Latest news with #Done
Time of India
24-04-2025
- General
- Time of India
Was rearing sheep when Kolhapur candidate heard of UPSC exam success
Kolhapur: Birdev Done 's unwavering dream became his driving force behind his success in UPSC exams and securing 551st rank. Born in Kagal tehsil's Yamage village in Kolhapur district, Done and his shepherd relatives were rearing goats and sheep in the vast grasslands between Maharashtra and Karnataka border when the results were declared on Wednesday. The story of Done, son of a shepherd, will be narrated for generations to come, at least in his community— which moves from place to place for rearing sheep and goats. Despite his share of challenges, Birdev Done completed his education from College of Engineering Pune and cleared the UPSC in his third attempt. He gives credit to his elder brother for his success. "My elder brother wanted to become a cop, but financial constraints led him to choose the army. Now he is a Naik. He helped me with my education all along. I finished primary and secondary education from a public school. Since the first year of my engineering, I aimed to become an IAS officer . I was poor in English, so I downloaded a dictionary and improved my English. With the help of my mentor Nishant Deshmukh's grandfather, I secured some funds for coaching in New Delhi," said Done, speaking to TOI. Done said: "Nurture a deep inner drive to become something meaningful in life, and the universe will find ways to turn your dream into reality." Done said during the interview he was asked about why there is a sudden demand for sheep's milk and also whether violent action is the way out for resolving the India-Pakistan border dispute. "I think my answers to these questions were received well by the interview panel, which helped me score well in the personality test," added Done. Rural candidates shine Dilipkumar Krishna Desai, the son of an ex-army man, ranked 605th. He is from Jambulwadi village in Gadhinglaj tehsil. He did his electronics and telecommunications from RIT College Islampur. His sister Swati, who is currently a Deputy Collector, inspired him to become a civil servant. Aditi's giant leap Aditi Chougule from Jaysingpur town of Kolhapur district, who secured 433rd rank last time, ranked 63rd this time. She said focusing on studies helped her improve her rank.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Revenue of Maxima Group in 2024 exceeds EUR 6 billion, profit down by nearly 5%
The Baltic retail leader MAXIMA GRUPĖ, UAB, which operates the 'Maxima' retail chains in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, 'Stokrotka' in Poland, 'T Market' in Bulgaria and the 'Barbora' e-shop in the Baltic States, announces its consolidated financial results for 2024. The consolidated revenue of MAXIMA GRUPĖ grew moderately by 4.3% in 2024, reaching EUR 6.098 billion. As in recent years, the strongest revenue growth was in Poland and Bulgaria, where store expansion was most active - rising by 8.7% to EUR 1.890 billion in Poland and by 6.7% to EUR 294 million in Bulgaria. Revenue increased by 3.1% in Lithuania, 2.6% in Latvia, and 0.9% in Estonia. The Group's total gross revenue from e-commerce channels in 2024 amounted to EUR 160.5 million, down 6.3% year-on-year, due to the discontinuation of Barbora's operations in Poland in March. Meanwhile, e-commerce gross revenue in the Baltics grew by 7%. The Group's earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) in 2024 were 4.9% lower compared to the previous year, and amounted to EUR 455.6 million, with margin falling by 0.7 percentage points to 7.5%. "In 2024, the Group continued with its strategic projects and increased investments in business development. This enabled us to sustainably grow our revenue and maintain our positions in the Baltics, Poland and Bulgaria, despite the decline in food inflation and intensified competition. The supermarket chain's revenue grew across all operating markets, while efficiency measures helped mitigate the impact of rising costs for profitability" - says Manfredas Dargužis, CEO of MAXIMA GRUPĖ. The Group maintained the focus on private labels and continued developing the 'Well Done' brand. During the festive winter period, the brand was complemented by the high-end 'Well Done Premium' products in all countries. Continuing its store network expansion, the most active store number growth, as in the previous year, took place in Poland, where 36 new stores were opened, and in Bulgaria, with 13 new stores. In the Baltic countries 6 new stores were opened. By the end of the year, the Group operated a total of 1,611 stores across all markets. Commenting on the Group's expansion policy, M. Dargužis emphasises that the Group maintains its focus: "Bulgaria and Poland remain our primary focus areas for expansion, both organically, by acquiring land plots and developing them, and by looking for opportunities to acquire other chains. Alongside store expansion, we place great importance on network efficiency, so we continue the project of standardizing store formats, and we are discontinuing some retail locations that do not meet the required criteria." MAXIMA GRUPĖ's investments in fixed assets in 2024 were EUR 21 million higher than the previous year, amounting to EUR 190 million. This increase is due to investments in the renovation of larger stores, acquisitions of land plots and real estate where stores are already operating. The