ABP Network is the first media network to conduct an Opinion Poll Survey for all four states and a union territory that go to polls in 2021 - West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Kerala, and Puducherry. Conducted with research partner CVoter (Centre for Voting Opinion & Trends in Election Research), the opinion poll survey aims to provide a clearer picture of how the ballot game stands for the five states. Last year, as the highly-dramatic Bihar Elections drew to a close, ABP Network’s Exit Poll was the only poll in the industry to hit the mark. It not only vindicated a prediction of a close fight, but also produced an accurate vote share projection. What’s more is that, this Opinion Poll Survey marks the beginning of ABP Network’s reign in the southern region as the network is likely to soon catapult into the Tamil Nadu market.  The ABPNetwork-CVoter survey revealed that as per public opinion, TMC is leading in West Bengal with 43.0% vote share (154 to 162 seats), whereas BJP stands second with 37.5% vote share (98 to 106 seats). West Bengal Party Alliance : Votes Alliance Votes 2016 Results 2021 Projection Swing TMC 44.9 43.0 -1.9 BJP 10.2 37.5 27.3 INC+LEFT 32.0 11.8 -20.2 Others 12.9 7.7 -5.2 Total 100.0 100.0 0.0 West Bengal Projected Range Of Seats Alliance Seats From Seats To TMC 154 to 162 BJP 98 to 106 INC+LEFT 26 to 34 Others 2 to 6 Total 294   In Tamil Nadu, UPA is leading with 41.1% vote share (158 to 166 seats), whereas NDA stands second with 28.7% vote share (60 to 68 Seats). Others grab the third spot with mere 15.7% vote share (0 to 4 seats). Tamil Nadu Party Alliance : Votes Alliance Votes 2016 Results 2021 Projection Swing UPA (DMK+Congress+Others) 39.4 41.1 1.7 NDA (AIADMK+BJP+Others) 43.7 28.7 -15.0 MNM 0.0 6.7 6.7 AMMK 0.0 7.8 7.8 Others 16.9 15.7 -1.2 Total 100.0 100.0 0.0 Tamil Nadu Projected Range Of Seats Alliance Seats From Seats To UPA (DMK+Congress+Others) 158 to 166 NDA (AIADMK+BJP+Others) 60 to 68 MNM 0 to 4 AMMK 2 to 6 Others 0 to 4 Total 234             In Assam, NDA is leading with 43.1% vote share (73 to 81 seats), whereas UPA stands second with 34.9% vote share (36 to 44 Seats). Others grab the third spot with mere 13.8% vote share (0 to 4 seats). Assam Party Alliance : Votes Alliance Votes : Assam 2016 Results 2021 Projection Swing NDA 41.9 43.1 1.2 UPA 31.0 34.9 3.9 AIUDF 13.0 8.2 -4.8 Others 14.1 13.8 -0.3 Total 100.0 100.0 0.0 Assam Projected Range Of Seats Alliance Seats : Assam From Seats To NDA 73 to 81 UPA 36 to 44 AIUDF 5 to 9 Others 0 to 4 Total 126   In Kerala, LDF is leading with 41.6% vote share (81 to 89 seats), whereas UDF stands second with 34.6% vote share (49 to 57 Seats). BJP grabs the third spot with mere 15.3% vote share (0 to 2 seats). Kerala Party Alliance : Votes Alliance Votes : Kerala 2016 Results 2021 Projection Swing LDF 43.5 41.6 -1.9 UDF 38.8 34.6 -4.2 BJP 14.9 15.3 0.4 Others 2.8 8.5 5.7 Total 100.0 100.0 0.0 Kerala Projected Range Of Seats Alliance Seats : Kerala From Seats To LDF 81 to 89 UDF 49 to 57 BJP 0 to 2 Others 0 to 2 Total 140   In Puducherry, NDA is leading with 44.4% vote share (14 to 18 seats), whereas SDA stands second with 42.6% vote share (12-16 seats). Others grab the third spot with mere 10.7% vote share (0 to 1 seat). Puducherry Party Alliance : Votes Alliance Votes : Puducherry 2016 Results 2021 Projection Swing SDA (Congress+DMK) 39.5 42.6 3.1 NDA (AINRC+BJP+ADMK) 30.5 44.4 13.9 MNM 0.0 2.3 2.3 Others 30.0 10.7 -19.3 Total 100.0 100.0 0.0 Puducherry Projected Range Of Seats Alliance Seats : Puducherry From Seats To SDA (Congress+DMK) 12 to 16 NDA (AINRC+BJP+ADMK) 14 to 18 MNM 0 to 1 Others 0 to 1 Total 30   The past two years have certainly been action-packed as far as elections and shifts of power are concerned, but 2021 is going to be even more momentous. Key regions like Tamil Nadu in South and Assam in North-East will make the political battle all the more engrossing. As for the methodology and survey details, the CVoter survey reached out to a total of approximately 5000+ people in  Assam, 6000+ people in Kerala, 1000+ people in Puducherry, 15000+ people in Tamil Nadu, 18000+ people in West Bengal, making it a total of 45000+ people. It was conducted through CATI (Telephonic survey).

  Reinforcing its commitment towards ensuring greater financial protection for the country, Max Life Insurance Company Ltd. today unveiled the findings of the third edition of its flagship survey ‘Max Life India Protection Quotient 3.0 (“IPQ 3.0”)’ in partnership with KANTAR. As per the survey, Urban India witnessed a positive movement of 4 points on the Protection Quotient scale from 35 (as per IPQ 2.0) to 39 (as per IPQ 3.0). However, it was found that in the backdrop of COVID-19, India continues to feel financially insecure. Conducted in the most uncertain and challenging times, Max Life IPQ 3.0 assesses the notable shifts in attitude of Urban Indians from the beginning of the lockdown in March 2020, through the different phases of COVID-19, until announcement of viable COVID-19 vaccine in December 2020. Around 4,357 respondents were surveyed via face-to-face interviews with adequate safety measures across 25 cities comprising of 6 metros, 9 Tier I and 10 Tier II cities, making this one of the most comprehensive financial studies carried out during COVID-19 situation. Urban India has grown more anxious about financial security and preparedness in the last one year, the survey noted, and there is a significant shift towards increasing savings and investments. Financial anxieties related to COVID-19, and ability of current earnings to cover expenses have emerged as top concerns for Urban Indians. The survey revealed that the degree to which Indians are aware about life insurance products or the Knowledge Index moved up by 9 points to 55 and Life Insurance Ownership levels increased by 500 bps from IPQ 2.0 to 71%. The degree to which Indians feel financially secure and prepared or the Security Level dipped by 300 bps to 57% amidst uncertain times. Notably, the survey shows a significant growth of Knowledge Index across all cities, age and gender, highlighting responsible outlook of Urban India amidst uncertain times. In the wake of the pandemic, the survey witnessed an increase in India’s levels of Term insurance awareness and Term insurance ownership. Now, 32% of Urban Indians own Term products, notably higher than the earlier 28% as per IPQ 2.0.   Commenting on the launch of IPQ 3.0 Survey, Prashant Tripathy, Managing Director and CEO, Max Life Insurance said, “The idea behind India Protection Quotient, when launched three years ago, was to make Indians more aware about the benefits of financial protection in the contemporary world. Over the course of time, IPQ has come to be recognized as a valuable property, instrumental in helping consumers and the life insurance sector at large to understand the financial preparedness of Urban Indians. And, while the survey has observed a positive trend in Urban India’s approach to financial protection over the last three editions, there’s still a long way to go.” He further added, “Launched in the backdrop of an unprecedented year, IPQ 3.0 survey reveals that while issues surrounding financial preparedness were magnified during the challenging COVID-19 times, there are long-term lessons to be learned when it comes to addressing and acknowledging financial protection. Slowly but gradually, we are seeing Urban India move towards proactive financial planning that can avert anxieties and help build resilience.” Soumya Mohanty, Managing Director and CCO, Kantar Insights, South Asia remarked on the findings of the survey, “IPQ as a flagship survey has grown to become a strong marker for the life insurance sector in India. Since its first edition in 2019, it has helped the sector sharpen their focus and product offerings. In the wake of COVID-19 pandemic, IPQ 3.0 presents us with useful insights around people’s attitudes towards savings, investments, and the overall idea of financial protection in uncertain times. We’re happy to be associating with Max Life Insurance as it strives to make a difference in helping Indians understand the importance of life insurance and deepen its penetration throughout the country in the year following COVID-19.” The following findings reveal insights that highlight India’s shift across financial priorities and anxieties, compared from pre-COVID times: ZONAL AND CITY-WISE INSIGHTS   Amongst zones, South India continues to be most protected with Protection Quotient at 41 South India continued to outperform other regions, followed by North with IPQ of 39, West with IPQ of 38 and East with IPQ of 36. While East India’s Protection Quotient and Knowledge Index lagged in comparison to other zones, it led in Life Insurance Ownership with 76%. Security levels remained highest in South at 65%, followed by North at 61%, West at 54% and East at 45%.   Urban India’s metros continue to be most protected; Delhi leads with Protection Quotient at 50 amongst metros With a Protection Quotient of 43, metros continued to feel most financially protected during COVID-19. This was followed by Tier 1 cities which demonstrated a Protection Quotient of 38 and Tier 2 cities at 33. Tier 1 cities witnessed sharp rise in life insurance awareness, from 46 to 54, as well as ownership that now stands at 66% compared to 62% previously.   It has been noted that security levels have dropped all across in comparison to IPQ 2.0, although metros continued to have a higher security level of 62% in comparison to Tier 1 cities at 61% & Tier 2 cities at 46%.   Additionally, most major cities marked an increase in Protection Quotient – Delhi led with a Protection Quotient of 50 raking a 3-point increase in comparison to IPQ 2.0. Hyderabad was the only metro city to witness a decline from last year as Protection Quotient dropped by a point to 45. The survey also reported an increase in Knowledge Index and a dip in security levels across all cities. URBAN INDIA’S ANXIETIES AND OUTLOOK TOWARDS FINANCIAL PROTECTION Urban India increases savings and investments, basic and luxury expenses go down significantly IPQ 3.0 brought to light that in comparison to pre COVID-19 times in IPQ 2.0, Urban Indians are prioritizing savings and investments over discretionary spending. Savings and investments increased from 41% (IPQ 2.0) to 50%, whereas basic expenses decreased from 44% (IPQ 2.0) to 41%. Savings objectives also saw some change during the pandemic. While only 35% saved for death of breadwinner, a higher 41% saved for it now and 62% saved for old age security, as compared to 57% earlier.   Anxiety levels up by 6%; fear of infection, cost of COVID-19 treatment, untimely death of breadwinner; topmost anxieties The survey revealed that Urban India’s anxiety levels climbed up from 55% to 61% this year. While 64% respondents felt secure about taking care of regular medical expenses as per IPQ 2.0, only 59% felt secure as per IPQ 3.0. Urban Indians were found to be most anxious about the possibility of ‘someone in the family getting infected with COVID-19’. ‘Sustaining lifestyle and expenses with current earnings’, ‘financial security in case of breadwinner’s death’ and ‘cost of COVID-19 treatment’ were the other three topmost anxieties.   Pandemic compelled Urban Indians to be more proactive about their health, fitness, financial planning With a sense of increasing worries and reducing security, IPQ 3.0 saw Urban Indians becoming more proactive about financial planning and overall health and fitness. 69% respondents said that they’re proactive about financial planning and they believe in saving more than spending respectively. AWARENESS OF TERM INSURANCE COVID-19 drives Indians to purchase Term Insurance plans; awareness of Term Insurance highest in Tier 1 cities The survey also indicated that Urban India is increasingly waking up to the challenges of pandemic and realizing need for greater financial protection. Urban India saw a sharp increase in Term Insurance awareness by 7%, however penetration still remained low at 28%. While 42% respondents said they’d purchase Term insurance to ‘protect family in case of breadwinner’s death’, 33% respondents said that they would purchase Term insurance plans because ‘death is a reality one needs to be prepared for’. The survey also observed that awareness of Tier 1 cities of term insurance stands at 65%, highest across India. Amongst zones, South India has best Term insurance ownership at 33%. The sharpest increase of 12% in Term awareness was seen in North and West India. Over half of Urban India feels Term plan cover is insufficient; premium no longer the only influencer while purchasing Term insurance plans as they prioritize sum assured/cover On the back of improved Term awareness, 59% Urban Indians feel that their Term plan cover is insufficient to safeguard the future of their family. The survey also revealed increasing importance of cover, as 69% of Urban Indians now consider it to be an important product parameter when buying Term insurance, as opposed to 63% in IPQ 2.0.   Realization of Critical Illness, death occurrence in family sees significant increase in COVID times 25% respondents, as opposed to earlier 19% respondents (IPQ 2.0), thought about critical illness preying on them whereas 30% had the thought that it could prey on their family members. In comparison to 19% as per IPQ 2.0, a higher 25% had the realization of death and thought about the financial stability of the family in case of untimely death of the breadwinner.    As a result, critical illness rider witnessed an uptake. 26% respondents i.e. 1 out 4 bought a critical illness rider with their Term insurance policy as per IPQ 3.0. The same marks a significant rise in rider adoption compared to IPQ 2.0 where only 11% or 1 in 10 Indians brought a critical illness rider on their life insurance.    MILLENNIALS & NON MILLENNIALS   Millennials warm up to life insurance during COVID-19 with a 6% jump in ownership In the backdrop of COVID-19, millennials demonstrated a 6% jump in Life Insurance Ownership – from earlier IPQ 2.0 64% to now 70%. While non-millennials lead with 73% Life Insurance Ownership, Knowledge Index, Protection Index and overall Security Levels of both cohorts are almost at par in the backdrop of COVID-19. 57% millennials as opposed to 58% non-millennials feel financially secure under current circumstances, indicating a more or less similar impact of the pandemic. WOMEN & MEN Working women at par with men in Protection Index; attitudinally feels more secure during COVID-19 While the protection quotient for men was at 40 point, working women demonstrated a strong IPQ of 39 in backdrop of the pandemic. Despite 69% working women owning life insurance as opposed to 73% men, the former was found to be more attitudinally secure during COVID-19. While 59% working women were financially secure, only 57% men were found to be secure. Furthermore, working women’s Term insurance awareness was also at a higher 64 point as compared to men who displayed lesser Term insurance awareness at 62 points.   THE DIGITALLY SAVVY URBAN INDIAN   Even with a vaccine in sight, ‘Digitally Savvy Urban Indian’ continues to feel attitudinally less secure at 51% A relatively high awareness and better ownership of life insurance products led the digitally savvy Urban India to demonstrate an IPQ of 47 (a point increase from IPQ Express). Knowledge Index at 67 (increased by a point) and Life Insurance Ownership increased by 3% to 78%, but respondents felt the same with regards to attitudinal security at 51%. On the other hand, Term insurance awareness of digitally savvy respondents improved by 3% to 80% and subsequently Term insurance ownership also improved by 3% to 39%.

