story –
Every sports fan likes to spend a lot of time discussing their favourite teams and players, but not everyone ends up founding an app for fans to participate in fantasy sports. Harsh Jain and Bhavit Sheth are two such sport-packed souls who saw an opportunity to create a platform that would allow sports fans to create their own teams and compete against each other for prizes.
Without hesitation, Harsh and Bhavit quit their jobs and started their own company in 2008, Dream11. The company has always ensured that it complies with all laws and regulations related to fantasy sports in the countries it operates, which has helped to build trust with users and regulators. Along with cricket today, the platform allows users to play fantasy hockey, football, kabaddi, basketball, volleyball, etc.
To stay on the success path, Dream11 made strategic partnerships with major sports leagues and teams, such as the Indian Premier League and the Pro Kabaddi League. Currently, the company has a presence in many countries, including the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, while the founders have inspired countless individuals to pursue their own dreams of entrepreneurship.
Swiggy
Industry – Online Food Ordering and Delivery Platform
Founded in – 2014
Entered the Unicorn Club in – 2018
Tagline – Swiggy karo, phir jo chahe karo!
Valuation – $10.7 billion
Founders – Sriharsha Majety, Nandan Reddy and Rahul Jaimini
Parent Organization – Bundl Technologies
The Story –
By the time you’ve reached here, you might have ordered something on Swiggy, which speaks volumes about its popularity. The start-up was founded in 2014 by Sriharsha Majety, Nandan Reddy, and Rahul Jaimini, who saw a gap in the market for an efficient and reliable food delivery service in India. On one hot summer day, Sriharsha and Nandan realised the need for better online food delivery options in India as the existing options were slow, unreliable, and the food often arrived cold.
They developed a food delivery app and named it ‘Bundl’ in 2013 but decided to shut it down within a year as they wanted to brainstorm more on the delivery process. While brainstorming, they met Rahul Jaimin and decided to start the Start-up with the name Swiggy. The user-friendly app gained a lot of engagement in a short period, made good returns and significantly changed the food delivery industry. Today, besides India, Swiggy is also operational in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
What’s next?
To elevate the quality of life of urban consumers by providing unparalleled convenience.
Some start-ups take a couple of years to achieve what they’re looking for, while some take decades to achieve the same. Fractal Analytics is an AI company that provides consumer packaged goods, insurance, healthcare, life sciences, retail, and technology services. It was founded in 2000 by five graduates from IIM Ahmedabad in Mumbai when the word start-up was less mainstream than it is today. Due to internal conflict, it took Fractal over 20 years to earn a unicorn tag.
In 2005, the company decided to move the business to the US, as the country was home to a massive number of clients. However, in a couple of years, two of the co-founders took an exit from the company. Things took a turn when along with two co-founders, the company lost one of its key clients. The circumstances attempted to stop Fractal from getting a tag of a unicorn for over a decade, but the company continued to evolve over the years and improved its platform until it became a unicorn in 2022.
Tata 1mg
Industry – E-pharmacy Platform
Founded in – 2015
Entered the Unicorn Club in – 2022
Tagline – Bringing care to health
Valuation – $1.25 billion
Founders – Prashant Tandon, Gaurav Agarwal and Vikas Chauhan
Parent Organization – Tata Digital Limited
The Story –
Where there’s a will, there’s a TATA, but the backstory of Tata 1mg is something you should know and take notes on. The startup was initially launched as Healthkartplus in 2013, the time when people, especially Indians, started trying their hands at online shopping, be it for books, gadgets, etc. The journey of 1mg began as a consumer awareness platform, helping them learn about their medicines while also comparing prices of the various alternatives for the brand that they were prescribed.
Initially, there were just three employees (only the founders), Prashant Tandon, Gaurav Agarwal, and Vikas Chauhan, but today 1mg has over 200 members across multiple locations throughout India. Back then, there were very few trustworthy online pharmacies in India, which helped 1mg become the most trusted name in the industry in a short time. In June 2021, Tata Digital acquired a majority stake in 1mg, and the company got a new name – Tata 1 mg.
