Business
Mission 2022: This Tencent-backed startup is aiming for a presence in 500 districts across India
Launched in 2018, hyperlocal social media startup Lokal has been steadily making inroads into India. The app is currently active in 180 regions, claims to be profitable in 40 regions, and plans to operate in 500 regions by the end of 2022.
When Jani Pasha and his co-founder Vipul Chaudhary started Lokal in 2018, they wanted to deliver hyperlocal news and developments to their non-English speaking user base.
The app works with a network of 250 field reporters, stringers and field sales teams. It provides hyperlocal news on topics ranging from agriculture and politics to daily information on necessities including food and gas prices.
The Bengaluru-based startup initially attracted users through advertisements on different social media platforms, but much of its user acquisition is organic and through word of mouth.
This pattern is more or less suitable for them until the app users go a step further. In addition to using the app for hyperlocal news, people in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana have also started advertising.
Lokal offers classifieds for local businesses and individual sellers, marriage ads, job openings from delivery executive jobs to government jobs, and content on life skills like finance, education, farming, and health tips. Advertising is free in regional languages such as Tamil, Telugu and Kannada, and the app is widely adopted.
As of June 2020, the app, launched in 2018, has 6 million downloads and a 4.5 million user base from more than 25 territories in three states.
But the COVID-19 pandemic quickly led to changes in user habits that affected how Lokal was used.
Consumers locked at home need content more than ever. According to the State of Mobile 2022 report by market research firm App Annie, consumers in the top 10 global mobile markets spend a staggering 4.8 hours a day on mobile devices.
Until now for posting business-related ads and reading news stories, Lokal has become the go-to app for posting medical and food-related requests during the COVID-19 pandemic. A news article posted on the app about needing open-heart surgery helped save the life of a four-month-old baby in the meantime
“Our user base is growing so fast; it’s still growing,” Jani Pasha, co-founder and CEO of Lokal, told YourStory in an interaction.
Lokal’s user base has grown 8x from March 2020 to December 2021 and is expected to grow at least 9-10x in 2022-23.
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Business
Virat Kohli pays tribute to Ratan Tata, Jay Shah ‘deeply saddened’ by veteran industrialist’s demise
Tributes continue to pour in for Ratan Tata, with Virat Kohli and Jay Shah taking to their social media accounts to bid farewell to the industrialist.
Former Indian captain and batting legend Virat Kohli paid a touching tribute to Ratan Tata, the legendary business tycoon, who passed away on Wednesday night. Tata, a Padma Vibhushan recipient, was undergoing treatment in intensive care since Monday but breathed his last in Mumbai, leaving a profound impact on many across the nation.
Kohli expressed his condolences through his Instagram account on Thursday morning, sharing a heartfelt message along with a photo of the late industrialist.
Tata’s contribution to business, society, and philanthropy has been widely acknowledged, and his passing marks the end of an era.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary, Jay Shah, also conveyed his sorrow, stating, “Deeply saddened by the loss of Shri Ratan Tata Ji. His leadership, integrity, and dedication to society set a remarkable standard for legacy. My heartfelt condolences to his loved ones. Rest in peace, Sir.” Shah’s words reflect the collective grief of a nation that has long admired Tata’s contributions to the country.
BCCI’s tribute
Additionally, the BCCI issued a statement about his demise.
“The BCCI expresses its deepest sorrow and joins the nation in mourning the passing of Shri Ratan Tata ji. His invaluable contributions across diverse fields have been instrumental in shaping India’s growth and success story.
His extraordinary legacy, founded on the principles of passion, empathy, visionary leadership, innovation, and excellence, will continue to inspire and guide future generations for years to come,” the statement read.
Ratan Tata, born on December 28, 1937, in Mumbai, embarked on his journey with the Tata Group in 1962 as a young executive. Over the decades, he transformed the group into a global conglomerate. His work was acknowledged with India’s second-highest civilian honour, the Padma Vibhushan, in 2008, and he received numerous accolades, including honorary doctorates from prestigious institutions in India and abroad.
Tata is survived by his family, including brothers and sisters Simone Tata, Jimmy Tata, Noel Tata, Aloo Tata, Shireen Jejeebhoy, Deanne Jejeebhoy, Leah Tata, Maya Tata, Neville Tata, Manasi Tata, Jamset Tata, Tiana Tata, and others, as mentioned in a family statement.
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