    Max Life Insurance Company Ltd. in its commitment to contribute to society’s fight against COVID-19 pandemic, has pledged INR 2 crore to the Pehal-for-COVID-19 program. This pool has been utilized for the contribution of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment), health and safety kits, food, and distribution of other essential supplies to positively impact the communities that Max Life operates in. As the nation looks towards successful vaccination trials and effective distribution of the same, Max Life remains steadfast in its support to the community. At the height of the pandemic, Max Life has supported various COVID-19 initiatives across the country, including donations of more than 70,000 kits to frontline COVID-19 warriors, including doctors, healthcare workers, police officials and government officials. The Company also distributed more than 5,000 antigen testing kits that enabled health workers to undertake rapid COVID-19 tests on suspected patients in Gurgaon, Haryana, where it’s headquartered. Shailesh Singh, Chief People Officer, Max Life said, “As a responsible corporate citizen, our vision remains to help our communities and authorities in the fight against COVID-19. With our contributions for our front line workers, along with driving awareness on health and safety to the community, we have endeavored to be a dedicated partner in this battle. We are also immensely grateful for the heroic efforts of the people who are at the forefront of this challenge. As the country now looks with renewed hope towards effective vaccines and its efficient distribution, Max Life shall remain committed to the cause and help build the momentum further.” To help bring a positive change in society, Max Life, under its ‘Pehal-for-COVID-19 Program’, has to-date supported more than 80,000 beneficiaries with key interventions across the country, and has contributed to the PM Cares Fund to help support the fight against the pandemic. Pehal aims to empower the society by making contributions in literacy, healthcare, environment, and skill development. Under the program last year, Max Life employees whole-heartedly participated in virtual initiatives from their homes, reaching out to underprivileged children to enlighten them on various socio-relevant topics, and contributing towards underprivileged care.

      Innovative #BeTheBetterGuy campaign to promote Road Safety Practices in-line with the Government’s Theme- ‘Sadak Suraksha – Jeevan Raksha’. Hyundai Motor India Foundation (HMIF), a philanthropic arm of Hyundai Motor India Limited, announced the commencement of the sixth edition of its CSR initiative ‘Safe Move’ – Road Safety Campaign on Road Safety Month (Jan 18 – Feb 17, 2021). Hyundai will reach out to Residents Welfare Associations across Delhi & NCR, Pune, Thane, Chennai and Lucknow to spread awareness about Road Safety and Covid through interactive engagement activities.   The initiative will touch upon all key diverse issues that individuals face while driving and educate them to adopt safe driving habits. Under the umbrella of Hyundai’s ‘Safe Move’, the campaign is aimed at creating a positive change in the society and inspire people to adhere to traffic rules for their own safety and that of others on road.   Commenting on the initiatives, Mr. SS Kim, MD & CEO, Hyundai Motor India Ltd. said, “As a responsible and caring brand, our purpose is to transform societies for a better and safer tomorrow. Conforming to our global vision, ‘Progress for Humanity’, the Safe Move – Road Safety campaign will play a key role in educating the masses on road safety and the ongoing pandemic, COVID 19. We are confident that the Safe Move campaign will further develop a culture of safety and propagate our intentions towards a “Better Tomorrow.”   In 2019, under the Mega Road Safety Campaign, a School Contact Program was executed wherein 100 schools across 12 cities were reached out and students were educated on road safety and environment. In addition to this, a Mall Contact Program was also conducted in 10 Malls across 5 cities (Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Chennai, Ahmedabad, and Kochi) through a distinct road safety flash mob activity along with many engrossing fun-filled games to engage children.     Hyundai believes that it's important to instil the right education on road safety in children from an early age to enable them to become more matured and responsible citizens.   Over last five phases of the Safe Move Campaign, Hyundai Motor India has successfully reached out to 314,000 students across 492 schools, about 277,000 Mall visitors and 23,000 Residents. The program enrolled 146 RWA’s and also reached out to 35,000 visitors during the popular Krakerjack Karnival in New Delhi.     Along with other road safety initiatives in 2019, HMIF commenced with Traffic Regulation Observed Zone (TROZ).  This initiative based in Anna Nagar, Chennai, has significantly contributed to decrease the sum of violations (from 90,000  to 23,000 a day). Also, HMIF, in collaboration with Greater Chennai Traffic Police (GCTP), sourced, trained and deployed Traffic Marshalls for 3 years in 2018 for traffic management duties. Additionally, for better visibility and safety while driving, HMIF installed 120 street lights across NH48 following a request from NHAI (National Highways Authority of India).   