A quote from the founder that can change your perspective
“We must learn to survive, and then we will thrive – Prashant Tandon”
LivSpace
Industry – Home Renovation & Interior Designing
Founded in – 2014
Entered the Unicorn Club in – 2022
Tagline – Hassle-free dream home interiors for any budget
Valuation – $1.2 billion
Founders – Anuj Srivastava & Ramakant Sharma
The Story –
You might have seen the TVC of Livspace starring Virat Kohli (in a TURBAN) and Anushka Sharma. The story of Livspace began when the founders set out to design their dream homes and discovered the industry needed to be more integrated. The omnichannel home interior and renovation company was founded by a Google veteran, Anuj Srivastava & his IIT-Kanpur classmate Ramakant Sharma in 2014. Shagufta Anurag, the founder of Space Matrix, was also the company’s co-founder.
The start-up saves you from all the hustle and bustle you have to deal with, from carpenters to plumbers and confusing rates to unreliable schedules. The designers at Livspace create a mock-up for the customer using Livspace’s proprietary software, and once accepted by the client, they hire third-party contractors to get the job done. Livspace earned the title of a unicorn when it successfully raised $180 million in a round led by KKR, taking the value of the firm to over 1$ billion.
OYO Rooms
Industry – Hospitality
Founded in – 2013
Entered the Unicorn Club in – 2018
Tagline – #AurKyaChahiye
Valuation – $9 billion
Founders – Ritesh Agarwal
Parent Organization – Oravel Stays Limited
The Story –
How often have you stayed at the hotel while on vacation or outing? The chances are at least 10-15 times in your lifetime. Well, the founder of OYO rooms, Ritesh Agarwal, used to travel a lot from the age of 17 and every time he stayed at the hotels, he experienced the scarcity of quality hotels, especially in the budget segment. To help people from having such a horrible experience, he launched Oravel Stays, an online portal for vacation rentals.
The platform collapsed in a short time, but two fortunate things happened. First, the relationships Ritesh had formed with hotel owners helped him a lot and secondly, he got an opportunity of the Thiel Fellowship, a two-year program from PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel. During his stay fellowship in California, he relaunched Oravel Stays as OYO Hotels & Homes to create India’s largest chain of affordable, standardised hotels.
As soon as he arrived in India, he started reaching out to the hotel owners he had worked with earlier during his days at Oravel Stays. With all the hard work, he managed to acquire rooms in hotels across the country and transformed them into OYO, which boosted the hotel’s occupancy rates from 19% to 90% in the first month only. Today, Oyo rooms are widely distributed all over India, in more than 800 cities, with more than 23,000 hotels and 850,000 rooms.
A quote from the founder that can change your perspective
“Start small, nail it and then make it big – Ritesh Agarwal”
Meesho
Industry – Retail and E-commerce
Founded in – 2015
Entered the Unicorn Club in – 2021
Tagline – Not just a homemaker, a Meesho Entrepreneur
Valuation – $4.9 billion
Founders – Vidit Aatrey and Sanjeev Barnwal
Parent Organization – Meesho Inc
The Story –
Another startup co-founded by IITians. Now a unicorn, Meesho started as a reseller platform allowing users to resell products via their social channels such as WhatsApp, Instagram etc. The founders, Vidit Aatrey and Sanjeev Barnwal started the company with the goal of empowering the next generation of entrepreneurs in India. In the early days, the team focused on building a solid product and acquiring users through word-of-mouth and referral marketing.
Within a few months, they realised that their target market was primarily women in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities looking for flexible and low-cost ways to earn income and decided to tailor their product and marketing strategies to serve this demographic better. In 2017, the startup raised $3.4 million in a seed funding round, which allowed them to expand and invest in team, technology and infrastructure. Today, Meesho has over 15 million registered sellers and reaches over 200 million customers.