most significant investment project completed in 2024, with a total investment of EUR 70 million, was the new 46,000 sqm logistics centre in Lithuania. This centre, equipped with modern technologies, not only contributes to a more efficient supply of goods to 'Maxima' stores in Lithuania, but also to the Group's environmental objectives. In order to achieve the science-based targets set in line with the Paris Climate Agreement, initiatives to reduce the energy footprint were implemented in 2024: energy-saving equipment is being consistently installed in stores, recycled packaging is being expanded, and solar power plants and smart energy management solutions are being installed in the largest 'Maxima' stores in the Baltics. As early as 2023, the Group estimated that by 2030, the investments needed to achieve the science-based targets would reach up to EUR 100 million. The Group companies work with various charities and food banks in their home countries, donating a portion of unsold but safe-to-eat food to them. The total amount of food donated to food banks and other charities increased by 13% to 4,207 tonnes in 2024. The Group maintained a moderate level of indebtedness in 2024, with a consolidated net debt to EBITDA ratio of 2.3 at the end of 2024. The sole shareholder of MAXIMA GRUPĖ, UAB "Vilniaus prekyba", approved the Company's and the Group consolidated financial statements for 2024 and the profit distribution project, according to which EUR 106.3 million was allocated for the payment of dividends to "Vilniaus prekyba'. Additional information MAXIMA GRUPĖ, UAB operates the MAXIMA (Baltic States), STOKROTKA (Poland), T MARKET (Bulgaria) and BARBORA electronic grocery store in the Baltic States. MAXIMA GRUPĖ, UAB belongs to the 'Vilniaus prekyba' group of companies. "Vilniaus prekyba', through other subsidiaries, manages investments in retail and pharmacy chains, catering services, real estate development and rental services in the Baltic States, Sweden, Poland and Bulgaria. Contact person: Lukas Radžiūnas Head of Corporate Relations and Communications +370 666 21 780 Attachments MXG Konsoliduota Vadovybes Ataskaita 2024 (signed) MXG Consolidated Management Report 2024 (signed)Sign in to access your portfolio
Korea Herald
14-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Plave soars while Naevis struggles to find footing in K-pop
Music expert says Naevis needs more time to establish herself Virtual idol group Plave is making waves in the K-pop industry, captivating fans with its 'human-like charm' and sense of humor. The boy band's third EP 'Caligo Pt. 1,' released on Feb. 6, has further cemented its popularity, with its main track 'Dash' topping Melon's Top 100 chart on its release day. While Plave's influence continues to grow, SM Entertainment's virtual artist Naevis has yet to achieve similar success. Industry experts suggest this is largely due to the fundamental difference in their positioning -- Plave operates like a traditional K-pop group, whereas Naevis remains more of a storytelling character within SM Entertainment's metaverse concept, at least for now. Plave consists of five animated members -- Yejun, Noah, Bamby, Eunho and Hamin -- who, unlike traditional AI-generated idols, are controlled by real-life individuals through motion capture and voice acting. The members actively engage with fans via live streams, perform virtual concerts and release original music, making them more personal and relatable to fans. Naevis, on the other hand, was initially introduced as an AI character in aespa and SM's fictional lore, Kwangya, rather than as an independent K-pop artist. While she officially debuted as a singer with "Done" in September last year, fans still perceive her primarily as a concept rather than an artist. SM Entertainment's plan to expand Naevis' presence across various platforms, including webtoons, games and brand collaborations, has only made it harder for her to establish a clear identity as a singer. 'Plave debuted with a well-defined identity -- as a musician. However, Naevis was introduced with multiple roles, which ultimately blurred her image,' a local entertainment official said on Friday. 'If she was meant to be a singer, she should have first solidified her recognition in that role before expanding into other areas. But because she was exposed in diverse ways from the start, her core identity remains unclear.' Her limited discography poses another challenge. Although Naevis first appeared in aespa's 'Black Mamba' music video in November 2020, she has only participated in 'Welcome to My World' in 2023 as a featured artist before making her solo debut with 'Done' in 2024. In K-pop, constant activity is crucial for building momentum, and Naevis has yet to be active enough musically to gain widespread attention. Music critic Cha Woo-jin said that, unlike Plave, Naevis functions more as a virtual human, which leads to higher production costs and inevitably limits her activities. 'While both are virtual idols, their attributes set them apart -- Naevis is closer to a virtual human, whereas Plave operates more like a VTuber,' Cha said Friday. Cha added that Naevis still needs time to establish herself, as her official debut only happened last year. 'From an outsider's perspective, quick success might seem ideal, but for management, longevity is more important than immediate impact. You never know when a breakthrough will happen,' he said.