  ABP Network is the first media network to conduct an Opinion Poll Survey for all four states and a union territory that go to polls in 2021 - West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Kerala, and Puducherry. Conducted with research partner CVoter (Centre for Voting Opinion & Trends in Election Research), the opinion poll survey aims to provide a clearer picture of how the ballot game stands for the five states. Last year, as the highly-dramatic Bihar Elections drew to a close, ABP Network’s Exit Poll was the only poll in the industry to hit the mark. It not only vindicated a prediction of a close fight, but also produced an accurate vote share projection. What’s more is that, this Opinion Poll Survey marks the beginning of ABP Network’s reign in the southern region as the network is likely to soon catapult into the Tamil Nadu market.  The ABPNetwork-CVoter survey revealed that as per public opinion, TMC is leading in West Bengal with 43.0% vote share (154 to 162 seats), whereas BJP stands second with 37.5% vote share (98 to 106 seats). West Bengal Party Alliance : Votes Alliance Votes 2016 Results 2021 Projection Swing TMC 44.9 43.0 -1.9 BJP 10.2 37.5 27.3 INC+LEFT 32.0 11.8 -20.2 Others 12.9 7.7 -5.2 Total 100.0 100.0 0.0 West Bengal Projected Range Of Seats Alliance Seats From Seats To TMC 154 to 162 BJP 98 to 106 INC+LEFT 26 to 34 Others 2 to 6 Total 294   In Tamil Nadu, UPA is leading with 41.1% vote share (158 to 166 seats), whereas NDA stands second with 28.7% vote share (60 to 68 Seats). Others grab the third spot with mere 15.7% vote share (0 to 4 seats). Tamil Nadu Party Alliance : Votes Alliance Votes 2016 Results 2021 Projection Swing UPA (DMK+Congress+Others) 39.4 41.1 1.7 NDA (AIADMK+BJP+Others) 43.7 28.7 -15.0 MNM 0.0 6.7 6.7 AMMK 0.0 7.8 7.8 Others 16.9 15.7 -1.2 Total 100.0 100.0 0.0 Tamil Nadu Projected Range Of Seats Alliance Seats From Seats To UPA (DMK+Congress+Others) 158 to 166 NDA (AIADMK+BJP+Others) 60 to 68 MNM 0 to 4 AMMK 2 to 6 Others 0 to 4 Total 234             In Assam, NDA is leading with 43.1% vote share (73 to 81 seats), whereas UPA stands second with 34.9% vote share (36 to 44 Seats). Others grab the third spot with mere 13.8% vote share (0 to 4 seats). Assam Party Alliance : Votes Alliance Votes : Assam 2016 Results 2021 Projection Swing NDA 41.9 43.1 1.2 UPA 31.0 34.9 3.9 AIUDF 13.0 8.2 -4.8 Others 14.1 13.8 -0.3 Total 100.0 100.0 0.0 Assam Projected Range Of Seats Alliance Seats : Assam From Seats To NDA 73 to 81 UPA 36 to 44 AIUDF 5 to 9 Others 0 to 4 Total 126   In Kerala, LDF is leading with 41.6% vote share (81 to 89 seats), whereas UDF stands second with 34.6% vote share (49 to 57 Seats). BJP grabs the third spot with mere 15.3% vote share (0 to 2 seats). Kerala Party Alliance : Votes Alliance Votes : Kerala 2016 Results 2021 Projection Swing LDF 43.5 41.6 -1.9 UDF 38.8 34.6 -4.2 BJP 14.9 15.3 0.4 Others 2.8 8.5 5.7 Total 100.0 100.0 0.0 Kerala Projected Range Of Seats Alliance Seats : Kerala From Seats To LDF 81 to 89 UDF 49 to 57 BJP 0 to 2 Others 0 to 2 Total 140   In Puducherry, NDA is leading with 44.4% vote share (14 to 18 seats), whereas SDA stands second with 42.6% vote share (12-16 seats). Others grab the third spot with mere 10.7% vote share (0 to 1 seat). Puducherry Party Alliance : Votes Alliance Votes : Puducherry 2016 Results 2021 Projection Swing SDA (Congress+DMK) 39.5 42.6 3.1 NDA (AINRC+BJP+ADMK) 30.5 44.4 13.9 MNM 0.0 2.3 2.3 Others 30.0 10.7 -19.3 Total 100.0 100.0 0.0 Puducherry Projected Range Of Seats Alliance Seats : Puducherry From Seats To SDA (Congress+DMK) 12 to 16 NDA (AINRC+BJP+ADMK) 14 to 18 MNM 0 to 1 Others 0 to 1 Total 30   The past two years have certainly been action-packed as far as elections and shifts of power are concerned, but 2021 is going to be even more momentous. Key regions like Tamil Nadu in South and Assam in North-East will make the political battle all the more engrossing. As for the methodology and survey details, the CVoter survey reached out to a total of approximately 5000+ people in  Assam, 6000+ people in Kerala, 1000+ people in Puducherry, 15000+ people in Tamil Nadu, 18000+ people in West Bengal, making it a total of 45000+ people. It was conducted through CATI (Telephonic survey).

  Reinforcing its commitment towards ensuring greater financial protection for the country, Max Life Insurance Company Ltd. today unveiled the findings of the third edition of its flagship survey ‘Max Life India Protection Quotient 3.0 (“IPQ 3.0”)’ in partnership with KANTAR. As per the survey, Urban India witnessed a positive movement of 4 points on the Protection Quotient scale from 35 (as per IPQ 2.0) to 39 (as per IPQ 3.0). However, it was found that in the backdrop of COVID-19, India continues to feel financially insecure. Conducted in the most uncertain and challenging times, Max Life IPQ 3.0 assesses the notable shifts in attitude of Urban Indians from the beginning of the lockdown in March 2020, through the different phases of COVID-19, until announcement of viable COVID-19 vaccine in December 2020. Around 4,357 respondents were surveyed via face-to-face interviews with adequate safety measures across 25 cities comprising of 6 metros, 9 Tier I and 10 Tier II cities, making this one of the most comprehensive financial studies carried out during COVID-19 situation. Urban India has grown more anxious about financial security and preparedness in the last one year, the survey noted, and there is a significant shift towards increasing savings and investments. Financial anxieties related to COVID-19, and ability of current earnings to cover expenses have emerged as top concerns for Urban Indians. The survey revealed that the degree to which Indians are aware about life insurance products or the Knowledge Index moved up by 9 points to 55 and Life Insurance Ownership levels increased by 500 bps from IPQ 2.0 to 71%. The degree to which Indians feel financially secure and prepared or the Security Level dipped by 300 bps to 57% amidst uncertain times. Notably, the survey shows a significant growth of Knowledge Index across all cities, age and gender, highlighting responsible outlook of Urban India amidst uncertain times. In the wake of the pandemic, the survey witnessed an increase in India’s levels of Term insurance awareness and Term insurance ownership. Now, 32% of Urban Indians own Term products, notably higher than the earlier 28% as per IPQ 2.0.   Commenting on the launch of IPQ 3.0 Survey, Prashant Tripathy, Managing Director and CEO, Max Life Insurance said, “The idea behind India Protection Quotient, when launched three years ago, was to make Indians more aware about the benefits of financial protection in the contemporary world. Over the course of time, IPQ has come to be recognized as a valuable property, instrumental in helping consumers and the life insurance sector at large to understand the financial preparedness of Urban Indians. And, while the survey has observed a positive trend in Urban India’s approach to financial protection over the last three editions, there’s still a long way to go.” He further added, “Launched in the backdrop of an unprecedented year, IPQ 3.0 survey reveals that while issues surrounding financial preparedness were magnified during the challenging COVID-19 times, there are long-term lessons to be learned when it comes to addressing and acknowledging financial protection. Slowly but gradually, we are seeing Urban India move towards proactive financial planning that can avert anxieties and help build resilience.” Soumya Mohanty, Managing Director and CCO, Kantar Insights, South Asia remarked on the findings of the survey, “IPQ as a flagship survey has grown to become a strong marker for the life insurance sector in India. Since its first edition in 2019, it has helped the sector sharpen their focus and product offerings. In the wake of COVID-19 pandemic, IPQ 3.0 presents us with useful insights around people’s attitudes towards savings, investments, and the overall idea of financial protection in uncertain times. We’re happy to be associating with Max Life Insurance as it strives to make a difference in helping Indians understand the importance of life insurance and deepen its penetration throughout the country in the year following COVID-19.” The following findings reveal insights that highlight India’s shift across financial priorities and anxieties, compared from pre-COVID times: ZONAL AND CITY-WISE INSIGHTS   Amongst zones, South India continues to be most protected with Protection Quotient at 41 South India continued to outperform other regions, followed by North with IPQ of 39, West with IPQ of 38 and East with IPQ of 36. While East India’s Protection Quotient and Knowledge Index lagged in comparison to other zones, it led in Life Insurance Ownership with 76%. Security levels remained highest in South at 65%, followed by North at 61%, West at 54% and East at 45%.   Urban India’s metros continue to be most protected; Delhi leads with Protection Quotient at 50 amongst metros With a Protection Quotient of 43, metros continued to feel most financially protected during COVID-19. This was followed by Tier 1 cities which demonstrated a Protection Quotient of 38 and Tier 2 cities at 33. Tier 1 cities witnessed sharp rise in life insurance awareness, from 46 to 54, as well as ownership that now stands at 66% compared to 62% previously.   It has been noted that security levels have dropped all across in comparison to IPQ 2.0, although metros continued to have a higher security level of 62% in comparison to Tier 1 cities at 61% & Tier 2 cities at 46%.   Additionally, most major cities marked an increase in Protection Quotient – Delhi led with a Protection Quotient of 50 raking a 3-point increase in comparison to IPQ 2.0. Hyderabad was the only metro city to witness a decline from last year as Protection Quotient dropped by a point to 45. The survey also reported an increase in Knowledge Index and a dip in security levels across all cities. URBAN INDIA’S ANXIETIES AND OUTLOOK TOWARDS FINANCIAL PROTECTION Urban India increases savings and investments, basic and luxury expenses go down significantly IPQ 3.0 brought to light that in comparison to pre COVID-19 times in IPQ 2.0, Urban Indians are prioritizing savings and investments over discretionary spending. Savings and investments increased from 41% (IPQ 2.0) to 50%, whereas basic expenses decreased from 44% (IPQ 2.0) to 41%. Savings objectives also saw some change during the pandemic. While only 35% saved for death of breadwinner, a higher 41% saved for it now and 62% saved for old age security, as compared to 57% earlier.   Anxiety levels up by 6%; fear of infection, cost of COVID-19 treatment, untimely death of breadwinner; topmost anxieties The survey revealed that Urban India’s anxiety levels climbed up from 55% to 61% this year. While 64% respondents felt secure about taking care of regular medical expenses as per IPQ 2.0, only 59% felt secure as per IPQ 3.0. Urban Indians were found to be most anxious about the possibility of ‘someone in the family getting infected with COVID-19’. ‘Sustaining lifestyle and expenses with current earnings’, ‘financial security in case of breadwinner’s death’ and ‘cost of COVID-19 treatment’ were the other three topmost anxieties.   Pandemic compelled Urban Indians to be more proactive about their health, fitness, financial planning With a sense of increasing worries and reducing security, IPQ 3.0 saw Urban Indians becoming more proactive about financial planning and overall health and fitness. 69% respondents said that they’re proactive about financial planning and they believe in saving more than spending respectively. AWARENESS OF TERM INSURANCE COVID-19 drives Indians to purchase Term Insurance plans; awareness of Term Insurance highest in Tier 1 cities The survey also indicated that Urban India is increasingly waking up to the challenges of pandemic and realizing need for greater financial protection. Urban India saw a sharp increase in Term Insurance awareness by 7%, however penetration still remained low at 28%. While 42% respondents said they’d purchase Term insurance to ‘protect family in case of breadwinner’s death’, 33% respondents said that they would purchase Term insurance plans because ‘death is a reality one needs to be prepared for’. The survey also observed that awareness of Tier 1 cities of term insurance stands at 65%, highest across India. Amongst zones, South India has best Term insurance ownership at 33%. The sharpest increase of 12% in Term awareness was seen in North and West India. Over half of Urban India feels Term plan cover is insufficient; premium no longer the only influencer while purchasing Term insurance plans as they prioritize sum assured/cover On the back of improved Term awareness, 59% Urban Indians feel that their Term plan cover is insufficient to safeguard the future of their family. The survey also revealed increasing importance of cover, as 69% of Urban Indians now consider it to be an important product parameter when buying Term insurance, as opposed to 63% in IPQ 2.0.   Realization of Critical Illness, death occurrence in family sees significant increase in COVID times 25% respondents, as opposed to earlier 19% respondents (IPQ 2.0), thought about critical illness preying on them whereas 30% had the thought that it could prey on their family members. In comparison to 19% as per IPQ 2.0, a higher 25% had the realization of death and thought about the financial stability of the family in case of untimely death of the breadwinner.    As a result, critical illness rider witnessed an uptake. 26% respondents i.e. 1 out 4 bought a critical illness rider with their Term insurance policy as per IPQ 3.0. The same marks a significant rise in rider adoption compared to IPQ 2.0 where only 11% or 1 in 10 Indians brought a critical illness rider on their life insurance.    MILLENNIALS & NON MILLENNIALS   Millennials warm up to life insurance during COVID-19 with a 6% jump in ownership In the backdrop of COVID-19, millennials demonstrated a 6% jump in Life Insurance Ownership – from earlier IPQ 2.0 64% to now 70%. While non-millennials lead with 73% Life Insurance Ownership, Knowledge Index, Protection Index and overall Security Levels of both cohorts are almost at par in the backdrop of COVID-19. 57% millennials as opposed to 58% non-millennials feel financially secure under current circumstances, indicating a more or less similar impact of the pandemic. WOMEN & MEN Working women at par with men in Protection Index; attitudinally feels more secure during COVID-19 While the protection quotient for men was at 40 point, working women demonstrated a strong IPQ of 39 in backdrop of the pandemic. Despite 69% working women owning life insurance as opposed to 73% men, the former was found to be more attitudinally secure during COVID-19. While 59% working women were financially secure, only 57% men were found to be secure. Furthermore, working women’s Term insurance awareness was also at a higher 64 point as compared to men who displayed lesser Term insurance awareness at 62 points.   THE DIGITALLY SAVVY URBAN INDIAN   Even with a vaccine in sight, ‘Digitally Savvy Urban Indian’ continues to feel attitudinally less secure at 51% A relatively high awareness and better ownership of life insurance products led the digitally savvy Urban India to demonstrate an IPQ of 47 (a point increase from IPQ Express). Knowledge Index at 67 (increased by a point) and Life Insurance Ownership increased by 3% to 78%, but respondents felt the same with regards to attitudinal security at 51%. On the other hand, Term insurance awareness of digitally savvy respondents improved by 3% to 80% and subsequently Term insurance ownership also improved by 3% to 39%.