What’s next?
A quote from the founder that can change your perspective
“For growth, focus on your customers. Nothing else matters. – Vidit Aatrey and Sanjeev Barnwal”
upGrad
Industry – EdTech
Founded in – 2015
Entered the Unicorn Club in – 2021
Tagline – A journey as dynamic as us
Valuation – $2.25 billion
Founders – Ronnie Screwvala, Mayank Kumar, Phalgun Kompalli, and Ravijot Chugh
Parent Organization – UpGrad Education Pvt. Ltd
The Story –
We’ve various e-learning options for students, but what about professionals looking to upgrade their careers? Yes, the same thought was the base of upGrad, an EdTech startup founded in 2015 by Ronnie Screwvala, Phalgun Kompalli, Mayank Kumar, and Ravijot Chugh. The journey of upGrad began with the goal of providing quality education to working professionals and students in India looking to upskill and advance their careers.
Like the rest of the startups, upGrad faced several challenges, including a need for more awareness and understanding of online education in India but managed to conquer all the crises that came in way. The company started with just a single program, in digital marketing and within a short while but quickly expanded its offerings to include programs in data science, software engineering, and business management.
A quote from the founder that can change your perspective
“Failure never stopped anybody who didn’t want to be stopped – Ronnie Screwvala”
Zomato
Industry – Online Food Ordering and Delivery Platform
Founded in – 2008
Entered the Unicorn Club in – 2015
Tagline – Every meal matters
Valuation – $5.4 Billion
Founders – Deepinder Goyal, Gaurav Gupta, and Pankaj Chaddah
The Story –
Back in the 2000s, writing a food review was rare, as people only used to follow word of mouth instead of looking for the review on the internet. The founders of Zomato were working at Bain & Co in New Delhi when they came up with the idea of Foodiebay, now known as Zomato. At first, it started as a food blog, providing information about restaurants in the Delhi region and by providing restaurant information, including menus, prices, and user reviews, through its website and mobile app.
In only nine months, FoodieBay became Delhi’s most preferred restaurant directory, and the founders decided to start the services in Mumbai and Kolkata. In 2010, the name Foodiebay was officially changed to ‘Zomato’, and since then, the company has grown to become one of the most popular food delivery apps in India and across the globe. The company also faced major hurdles during their decade-long journey and always bounced back with a better solution to thrive the crises.
Info Edge (India) played a huge role in the formation of Zomato as they were the first to invest about US$ 1 million when the startup did not have enough funds to start the app. By 2013, Zomato expanded its business in foreign countries such as Sri Lanka, UAE, Qatar, South Africa, the UK, the Philippines, New Zealand, Turkey, and Brazil. Since 2014, Zomato has acquired Poland’s Gastronauci, Italy’s Cibando, and US-based online table reservation platform NexTable.
A quote from the founder that can change your perspective
“When you are still building an organization, don’t be defensive about your culture – Deepinder Goyal”
Ola Electric
Industry – Automotive
Founded in – 2017
Entered the Unicorn Club in – 2019
Tagline – Ready or not, a revolution is coming
Valuation – $5+ Billion
Founders – Bhavish Aggarwal
Parent Organization – Ola Cabs
The Story –
EVs are the key to a sustainable future, and Ola Electric wanted to take the lead. The company was founded by the electric vehicle arm of Indian ride-hailing giant Ola with an aim to make electric mobility accessible and affordable for all by deploying a fleet of electric vehicles (EVs) and building a network of charging infrastructure across the country.
The journey of Ola Electric began with the launch of a pilot project in Nagpur, Maharashtra, in 2017. Ola Electric, which started making two-wheelers in 2021, will introduce the sportiest car ever manufactured in India with an electric vehicle that has a range of more than 500 km and even accelerates from 0-100 in less than 4 seconds.