    Max Life Insurance Company Ltd. in its commitment to contribute to society’s fight against COVID-19 pandemic, has pledged INR 2 crore to the Pehal-for-COVID-19 program. This pool has been utilized for the contribution of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment), health and safety kits, food, and distribution of other essential supplies to positively impact the communities that Max Life operates in. As the nation looks towards successful vaccination trials and effective distribution of the same, Max Life remains steadfast in its support to the community. At the height of the pandemic, Max Life has supported various COVID-19 initiatives across the country, including donations of more than 70,000 kits to frontline COVID-19 warriors, including doctors, healthcare workers, police officials and government officials. The Company also distributed more than 5,000 antigen testing kits that enabled health workers to undertake rapid COVID-19 tests on suspected patients in Gurgaon, Haryana, where it’s headquartered. Shailesh Singh, Chief People Officer, Max Life said, “As a responsible corporate citizen, our vision remains to help our communities and authorities in the fight against COVID-19. With our contributions for our front line workers, along with driving awareness on health and safety to the community, we have endeavored to be a dedicated partner in this battle. We are also immensely grateful for the heroic efforts of the people who are at the forefront of this challenge. As the country now looks with renewed hope towards effective vaccines and its efficient distribution, Max Life shall remain committed to the cause and help build the momentum further.” To help bring a positive change in society, Max Life, under its ‘Pehal-for-COVID-19 Program’, has to-date supported more than 80,000 beneficiaries with key interventions across the country, and has contributed to the PM Cares Fund to help support the fight against the pandemic. Pehal aims to empower the society by making contributions in literacy, healthcare, environment, and skill development. Under the program last year, Max Life employees whole-heartedly participated in virtual initiatives from their homes, reaching out to underprivileged children to enlighten them on various socio-relevant topics, and contributing towards underprivileged care.

      Innovative #BeTheBetterGuy campaign to promote Road Safety Practices in-line with the Government’s Theme- ‘Sadak Suraksha – Jeevan Raksha’. Hyundai Motor India Foundation (HMIF), a philanthropic arm of Hyundai Motor India Limited, announced the commencement of the sixth edition of its CSR initiative ‘Safe Move’ – Road Safety Campaign on Road Safety Month (Jan 18 – Feb 17, 2021). Hyundai will reach out to Residents Welfare Associations across Delhi & NCR, Pune, Thane, Chennai and Lucknow to spread awareness about Road Safety and Covid through interactive engagement activities.   The initiative will touch upon all key diverse issues that individuals face while driving and educate them to adopt safe driving habits. Under the umbrella of Hyundai’s ‘Safe Move’, the campaign is aimed at creating a positive change in the society and inspire people to adhere to traffic rules for their own safety and that of others on road.   Commenting on the initiatives, Mr. SS Kim, MD & CEO, Hyundai Motor India Ltd. said, “As a responsible and caring brand, our purpose is to transform societies for a better and safer tomorrow. Conforming to our global vision, ‘Progress for Humanity’, the Safe Move – Road Safety campaign will play a key role in educating the masses on road safety and the ongoing pandemic, COVID 19. We are confident that the Safe Move campaign will further develop a culture of safety and propagate our intentions towards a “Better Tomorrow.”   In 2019, under the Mega Road Safety Campaign, a School Contact Program was executed wherein 100 schools across 12 cities were reached out and students were educated on road safety and environment. In addition to this, a Mall Contact Program was also conducted in 10 Malls across 5 cities (Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Chennai, Ahmedabad, and Kochi) through a distinct road safety flash mob activity along with many engrossing fun-filled games to engage children.     Hyundai believes that it's important to instil the right education on road safety in children from an early age to enable them to become more matured and responsible citizens.   Over last five phases of the Safe Move Campaign, Hyundai Motor India has successfully reached out to 314,000 students across 492 schools, about 277,000 Mall visitors and 23,000 Residents. The program enrolled 146 RWA’s and also reached out to 35,000 visitors during the popular Krakerjack Karnival in New Delhi.     Along with other road safety initiatives in 2019, HMIF commenced with Traffic Regulation Observed Zone (TROZ).  This initiative based in Anna Nagar, Chennai, has significantly contributed to decrease the sum of violations (from 90,000  to 23,000 a day). Also, HMIF, in collaboration with Greater Chennai Traffic Police (GCTP), sourced, trained and deployed Traffic Marshalls for 3 years in 2018 for traffic management duties. Additionally, for better visibility and safety while driving, HMIF installed 120 street lights across NH48 following a request from NHAI (National Highways Authority of India).   