Ola Electric also entered into a partnership with leading automakers such as Mahindra and Tata Motors to develop and manufacture electric vehicles in India. Today, Ola Electric has a fleet of thousands of electric vehicles on the road and more than 100 charging stations in multiple cities across India and is valued at over $5 billion.
A quote from the founder that can change your perspective
“Don’t take shortcuts while building your company, keep trying for the best – Bhavish Aggarwal”
Bangalore has been a fortress of EdTech platforms, and in the case of Vedantu, it all began with private lessons to a handful of students in their local community. The online tutoring platform was initially founded in 2011 but launched for the public in October 2014. The EdTech platform was founded by four friends from the IITs who were passionate about education and wanted to make a difference in the lives of students – Vamsi Krishna, Pulkit Jain, Saurabh Saxena, and Anand Prakash.
Vedantu provides services to students from grades 4th to 12th for the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE) & Central Board of Secondary Education. The EdTec platform uses an innovative Whiteboard Audio Video Education (WAVE) program for their 1-1 student-teacher live sessions. The EdTech company provides education to students with both free and paid classes options and aims to provide test preparation courses for the JEE, NTSE, and PSA exams in the future.
PharmEasy
Industry – Pharmaceutical
Founded in – 2015
Entered the Unicorn Club in – 2021
Tagline – Take it easy, PharmEasy
Valuation – $5.6 Billion
Founders: Dharmil Sheth and Dr Dhaval Shah
Parent Organization – API Holdings Private Limited
The Story –
Back in 2014, when people were experiencing door-to-door delivery services from the brands like Zomato, Flipkart, Swiggy, and Amazon, the founders of PharmEasy thought, why not deliver health care items right at the door in the same way? The pharmaceutical industry in our country is one of the poorly organised industries, but no one was complaining about it until you’re travelling hundreds of kilometres to buy one tablet.
Dharmil Sheth and Dr Dhawal Shah co-founded PharmEasy in 2014 with the goal of making healthcare a lot more accessible in India. The duo created a healthcare delivery platform to simplify and modernise the healthcare setup in India. Thanks to the digitisation of the pharmaceutical industry, we can now order our medicines online from the comfort of our homes, without any hustle and with the most budget-friendly rates.
A quote from the founder that can change your perspective
“Your belief in yourself will drive everything around you. – Dharmil Sheth”
Razorpay
Industry – FinTech
Founded in – 2014
Entered the Unicorn Club in – 2020
Tagline – #Powering Disruptors
Valuation – $7.5 Billion
Founders: Dharmil Sheth and Dr Dhaval Shah
The Story –
Seeing an Indian company leading the pack is rare, but Razorpay has achieved it in the payment sector. It started as a project to solve the problem of online payments and has since grown into one of the prominent members of the coveted unicorn club. Before co-founding Razorpay, Harshil Mathur and Shashank Kumar decided to work on a crowdfunding platform, but soon, the duo realised that online payment was a problem for small & medium-sized (SME) businesses, particularly e-commerce platforms.
The founders of Razorpay, Shashank and Harshil, studied Mechanical Engineering at NIT Allahabad and IIT Bombay, respectively. They first met on a train journey, and while conversing, they both got stuck on one question – how to accept payments online. They offered lower fees than their counterparts as they wanted to revolutionise payment options and access to several online payment methods for business entities, including credit & debit cards, net banking, and UPI.
A quote from the founder that can change your perspective
“Throwing things around in the calendar does not help… maintain a to-do list – Harshil Mathur”
Groww
Industry – FinTech
Founded in – 2017
Entered the Unicorn Club in – 2021
Tagline – There’s just one right way
Valuation – $5 Billion
Founders: Lalit Keshre, Harsh Jain, Neeraj Singh, and Ishan Bansal
Parent Organization – Nextbillion Technology
The Story –
Spending time with the right people can take you to the right places. Earlier, when it came to investing, people had to do a lot of paperwork and bank visits and stand in long queues, but now we have various options. Today, with startups like Groww, to begin investing and managing your wealth, you need a few things – a bank account, some disposable income, and a smartphone. Groww is one of several startups that have aroused the curiosity of investors.