  ABP Network is the first media network to conduct an Opinion Poll Survey for all four states and a union territory that go to polls in 2021 - West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Kerala, and Puducherry. Conducted with research partner CVoter (Centre for Voting Opinion & Trends in Election Research), the opinion poll survey aims to provide a clearer picture of how the ballot game stands for the five states. Last year, as the highly-dramatic Bihar Elections drew to a close, ABP Network’s Exit Poll was the only poll in the industry to hit the mark. It not only vindicated a prediction of a close fight, but also produced an accurate vote share projection. What’s more is that, this Opinion Poll Survey marks the beginning of ABP Network’s reign in the southern region as the network is likely to soon catapult into the Tamil Nadu market.  The ABPNetwork-CVoter survey revealed that as per public opinion, TMC is leading in West Bengal with 43.0% vote share (154 to 162 seats), whereas BJP stands second with 37.5% vote share (98 to 106 seats). West Bengal Party Alliance : Votes Alliance Votes 2016 Results 2021 Projection Swing TMC 44.9 43.0 -1.9 BJP 10.2 37.5 27.3 INC+LEFT 32.0 11.8 -20.2 Others 12.9 7.7 -5.2 Total 100.0 100.0 0.0 West Bengal Projected Range Of Seats Alliance Seats From Seats To TMC 154 to 162 BJP 98 to 106 INC+LEFT 26 to 34 Others 2 to 6 Total 294   In Tamil Nadu, UPA is leading with 41.1% vote share (158 to 166 seats), whereas NDA stands second with 28.7% vote share (60 to 68 Seats). Others grab the third spot with mere 15.7% vote share (0 to 4 seats). Tamil Nadu Party Alliance : Votes Alliance Votes 2016 Results 2021 Projection Swing UPA (DMK+Congress+Others) 39.4 41.1 1.7 NDA (AIADMK+BJP+Others) 43.7 28.7 -15.0 MNM 0.0 6.7 6.7 AMMK 0.0 7.8 7.8 Others 16.9 15.7 -1.2 Total 100.0 100.0 0.0 Tamil Nadu Projected Range Of Seats Alliance Seats From Seats To UPA (DMK+Congress+Others) 158 to 166 NDA (AIADMK+BJP+Others) 60 to 68 MNM 0 to 4 AMMK 2 to 6 Others 0 to 4 Total 234             In Assam, NDA is leading with 43.1% vote share (73 to 81 seats), whereas UPA stands second with 34.9% vote share (36 to 44 Seats). Others grab the third spot with mere 13.8% vote share (0 to 4 seats). Assam Party Alliance : Votes Alliance Votes : Assam 2016 Results 2021 Projection Swing NDA 41.9 43.1 1.2 UPA 31.0 34.9 3.9 AIUDF 13.0 8.2 -4.8 Others 14.1 13.8 -0.3 Total 100.0 100.0 0.0 Assam Projected Range Of Seats Alliance Seats : Assam From Seats To NDA 73 to 81 UPA 36 to 44 AIUDF 5 to 9 Others 0 to 4 Total 126   In Kerala, LDF is leading with 41.6% vote share (81 to 89 seats), whereas UDF stands second with 34.6% vote share (49 to 57 Seats). BJP grabs the third spot with mere 15.3% vote share (0 to 2 seats). Kerala Party Alliance : Votes Alliance Votes : Kerala 2016 Results 2021 Projection Swing LDF 43.5 41.6 -1.9 UDF 38.8 34.6 -4.2 BJP 14.9 15.3 0.4 Others 2.8 8.5 5.7 Total 100.0 100.0 0.0 Kerala Projected Range Of Seats Alliance Seats : Kerala From Seats To LDF 81 to 89 UDF 49 to 57 BJP 0 to 2 Others 0 to 2 Total 140   In Puducherry, NDA is leading with 44.4% vote share (14 to 18 seats), whereas SDA stands second with 42.6% vote share (12-16 seats). Others grab the third spot with mere 10.7% vote share (0 to 1 seat). Puducherry Party Alliance : Votes Alliance Votes : Puducherry 2016 Results 2021 Projection Swing SDA (Congress+DMK) 39.5 42.6 3.1 NDA (AINRC+BJP+ADMK) 30.5 44.4 13.9 MNM 0.0 2.3 2.3 Others 30.0 10.7 -19.3 Total 100.0 100.0 0.0 Puducherry Projected Range Of Seats Alliance Seats : Puducherry From Seats To SDA (Congress+DMK) 12 to 16 NDA (AINRC+BJP+ADMK) 14 to 18 MNM 0 to 1 Others 0 to 1 Total 30   The past two years have certainly been action-packed as far as elections and shifts of power are concerned, but 2021 is going to be even more momentous. Key regions like Tamil Nadu in South and Assam in North-East will make the political battle all the more engrossing. As for the methodology and survey details, the CVoter survey reached out to a total of approximately 5000+ people in  Assam, 6000+ people in Kerala, 1000+ people in Puducherry, 15000+ people in Tamil Nadu, 18000+ people in West Bengal, making it a total of 45000+ people. It was conducted through CATI (Telephonic survey).

  Reinforcing its commitment towards ensuring greater financial protection for the country, Max Life Insurance Company Ltd. today unveiled the findings of the third edition of its flagship survey ‘Max Life India Protection Quotient 3.0 (“IPQ 3.0”)’ in partnership with KANTAR. As per the survey, Urban India witnessed a positive movement of 4 points on the Protection Quotient scale from 35 (as per IPQ 2.0) to 39 (as per IPQ 3.0). However, it was found that in the backdrop of COVID-19, India continues to feel financially insecure. Conducted in the most uncertain and challenging times, Max Life IPQ 3.0 assesses the notable shifts in attitude of Urban Indians from the beginning of the lockdown in March 2020, through the different phases of COVID-19, until announcement of viable COVID-19 vaccine in December 2020. Around 4,357 respondents were surveyed via face-to-face interviews with adequate safety measures across 25 cities comprising of 6 metros, 9 Tier I and 10 Tier II cities, making this one of the most comprehensive financial studies carried out during COVID-19 situation. Urban India has grown more anxious about financial security and preparedness in the last one year, the survey noted, and there is a significant shift towards increasing savings and investments. Financial anxieties related to COVID-19, and ability of current earnings to cover expenses have emerged as top concerns for Urban Indians. The survey revealed that the degree to which Indians are aware about life insurance products or the Knowledge Index moved up by 9 points to 55 and Life Insurance Ownership levels increased by 500 bps from IPQ 2.0 to 71%. The degree to which Indians feel financially secure and prepared or the Security Level dipped by 300 bps to 57% amidst uncertain times. Notably, the survey shows a significant growth of Knowledge Index across all cities, age and gender, highlighting responsible outlook of Urban India amidst uncertain times. In the wake of the pandemic, the survey witnessed an increase in India’s levels of Term insurance awareness and Term insurance ownership. Now, 32% of Urban Indians own Term products, notably higher than the earlier 28% as per IPQ 2.0.   Commenting on the launch of IPQ 3.0 Survey, Prashant Tripathy, Managing Director and CEO, Max Life Insurance said, “The idea behind India Protection Quotient, when launched three years ago, was to make Indians more aware about the benefits of financial protection in the contemporary world. Over the course of time, IPQ has come to be recognized as a valuable property, instrumental in helping consumers and the life insurance sector at large to understand the financial preparedness of Urban Indians. And, while the survey has observed a positive trend in Urban India’s approach to financial protection over the last three editions, there’s still a long way to go.” He further added, “Launched in the backdrop of an unprecedented year, IPQ 3.0 survey reveals that while issues surrounding financial preparedness were magnified during the challenging COVID-19 times, there are long-term lessons to be learned when it comes to addressing and acknowledging financial protection. Slowly but gradually, we are seeing Urban India move towards proactive financial planning that can avert anxieties and help build resilience.” Soumya Mohanty, Managing Director and CCO, Kantar Insights, South Asia remarked on the findings of the survey, “IPQ as a flagship survey has grown to become a strong marker for the life insurance sector in India. Since its first edition in 2019, it has helped the sector sharpen their focus and product offerings. In the wake of COVID-19 pandemic, IPQ 3.0 presents us with useful insights around people’s attitudes towards savings, investments, and the overall idea of financial protection in uncertain times. We’re happy to be associating with Max Life Insurance as it strives to make a difference in helping Indians understand the importance of life insurance and deepen its penetration throughout the country in the year following COVID-19.” The following findings reveal insights that highlight India’s shift across financial priorities and anxieties, compared from pre-COVID times: ZONAL AND CITY-WISE INSIGHTS   Amongst zones, South India continues to be most protected with Protection Quotient at 41 South India continued to outperform other regions, followed by North with IPQ of 39, West with IPQ of 38 and East with IPQ of 36. While East India’s Protection Quotient and Knowledge Index lagged in comparison to other zones, it led in Life Insurance Ownership with 76%. Security levels remained highest in South at 65%, followed by North at 61%, West at 54% and East at 45%.   Urban India’s metros continue to be most protected; Delhi leads with Protection Quotient at 50 amongst metros With a Protection Quotient of 43, metros continued to feel most financially protected during COVID-19. This was followed by Tier 1 cities which demonstrated a Protection Quotient of 38 and Tier 2 cities at 33. Tier 1 cities witnessed sharp rise in life insurance awareness, from 46 to 54, as well as ownership that now stands at 66% compared to 62% previously.   It has been noted that security levels have dropped all across in comparison to IPQ 2.0, although metros continued to have a higher security level of 62% in comparison to Tier 1 cities at 61% & Tier 2 cities at 46%.   Additionally, most major cities marked an increase in Protection Quotient – Delhi led with a Protection Quotient of 50 raking a 3-point increase in comparison to IPQ 2.0. Hyderabad was the only metro city to witness a decline from last year as Protection Quotient dropped by a point to 45. The survey also reported an increase in Knowledge Index and a dip in security levels across all cities. URBAN INDIA’S ANXIETIES AND OUTLOOK TOWARDS FINANCIAL PROTECTION Urban India increases savings and investments, basic and luxury expenses go down significantly IPQ 3.0 brought to light that in comparison to pre COVID-19 times in IPQ 2.0, Urban Indians are prioritizing savings and investments over discretionary spending. Savings and investments increased from 41% (IPQ 2.0) to 50%, whereas basic expenses decreased from 44% (IPQ 2.0) to 41%. Savings objectives also saw some change during the pandemic. While only 35% saved for death of breadwinner, a higher 41% saved for it now and 62% saved for old age security, as compared to 57% earlier.   Anxiety levels up by 6%; fear of infection, cost of COVID-19 treatment, untimely death of breadwinner; topmost anxieties The survey revealed that Urban India’s anxiety levels climbed up from 55% to 61% this year. While 64% respondents felt secure about taking care of regular medical expenses as per IPQ 2.0, only 59% felt secure as per IPQ 3.0. Urban Indians were found to be most anxious about the possibility of ‘someone in the family getting infected with COVID-19’. ‘Sustaining lifestyle and expenses with current earnings’, ‘financial security in case of breadwinner’s death’ and ‘cost of COVID-19 treatment’ were the other three topmost anxieties.   Pandemic compelled Urban Indians to be more proactive about their health, fitness, financial planning With a sense of increasing worries and reducing security, IPQ 3.0 saw Urban Indians becoming more proactive about financial planning and overall health and fitness. 69% respondents said that they’re proactive about financial planning and they believe in saving more than spending respectively. AWARENESS OF TERM INSURANCE COVID-19 drives Indians to purchase Term Insurance plans; awareness of Term Insurance highest in Tier 1 cities The survey also indicated that Urban India is increasingly waking up to the challenges of pandemic and realizing need for greater financial protection. Urban India saw a sharp increase in Term Insurance awareness by 7%, however penetration still remained low at 28%. While 42% respondents said they’d purchase Term insurance to ‘protect family in case of breadwinner’s death’, 33% respondents said that they would purchase Term insurance plans because ‘death is a reality one needs to be prepared for’. The survey also observed that awareness of Tier 1 cities of term insurance stands at 65%, highest across India. Amongst zones, South India has best Term insurance ownership at 33%. The sharpest increase of 12% in Term awareness was seen in North and West India. Over half of Urban India feels Term plan cover is insufficient; premium no longer the only influencer while purchasing Term insurance plans as they prioritize sum assured/cover On the back of improved Term awareness, 59% Urban Indians feel that their Term plan cover is insufficient to safeguard the future of their family. The survey also revealed increasing importance of cover, as 69% of Urban Indians now consider it to be an important product parameter when buying Term insurance, as opposed to 63% in IPQ 2.0.   Realization of Critical Illness, death occurrence in family sees significant increase in COVID times 25% respondents, as opposed to earlier 19% respondents (IPQ 2.0), thought about critical illness preying on them whereas 30% had the thought that it could prey on their family members. In comparison to 19% as per IPQ 2.0, a higher 25% had the realization of death and thought about the financial stability of the family in case of untimely death of the breadwinner.    As a result, critical illness rider witnessed an uptake. 26% respondents i.e. 1 out 4 bought a critical illness rider with their Term insurance policy as per IPQ 3.0. The same marks a significant rise in rider adoption compared to IPQ 2.0 where only 11% or 1 in 10 Indians brought a critical illness rider on their life insurance.    MILLENNIALS & NON MILLENNIALS   Millennials warm up to life insurance during COVID-19 with a 6% jump in ownership In the backdrop of COVID-19, millennials demonstrated a 6% jump in Life Insurance Ownership – from earlier IPQ 2.0 64% to now 70%. While non-millennials lead with 73% Life Insurance Ownership, Knowledge Index, Protection Index and overall Security Levels of both cohorts are almost at par in the backdrop of COVID-19. 57% millennials as opposed to 58% non-millennials feel financially secure under current circumstances, indicating a more or less similar impact of the pandemic. WOMEN & MEN Working women at par with men in Protection Index; attitudinally feels more secure during COVID-19 While the protection quotient for men was at 40 point, working women demonstrated a strong IPQ of 39 in backdrop of the pandemic. Despite 69% working women owning life insurance as opposed to 73% men, the former was found to be more attitudinally secure during COVID-19. While 59% working women were financially secure, only 57% men were found to be secure. Furthermore, working women’s Term insurance awareness was also at a higher 64 point as compared to men who displayed lesser Term insurance awareness at 62 points.   THE DIGITALLY SAVVY URBAN INDIAN   Even with a vaccine in sight, ‘Digitally Savvy Urban Indian’ continues to feel attitudinally less secure at 51% A relatively high awareness and better ownership of life insurance products led the digitally savvy Urban India to demonstrate an IPQ of 47 (a point increase from IPQ Express). Knowledge Index at 67 (increased by a point) and Life Insurance Ownership increased by 3% to 78%, but respondents felt the same with regards to attitudinal security at 51%. On the other hand, Term insurance awareness of digitally savvy respondents improved by 3% to 80% and subsequently Term insurance ownership also improved by 3% to 39%.