The startup was founded in 2016 by four former Flipkart workers, Lalit Keshre, Harsh Jain, Neeraj Singh, and Ishan Bansal. The platform was started to make investing more accessible to young people by simplifying the process, and it uses technology to reach the right audience, reducing its operational expense. Groww offers various services to consumers by providing investment offerings in mutual funds, stocks, IPO, and digital gold.
A quote from the founder that can change your perspective
“Always try to understand the business first and then the price of the stock – Ishan Bansal”
Urban Company
Industry – Household Services
Founded in – 2014
Entered the Unicorn Club in – 2021
Valuation – $2.1 Billion
Founders: Abhiraj Singh Bhal, Raghav Chandra and Varun Khaitan
Parent Organization – UrbanClap Technologies India Pvt. Ltd.
The Story –
Who empowered professionals from the industries like massage, cleaning and salon? A startup founded by three great minds, Abhiraj Singh Bhal, Raghav Chandra and Varun Khaitan, named Urban Company. Before founding Urban Company, Abhiraj and Varun launched Cinemabox, a service that allowed travellers to stream movies on their phones on planes, trains or buses, which lasted for only 6 months.
Later on, they met Raghav and during one of their intense conversations, they understood the country was lying behind the in-home services market, like finding the right plumber, electrician, or beautician. Right then, they decided to work on the idea and founded Urban Company, formerly UrbanClap, in 2014. Today, it has more than 40,000 service partners across 50+ cities in India, the UAE, Singapore, Australia and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
What’s next?
The company plans to expand and train and upskill 5 lakh service partners, of which 2 lakh will be women partners, by 2030.
Hyundai has become a popular brand among automobile lovers. When one thinks of Hyundai, they unanimously agree on an impressive feature list, the absolute unit of value propositions on roads and a reliable customer service network. Let’s not forget the era demands larger, sassier-looking cars that meet not just one’s demand but eventually everyone connected with the one. Adhering to modern automotive demands, Hyundai’s global best-selling product is now available in India – Hyundai Tucson. A question arises, what makes this product an international bestseller? What other way to find out than driving this beauty on a road trip? Where are we headed? We’re heading towards the answers.
Is it the bold, premium and sporty design?
Hyundai designers were briefed to make Tucson an iconic and bold design. Thanks to the brief, Tucson now feels angular, humongous and beautiful. The front fascia feels like a sizeable smiling grille. Kudos to the clever engineering covering the five-point dark chrome parametric DRLs with nickel metal coating. Turn them on, and Tucson gets a distinct identity like no other car on Indian roads. Sharp creases on the body neatly camouflage the enormous length of the Tucson and bring a contemporary design language familiar to supercar manufacturers making a large vehicle. If that was not enough, the tail section is a piece of art with connected LED taillamps finished in mesmerising lit textures and a neatly hidden rear wiper underneath the spoiler. Complementing the design are 18-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels, purpose-built for tackling any road. Overall the new Tucson feels refreshing and eye-pleasing from the outside.
The ivory-clad interior and plush ventilated seats with unique metal accents add a sense of space and splendour, coupled with a voice-enabled panoramic sunroof. The lines inside the cabin flow in a minimalistic design, adding to the definition of opulence. The LWB enables oodles of legroom and headroom with deep recline angles for the rear passengers and a boss mode found in premium sedans a segment or two above Tucson’s asking price. The interior of the Tucson makes it a comfortable, spacious abode with a focus on comfort, the luxury of a serene driving experience and class-leading safety features, including ADAS level 2 aided by front and rear radars with a front camera. This makes Tucson one of the safest cars available in India.
Is it the features, performance, luxury, safety or something else?