    Max Life Insurance Company Ltd. in its commitment to contribute to society’s fight against COVID-19 pandemic, has pledged INR 2 crore to the Pehal-for-COVID-19 program. This pool has been utilized for the contribution of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment), health and safety kits, food, and distribution of other essential supplies to positively impact the communities that Max Life operates in. As the nation looks towards successful vaccination trials and effective distribution of the same, Max Life remains steadfast in its support to the community. At the height of the pandemic, Max Life has supported various COVID-19 initiatives across the country, including donations of more than 70,000 kits to frontline COVID-19 warriors, including doctors, healthcare workers, police officials and government officials. The Company also distributed more than 5,000 antigen testing kits that enabled health workers to undertake rapid COVID-19 tests on suspected patients in Gurgaon, Haryana, where it’s headquartered. Shailesh Singh, Chief People Officer, Max Life said, “As a responsible corporate citizen, our vision remains to help our communities and authorities in the fight against COVID-19. With our contributions for our front line workers, along with driving awareness on health and safety to the community, we have endeavored to be a dedicated partner in this battle. We are also immensely grateful for the heroic efforts of the people who are at the forefront of this challenge. As the country now looks with renewed hope towards effective vaccines and its efficient distribution, Max Life shall remain committed to the cause and help build the momentum further.” To help bring a positive change in society, Max Life, under its ‘Pehal-for-COVID-19 Program’, has to-date supported more than 80,000 beneficiaries with key interventions across the country, and has contributed to the PM Cares Fund to help support the fight against the pandemic. Pehal aims to empower the society by making contributions in literacy, healthcare, environment, and skill development. Under the program last year, Max Life employees whole-heartedly participated in virtual initiatives from their homes, reaching out to underprivileged children to enlighten them on various socio-relevant topics, and contributing towards underprivileged care.

      Innovative #BeTheBetterGuy campaign to promote Road Safety Practices in-line with the Government’s Theme- ‘Sadak Suraksha – Jeevan Raksha’. Hyundai Motor India Foundation (HMIF), a philanthropic arm of Hyundai Motor India Limited, announced the commencement of the sixth edition of its CSR initiative ‘Safe Move’ – Road Safety Campaign on Road Safety Month (Jan 18 – Feb 17, 2021). Hyundai will reach out to Residents Welfare Associations across Delhi & NCR, Pune, Thane, Chennai and Lucknow to spread awareness about Road Safety and Covid through interactive engagement activities.   The initiative will touch upon all key diverse issues that individuals face while driving and educate them to adopt safe driving habits. Under the umbrella of Hyundai’s ‘Safe Move’, the campaign is aimed at creating a positive change in the society and inspire people to adhere to traffic rules for their own safety and that of others on road.   Commenting on the initiatives, Mr. SS Kim, MD & CEO, Hyundai Motor India Ltd. said, “As a responsible and caring brand, our purpose is to transform societies for a better and safer tomorrow. Conforming to our global vision, ‘Progress for Humanity’, the Safe Move – Road Safety campaign will play a key role in educating the masses on road safety and the ongoing pandemic, COVID 19. We are confident that the Safe Move campaign will further develop a culture of safety and propagate our intentions towards a “Better Tomorrow.”   In 2019, under the Mega Road Safety Campaign, a School Contact Program was executed wherein 100 schools across 12 cities were reached out and students were educated on road safety and environment. In addition to this, a Mall Contact Program was also conducted in 10 Malls across 5 cities (Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Chennai, Ahmedabad, and Kochi) through a distinct road safety flash mob activity along with many engrossing fun-filled games to engage children.     Hyundai believes that it's important to instil the right education on road safety in children from an early age to enable them to become more matured and responsible citizens.   Over last five phases of the Safe Move Campaign, Hyundai Motor India has successfully reached out to 314,000 students across 492 schools, about 277,000 Mall visitors and 23,000 Residents. The program enrolled 146 RWA’s and also reached out to 35,000 visitors during the popular Krakerjack Karnival in New Delhi.     Along with other road safety initiatives in 2019, HMIF commenced with Traffic Regulation Observed Zone (TROZ).  This initiative based in Anna Nagar, Chennai, has significantly contributed to decrease the sum of violations (from 90,000  to 23,000 a day). Also, HMIF, in collaboration with Greater Chennai Traffic Police (GCTP), sourced, trained and deployed Traffic Marshalls for 3 years in 2018 for traffic management duties. Additionally, for better visibility and safety while driving, HMIF installed 120 street lights across NH48 following a request from NHAI (National Highways Authority of India).   

  ABP Network is the first media network to conduct an Opinion Poll Survey for all four states and a union territory that go to polls in 2021 - West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Kerala, and Puducherry. Conducted with research partner CVoter (Centre for Voting Opinion & Trends in Election Research), the opinion poll survey aims to provide a clearer picture of how the ballot game stands for the five states. Last year, as the highly-dramatic Bihar Elections drew to a close, ABP Network’s Exit Poll was the only poll in the industry to hit the mark. It not only vindicated a prediction of a close fight, but also produced an accurate vote share projection. What’s more is that, this Opinion Poll Survey marks the beginning of ABP Network’s reign in the southern region as the network is likely to soon catapult into the Tamil Nadu market.  The ABPNetwork-CVoter survey revealed that as per public opinion, TMC is leading in West Bengal with 43.0% vote share (154 to 162 seats), whereas BJP stands second with 37.5% vote share (98 to 106 seats). West Bengal Party Alliance : Votes Alliance Votes 2016 Results 2021 Projection Swing TMC 44.9 43.0 -1.9 BJP 10.2 37.5 27.3 INC+LEFT 32.0 11.8 -20.2 Others 12.9 7.7 -5.2 Total 100.0 100.0 0.0 West Bengal Projected Range Of Seats Alliance Seats From Seats To TMC 154 to 162 BJP 98 to 106 INC+LEFT 26 to 34 Others 2 to 6 Total 294   In Tamil Nadu, UPA is leading with 41.1% vote share (158 to 166 seats), whereas NDA stands second with 28.7% vote share (60 to 68 Seats). Others grab the third spot with mere 15.7% vote share (0 to 4 seats). Tamil Nadu Party Alliance : Votes Alliance Votes 2016 Results 2021 Projection Swing UPA (DMK+Congress+Others) 39.4 41.1 1.7 NDA (AIADMK+BJP+Others) 43.7 28.7 -15.0 MNM 0.0 6.7 6.7 AMMK 0.0 7.8 7.8 Others 16.9 15.7 -1.2 Total 100.0 100.0 0.0 Tamil Nadu Projected Range Of Seats Alliance Seats From Seats To UPA (DMK+Congress+Others) 158 to 166 NDA (AIADMK+BJP+Others) 60 to 68 MNM 0 to 4 AMMK 2 to 6 Others 0 to 4 Total 234             In Assam, NDA is leading with 43.1% vote share (73 to 81 seats), whereas UPA stands second with 34.9% vote share (36 to 44 Seats). Others grab the third spot with mere 13.8% vote share (0 to 4 seats). Assam Party Alliance : Votes Alliance Votes : Assam 2016 Results 2021 Projection Swing NDA 41.9 43.1 1.2 UPA 31.0 34.9 3.9 AIUDF 13.0 8.2 -4.8 Others 14.1 13.8 -0.3 Total 100.0 100.0 0.0 Assam Projected Range Of Seats Alliance Seats : Assam From Seats To NDA 73 to 81 UPA 36 to 44 AIUDF 5 to 9 Others 0 to 4 Total 126   In Kerala, LDF is leading with 41.6% vote share (81 to 89 seats), whereas UDF stands second with 34.6% vote share (49 to 57 Seats). BJP grabs the third spot with mere 15.3% vote share (0 to 2 seats). Kerala Party Alliance : Votes Alliance Votes : Kerala 2016 Results 2021 Projection Swing LDF 43.5 41.6 -1.9 UDF 38.8 34.6 -4.2 BJP 14.9 15.3 0.4 Others 2.8 8.5 5.7 Total 100.0 100.0 0.0 Kerala Projected Range Of Seats Alliance Seats : Kerala From Seats To LDF 81 to 89 UDF 49 to 57 BJP 0 to 2 Others 0 to 2 Total 140   In Puducherry, NDA is leading with 44.4% vote share (14 to 18 seats), whereas SDA stands second with 42.6% vote share (12-16 seats). Others grab the third spot with mere 10.7% vote share (0 to 1 seat). Puducherry Party Alliance : Votes Alliance Votes : Puducherry 2016 Results 2021 Projection Swing SDA (Congress+DMK) 39.5 42.6 3.1 NDA (AINRC+BJP+ADMK) 30.5 44.4 13.9 MNM 0.0 2.3 2.3 Others 30.0 10.7 -19.3 Total 100.0 100.0 0.0 Puducherry Projected Range Of Seats Alliance Seats : Puducherry From Seats To SDA (Congress+DMK) 12 to 16 NDA (AINRC+BJP+ADMK) 14 to 18 MNM 0 to 1 Others 0 to 1 Total 30   The past two years have certainly been action-packed as far as elections and shifts of power are concerned, but 2021 is going to be even more momentous. Key regions like Tamil Nadu in South and Assam in North-East will make the political battle all the more engrossing. As for the methodology and survey details, the CVoter survey reached out to a total of approximately 5000+ people in  Assam, 6000+ people in Kerala, 1000+ people in Puducherry, 15000+ people in Tamil Nadu, 18000+ people in West Bengal, making it a total of 45000+ people. It was conducted through CATI (Telephonic survey).

   As political parties gear up for a high-octane assembly election in West Bengal this year, ABP Ananda is ahead of the curve in keeping the nation apprised. The channel has launched an extensive programming line-up for the upcoming West Bengal Assembly Elections under the umbrella branding of ‘Banglar Bidhan 2021’. In fact, by the dint of its comprehensive coverage on all key events & issues, the channel has been a market leader in West Bengal since over a decade. At 50 mn Reach, ABP Ananda has reached 90% of all Bengali TV viewing households. [Source: BARC; TG: 2+; Mkt : West Bengal; Period: Wk 12-34’20, Cum Reach (in Cr)]                                                                                                                           With over 100 reporters, 12 anchors, and 2500 hours of programming, ABP Ananda will be providing the latest updates from every corner of Bengal to its viewers. Having made history in the Bengali News genre, the channel has 7 district studios based out of: Tamluk, Durgapur, Barrackpore , Siliguri, Midnapore City, Baharampur, and Cooch Behar, to ensure the viewers don’t miss out on anything.   Owing to its popularity in West Bengal, ABP Ananda has taken a bevy of sponsors on-board for Banglar Bidhan such as presenting sponsors Toptech TMT, Rashmi Cement, ABP Weddings, Dabur Red Paste, Ajanta Shoes & Glucon-D. The show is co-powered By Macho Hint & Ganesh Gold Dalia.       In order to ensure top-notch coverage on all political affairs of the state, there will be a bouquet of 15 plus programming segments on the news channel. Banglar Bidhan 2021 will bring a wide variety of shows under its ambit such as Tarokar Chokhe Taroka Kendra - A highly-acclaimed show wherein Tollywood celebrities will visit key constituencies, acting as ABP Ananda reporters, bringing out two different POVs from each constituency/district. The show will have a travelogue format with a political overview; Chalti Hawa - A travelogue show with a meld of politics and culture, Chalti Hawa will delve into the local folk art, cuisine, and politics of rural Bengal, in one-single pot boiler; Voter Baddi – ABP Ananda will also be running parody videos in its news wheels. The parody songs/music will be composed by top bands and singers of West Bengal, and their videos will be produced by the channel itself.    Other interesting shows like Power Meal – a non-political capsule on the campaigners’ diet during the campaign spree, will provide a relief to the viewers from the otherwise politically laden news wheel; and Mukho Mukhi - A show which will entail a series of exclusive interviews with political heavyweights. Furthermore, ABP Ananda will be conducting Opinion Polls and Exit Poll to gauge the electoral pulse of the voters.   On this comprehensive line-up, Mr. Avinash Pandey, CEO, ABP Network said, “ABP Ananda has always pursued its vision towards responsible & impactful journalism, delivering top-notch content to Bengali viewers worldwide. We have always ensured unique, compelling, and comprehensive coverage when it comes to issues of both local and national importance. We are confident that Banglar Bidhan 2021 will bring all aspects of the election to its viewers, accurately and promptly.”

  Marking its leadership position in the digital sphere, ABP Network’s Marathi News Channel, ABP Majha has reached a whopping 7 million subscribers on YouTube. As ABP Majha, along with other regional & national channels, recently reinvented its look & feel with a brand new identity, the network is already starting to witness massive growth on all fronts. In fact, ABP Network’s regional properties have been thriving both on digital and broadcast by the dint of a fresh outlook on content & overall visual language.    While ABP Majha has always held a leadership position in the highly-competitive market of Maharashtra, its burgeoning subscriber base on YouTube further demonstrates the ever-growing potential of the news channel on digital.   The new identity of ABP Majha, coupled with a fresh and unique take on content has certainly been critical in achieving this milestone. This accomplishment truly embodies the new vision of the network, which places focus on the striking concept of ‘limitlessness’. The concept of limitlessness not only lays emphasis on delivering truth ‘beyond limits’ to the viewers but also represents the network’s undying spirit to work towards betterment relentlessly and stop at nothing.    In terms of content, ABP Majha has extensively covered the COVID-19 situation in Maharashtra, while also pursuing exclusive stories on the issue. Other memorable coverages include the Nisarga Cyclone, the Ayodhya issue, and other exclusive content on Ganesh Chaturthi.  The flagship show of ABP Majha, ‘Majha Katta’ has also elevated the overall content offerings of the channel by having topical guests like Soham Wangchuk, Sonu Sood, Urmila Matondkar, Sanjay Raut, Ramdev Baba, Sudha Murty, Asha Bhosale, and Javed Akhtar on the show.   Furthermore, ABP Majha was the first news channel to conduct a show (Majha Vision) on Maharashtra government’s response & planning in combating COVID-19.    In its new form, the channel is therefore breaking free from the shackles of conformity to bring something unique to its viewers every single day. Other than providing ‘news beyond limits’, the network is also putting together video content, podcasts and other forms of digital media to create greater value in this new era. This has been another major contributory factor towards the speedy growth of ABP Network.   On this development, Mr. Avinash Pandey, CEO, ABP Network said, “This milestone only gives us more confidence to innovate and evolve ourselves with the changing times. All of our hard-work seems worth it, when we see the faith our viewers have in our content. This is just another stepping stone towards our ever-growing leadership and our goal to conquer the digital segment.”

  In a bid to cater to the recent paradigm shifts in the industry, as well as the changing consumption model, ABP Network has displayed immense agility and resilience in the challenging era of COVID-19. Over the last few months, the network had been striving towards reinventing itself as it finally announced a fresh visual identity on December 16th 2020. Perfectly representing its evolved vision, the fresh look of the network is aimed towards progressing in sync with the future trends and charting a path towards perennial growth & sustenance.     While the network had already initiated an institutional change in the first half of 2020, transitioning from a pure-play news network to a news-cum-content network – they have now updated their visual identity across broadcast and digital properties.   At a time when every industry, leader, and organisation was firing up their crisis management to find solid ground in uncharted territory, ABP Network went the extra mile to reposition itself. Even amidst the pandemic’s pandemonium, the new ABP Network has not only retained but gained market share. This never-say-die attitude of the network aligns perfectly with their new, reformed vision.   The new ABP Network places focus on the striking concept of ‘limitlessness’, which serves as a guiding principle of the organisation. This new vision delves into the contradictions confronted by our nation and brings forth a ’limitless’ outlook to help unlock the unremitting growth story of India. It explicates how the hopes for a new India are defined by limitless aspirations and ambitions; while at the same time, Indians are limited by societal beliefs, views, and values. On one hand, India is seen to be Limitless in potential with the world’s largest youth force, Limitless in possibilities as pioneers of frugal innovation, Limitless in capabilities with the most diverse range of cultural skill sets. On the contrary, it is Limited by innumerable disparities that exist in the Indian society.   “For India to fast-track into a future defined by greatness - it needs a champion to challenge, lift, and break through these predefined limitations. The solution for the same is an open and informed society. And an open and informed society can only be created through information that is impartial and limitless.” Said the CEO of ABP Network, Mr. Avinash Pandey   Taking this vision forward, the network, in its new form, is now breaking free from the shackles of conformity to bring something unique to its viewers every single day. Other than providing ‘news beyond limits’, ABP Network has also forayed into video content, podcasts and other forms of digital media to create greater value in this era.   While the ABP Brand has always stood on top with an undisputed leadership in the news genre, this identity change has been crucial in ensuring that the network creates significant influence on the digital and content creation front as well. Moreover, ABP Network has heavily invested in the overall look & feel of the new identity by choosing world-class artists to deliver their new design. The complete rebranding, including the new logos, has been conceptualized by Saffron Brand Consultants – a renowned global brand consultancy based in Spain. This exhibits the network’s focus on quality, in every aspect.   Now, when the storm finally passes, whether this ‘new, limitless ABP’ will emerge even stronger – hinges on the network’s ability to mitigate the current risks and harness new opportunities. One thing that is certain is that some positive transformations will be driven by technology, which is looking to break new ground. After all, for ABP Network, it was not just about weathering the storm, but coming out of the storm - stronger and better. And that’s how the leading media conglomerate - championed change.