Available in multiple engine options – a 2L petrol (156PS and 192Nm) and a 2L diesel (186PS and 415Nm) with an AWD variant featuring multi-terrain modes (snow, mud and sand), the Tucson offers versatility. The transmission options include a 6-speed automatic on the petrol, while the diesel variants have a sleek shifting 8-speed automatic. The engines and transmission options offer linear, smooth power delivery, with the diesel tickling the enthusiast’s senses. The NVH levels are so darn impressive; they’re unlike any Hyundai we’ve experienced. Couple that with the ivory-clad spacious interiors, customisable seat positions on the front row and deep recline angles on the rear along with passenger walk-in mode, amplifying the sense of sumptuousness, unlike most competitors. With 4 disc brakes on all 4 tyres, level 2 ADAS with 19 class-leading features safeguard you, pedestrians, other cars and the precious Tucson from any nuances on the road. The braking performance is also linear despite all discs on all tyres and adds to the overall experience of plushness.
Hyundai Tucson is one of the safest cars on Indian roads. The level 2 ADAS makes it almost impossible to collide the car with anything on the road. There are tonnes of customisations to customise the ADAS aids as per personal preference. Here’s a list of all the advanced driving-assistance system safety features for your reference. Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA), Car/Pedestrian/Cyclist + Junction Turning, Front collision warning (FCW), Lane Keeping Assist (LKA), Lane Departure Warning (LDW), Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist (BCA), Blind-Spot Collision Warning (BCW), Blind-Spot View Monitor (BVM), Safe Exit Warning (SEW), Driver Attention Warning (DAW), Smart Cruise Control with Stop & GO (SCC with S&G), Lane Following Assist (LFA), High Beam Assist (HBA), Leading Vehicle Departure Alert (LVDA), Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist (RCCA), Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning (RCCW) and Surround View Monitor (SVM). The 360-degree cameras offer high resolution and enable dynamic parking assist lines for added convenience. The considerable safety net with numerous features cocooned in luxury makes this car seem much more valuable than its asking price.
Why is Tucson Hyundai’s global bestseller?
We scouted out with the Tucson, searching for answers to why it is Hyundai’s global bestseller. Tucson’s unaccountable features, extensive safety net with the best-in-class package, and plush feel of the ivory-clad interiors make it a fantastic premium SUV for anyone looking to upgrade their driving experience into grandeur daily drives. Hyundai designers and engineers have hit the ball right out of the park regarding the new Tucson. No wonder this car is a global bestseller featured in blockbuster cinemas and is now available as a blockbuster in our daily drives.
India is a country known for its diverse and delicious cuisine. The cuisine dates back over 5000 years, and over the centuries, it has been influenced by many foreign arrivals, such as Persians, Mongols, British, Portuguese, and Chinese, among others.
In India, people take long routes only to munch on their favourite dishes. Be it the spicy street food of the north to the coastal seafood of the south, no matter what type of cuisine you’re in the mood for, you’re sure to find something to delight your taste buds.
Today, we have many modernised restaurants and cafes throughout the country where you can find various celebrated dishes, but one can not get a touché of heritage at these newbies. To get that feeling of nostalgia and heritage, you must have to get into these eateries in India.
Britannia and co.
Being a Mumbaikar, starting off the heritage list of eateries without Britannia and co. would be a sinful move for me. The city is home to various iconic Irani cafes, and currently, these are the only places in Mumbai where you can have a dose of heritage.
The restaurant was established in 1923 by Boman Kohinoor, and the place where it is located will surely remind you of the old times. When in the city, don’t miss out on having a cup of Irani chai with Bun Maska at the Britannia and co.
Cost for Two: ₹2,000
Address: 16, Ballard Estate, Fort, Mumbai
Recommended Dishes: Berry Pulao, Dhansak, Patra ni Machi, Salli Boti, and Caramel Custard
Tunday Kababi
Every time I had meat with Lucknowis, all they had to say was, “Kabhi Lucknow Aao”, as the city is best known for its kebabs and nawabs. I haven’t got lucky to have a taste of meat in Lucknow, but I can recommend you a great place to have a feast of kebabs.
Established in 1905, Tunday Kababi is an affordable place to have a variety of kebabs that have no match. The founder of the place, Haji Murad Ali fell from the terrace when he was young and lost his left arm; that’s how the eatery got its name, Tunday Kababi.
Cost for Two: ₹400
Address: 168/6, Old Nazirabad Rd, Mohan Market, Lucknow
Recommended Dishes: Mutton Tunday Kebab, and Mutton Biryani
Moti Mahal
Do you like butter chicken or dal makhani? Please move ahead if you don’t! The delicious dishes were invented in the 1950s by Kundan Lal Jaggi, Thakur Dass, and Kundan Lal Gujral, the founders of the world-famous Moti Mahal restaurants.
One day, while experimenting, they added tomato sauce to their chicken curry, and the dish they made that day came into existence as butter chicken. The heritage restaurant has been serving people since 1947 and is one of the favourite places to eat amongst Delhites.
Cost for Two: ₹1200
Address: 3704, Netaji Subhash Marg, Old Dariya Ganj, Daryaganj, New Delhi
Recommended Dishes: Butter Chicken, Dal Makhani, Tandoori Chicken, and Keema Naan
Central Tiffin Room / Shri Sagar Restaurant
The first filtered coffee I ever had was from the Ram Ashraya, a simple restaurant located in the serene locality of Matunga, Mumbai. Since then, I’ve drunk down a lot of filtered coffee and was looking for the best version of it, which I had in CTR Shri Sagar, Bangalore.
Y. V. Subramanyam established the iconic restaurant in the 1920s, where they serve authentic South Indian delicacies. The place is heaven for dosa lovers, and one should not leave the city without having a scrumptious breakfast at the CTR Shri Sagar.
Recommended Dishes: Benne Masala Dosa, Kesari Chow Chow Bhath, and Crispy Vadas
Shaikh Brothers Bakery
The capital of Assam, Guwahati, is not only home to the famous Kamakhya Temple, but the city also nests one of the oldest bakeries in India, Shaikh Brothers Bakery. The place was a favourite amongst British officials as well as Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi.
The place was established in 1885 by Shaikh Ghulam Ibrahim when he realised the potential of setting up a bakery in Assam when he was on a work tour in Assam. Even after 135+ years, the bakery hasn’t lost its pre-independence charm.
Cost for Two: ₹300
Address: 195, Hem Baruah Rd, Pan Bazaar, Guwahati
Recommended Dishes: Dry Cake, Hot Dog, and Chicken Pastry
Indian Coffee House
Situated on the busy college street of Kolkata, the Indian Coffee House is a place that brings nostalgia and heritage out of you. The place is not popular for its delicious food but known for being a part of our heritage.
The coffee house was established in 1876 and has been a favourite place to hang out and a renowned meeting place (adda) for intellectuals and students, such as Satyajit Ray, Amartya Sen, Ritwik Ghatak, and Aparna Sen.
Cost for Two: ₹300
Address: 15, Bankim Chatterjee St, College Street, Kolkata
Recommended Dishes: Chicken Kabiraji, Hot Coffee, and Mutton Afghani Cutlet
Kesar Da Dhaba
The heritage list of eateries wouldn’t be complete without including a dhaba from the Indian state of Punjab, a place known for its foodies and roadside dhabas. Kesar Da Dhaba is a place where you can have authentic Punjabi food soaked in ghee.
The dhaba was established in 1916, and since then, it has been serving a great variety of Punjabi dishes to us. The dhaba will not provide you with a luxury ambience, but the food you’re going to get here will make a place of its own in your heart.
Cost for Two: ₹500
Address: Chowk Passian, Shastri Market, Near Town Hall, Amritsar
Recommended Dishes: Lacha Paratha, Malai Kofta, Punjabi Chhole, Dal Makhani, and Lassi