     Mitron, the leading Indian short-format video app, has come together with NGO Youth Nation to appeal to India’s youth to stay away from drugs. A joint campaign titled #SayNoToDrugs has been unveiled to shine a light on the pitfalls of drug addiction. The on-going campaign will run until 26th January 2021 on the Mitron app in an attempt to empower the younger generation to take control of their lives. Founded in 2014, Youth Nation is focused on the eradication of menaces like drugs, by enabling the youth in a comprehensive and coordinated multi-sectoral manner. The NGO equips youth with the resources to develop to their full potential mentally, socially, morally, politically, physically, and culturally.   #SayNoToDrugs campaign uses humour and music to create awareness on the serious issue of substance abuse amongst the youth.  Mitron has created quirky musical remixes with a message urging today’s youth to say no to drugs. In addition, Youth Nation is organizing a road rally on 26th January 2021 in Surat, to drum up further awareness on the drug issue. On the Mitron app, viewers can watch educational and entertaining videos created on various topics relating to drug abuse. Commenting on the campaign, Nisha Pokhriyal, VP-Marketing, Mitron said: “Drugs are a growing threat that is creating widespread damage and destruction in the lives of the youth. At Mitron, we are committed to empowering the younger generation by helping them to take control of their lives instead of falling prey to drug addiction. We are pleased to partner with Youth Nation, and leverage their expertise on this subject by jointly running a campaign that appeals and resonates with India’s youth. We hope that this acts as a catalyst for a change in society and we are able to fulfil their needs in the best way possible, through required resources, knowledge, and empowerment.” Commenting on the campaign, Veekas Champalal Doshi, Founder, Youth Nation said: “Seeing the scenario, this should not only concern an individual or city but the entire nation. Our motto through this and various other initiatives is to stop the youth from falling prey to any addictive substance. As per our internal study, youth are at high risk to get influenced. #SayNoToDrugs is to highlight the ill effects caused by drug intake and how it viciously destroys your personal and professional life. With Mitron’s massive community of users and our resources and best of counsellors, we endeavour to inspire the youth to contribute towards changing the attitude of the coming generation as well as the existing generation through required action and awareness.” According to a survey conducted by the National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre (NDDTC) under AIIMS in Delhi, more than 3.1 core Indians have reported using substances like Cannabis, LSD, Meth, Opium etc.  It is estimated that 72 lac of these drug users are addicted to them.

    Bumble, the women-first social networking app, reveals how single Indians are planning on dating in 2021 now that India has unlocked and lifted restrictions across states.   Virtual dating is the new norm in India: Bumble’s recent nationwide survey found that after connecting with people virtually, 83% of single Indians are comfortable to meet up with their connections in-person. The study also reveals that 40% of single Indians will opt for virtual dating in 2021.   Indians now going on pre-dates more than ever: Single Indians now go on ‘pre-dates’ where they explore virtual dating for the first time and use video dates to get to know one another before meeting in-person. Bumble’s internal research found out that 78% of single Indians feel the need to build trust before meeting in-person, which has given rise to ‘slow dating’ that means people are taking more time to get to know each other better.   Ideal first IRL dates in 2021: For those who are meeting in person, the pandemic has changed the way they approach dating with a majority (47%) preferring more low-key first IRL dates as staying indoors (at their home, their partner’s or a friend’s place) is the top choice for first in-person dates. Once comfortable to step out, going on a long drive remains a favourite among single Indians (43%) along with meeting at a local cafe/tea shop. Dinner dates at a restaurant (41%) is the next favourite for a great first IRL date choice.   Dating choices and preferences: When it comes to making a connection online, education and career choices top the list of preferences that matter most to single Indians, followed by dating intentions. However, the top most deciding factor when meeting someone in-person is compatibility (23%).   Making boundaries and comfort levels clear: To help navigate new rules of dating in 2021, Bumble’s new badges give the Bumble community the opportunity to communicate what kind of dates people are looking for: virtual, socially-distanced, or socially-distanced with masks. This helps with the potentially awkward conversation by allowing the community to search for people who are dating in the same way as them. Globally, more than 1 million people have used Bumble's new feature on their profile. People who share what kind of dates they are comfortable with through Bumble’s new dating badges see a 43% increase in the average number of monthly matches than those who don’t.     Samarpita Samaddar, Bumble India PR Director, said: “Single Indians are now feeling a strong desire to build trust online before meeting in real life with virtual dating becoming the new norm in India. In fact, over 540 million messages have been sent on Bumble in India between January and November, 2020. We saw a 38% rise in the use of Video Chats and Voice Calls with people in India spending roughly 20 mins on average on video and voice calls.   As India continues to unlock, we’re seeing an emerging trend of people getting excited about the prospect of dating in real life again in 2021. At the same time, there’s still nervousness about what the future holds. We will continue to support our Bumble community in India to write their own stories and take charge of their dating journeys.”  

  Rizzle creators are landing opportunities to star in series produced by popular media houses, making Rizzle an even more attractive platform for ambitious creators. Rizzle is India’s leading short series app - a genre that is defining the next evolution in short videos.    Rizzle recently partnered with RVCJ, a popular media house, for the production of bite-sized vertical series on the platform which will cast Rizzle creators. The partnership is focused on curating talent on Rizzle and propelling them to stardom via viral and entertaining short series. Rizzle Studios launched a few months ago and provides free acting and dancing classes to aspiring creators, elevating their content game. These creators then make next-level content on Rizzle, making it a great talent pool for production companies to find their stars.  The very first series, Love with Shayar, starring popular Rizzle creator Khyati Sharma, was released on December 22nd and is available for viewing on Rizzle. Speaking about the partnership with RVCJ Media, Ms. Vidya Narayanan from Rizzle shares, “Rizzle is a creator-first platform bringing the best in class tools to creators. With free classes and casting opportunities, Rizzle is proud to be making creator development its top priority. This association with RVCJ is a big step forward in creator opportunities and combined with the talent discovery that Rizzle provides, it is a win-win for all parties.” Power creator and lead actress of the “Love with Shayar” an RVCJ produced Rizzle series, @pyaarinari aka Khyati Sharma states: “I'm really happy to be a part of the Rizzle app and I extremely blessed with the opportunity they have provided me to work with RVCJ. I’ve always wanted to work with production teams and I am grateful for Rizzle for helping build my personality and connecting me to industry professionals. I am the lead actress in my own Rizzle series and not a cringe-worthy internet personality. Throughout my journey on Rizzle, I have learned many different things as well as gained industry exposure. It was an honor to work with the RVCJ team and I cannot thank the Rizzle team enough for all they have done to make this possible.   Aziz Khan of RVCJ says, “RVCJ is extremely proud to partner with Rizzle, India's best short videos platform. This association is extremely creator-centric and will pave the way for talent to receive the stardom they deserve. With Khyati Sharma's casting in 10 short series, including Love with Shayar, we hope to kickstart a whole new era for Rizzle creators to star in several entertaining and viral mini-series.   RVCJ has also released several exclusive popular series on Rizzle including Ludo Champion, Film Industry Audition, Acting Guru and Delhi- Mumbai Couples, all of which have generated a lot of buzz on the platform. Rizzle Series has been revolutionizing the short videos space with its signature vertical series that span for approximately 12 mins. These snackable series demonstrate the power and scale of user-generated series that are quickly becoming a revolution. This is the other side to the professionally produced series on Netflix and other OTT platforms. Along with that, Rizzle Studios brings free dancing and acting lessons to interested creators to upskill themselves online during the pandemic. Download Rizzle for more updates!

  Having emerged as the number 1 short video platform in India, MX TakaTak has shown huge growth in terms of users, usage time and its large community of content creators amongst other metrics. MX TakaTak is proud to announce a new initiative for creators - the MX TakaTak Creator Fund to encourage India’s talented and innovative set of established and emerging creators to create engaging, impactful and inspiring content on the platform. The fund will deploy INR 1 billion (Rs. 100 crore) for creators. In a promise to support its existing creators as well as to encourage new creators with impactful content ideas, the fund is meant to help them use their creativity to build an exciting career. The MX TakaTak Creator Fund will support creators of all sizes and backgrounds, rewarding the passion and creativity they put into inspiring, engaging and entertaining the community on MX TakaTak.    The MX TakaTak Creator Fund will be open for all Indian citizens and those creators who consistently post original videos or have unique ideas for content across various categories such as education, tech, sports, art, entertainment, fashion and makeup, travel & photography etc. Once selected in the MX TakaTak Creator Fund, the creators will receive regular rewards for their content based on various performance criteria such as uniqueness of their content, authenticity, views, engagement, followers etc. In addition, a select few aspiring creators with story ideas that make a social impact will receive a start-up fund to support the start of their journey on MX TakaTak. The guidelines of the fund will be available on https://mxtakatak.com/creator-fund.    Speaking about this development, Karan Bedi - CEO, MX Player said, “The MX TakaTak Creator Fund is a way to give back to millions of people who bring their ideas into videos as well as to inspire other digital enthusiasts. Millions of users upload videos daily on the MX TakaTak App. We were thrilled to see the amount of creativity and hard work that our users put into bringing their dreams alive and into a video. We hope that the creator fund will not only reward them but also inspire them to continue creating impactful content, build an inspiring digital career, and help give back to the society that we all benefit from.” He further added saying, “The short format video ecosystem is fast evolving and we’re delighted to have emerged as the market leaders in this category. Home to 70Mn Monthly Active Users and with over 10 Mn unique content creators, we are the preferred platform of choice for both the users and creators; we aim to further scale this in the new year.”   Through the MX TakaTak Creator Fund, creators will realize additional earnings to remain committed and connected to their audience, thereby creating great quality content.