Latest news with #MayankKumar
Time of India
07-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Dabur Real celebrates the unspoken bonds of love and care this Raksha Bandhan
Raksha Bandhan, one of the cherished festivals, is a celebration of the eternal bond between brothers and sisters-a relationship built on trust, love, care and lifelong companionship. To celebrate this special day, Real, India's packaged fruit juice and beverage brand from Dabur India, has announced the launch of its new campaign, ' Bin Bole Jo Saath Nibhaye, Woh Rishta Réal Kehlaye '. The campaign is a story that highlights the emotional depth of sibling relationships . It celebrates the brothers who protect without being asked, support without expectations, and love unconditionally, capturing the true spirit of Rakhi (Raksha Bandhan) in its purest form. Mayank Kumar, vice president-marketing, Dabur India said, 'This Raksha Bandhan, our campaign celebrates the brothers who quietly become pillars of strength for their sisters. It is our tribute to those heartfelt relationships, much like our promise to offer beverages that are trustworthy, nourishing, and filled with care. As families across the country come together to celebrate this special day, Real by Dabur beautifully captures the soul of this cherished tradition with the launch of its heartfelt Raksha Bandhan ' Bin Bole Jo Saath Nibhaye, Woh Rishta Real Kehlaye' TVC campaign . We invite everyone to raise a glass of love, health, and cherish those special moments of love, trust, and lifelong connections, because some bonds deserve nothing less than the Real goodness.' 'To celebrate the day, we have launched a new film which captures a tender story that goes beyond rituals, highlighting the emotions and memories that form the foundation of every sibling relationship. It beautifully conveys that while Rakhi may be symbolised by a thread, the real connection is woven with trust, care, and countless shared moments, much like the brand's commitment to offering Real nutrition and Real goodness in every drop,' said Monisha Prasher, general manager marketing – foods, Dabur India said. Featuring some of the renowned faces of the TV industry, the campaign will be rolled out across digital platforms and other media channels. Watch the video here:
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Business Standard
17-07-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Germany freelance visa: With ₹1.27 lakh, Indians can work without employer
Are you a journalist, lawyer, engineer, or self-employed professional thinking of working in Germany without an employer? Germany's Freelance Visa—officially known as the Freiberufler visa, allows non-EU residents, including Indians, to live and work independently in the country, according to German Missions in India, Germany's Federal Foreign Office. This national visa (Type D) is valid for up to three years and allows multiple entries. It costs €75 (about Rs 7,477) and serves as a pathway to a residence permit and, later, permanent residency. Applicants must choose between two tracks: The visa type is the same, but the eligibility conditions depend on how your profession is classified under German law. Freelance professions listed under German law Section 18 of the German Income Tax Act identifies the following freelance professions: • Scientists, artists, and educators • Lawyers, notaries, patent attorneys • Surveyors, engineers, architects • Doctors, dentists, physiotherapists, non-medical practitioners • Tax consultants, sworn accountants, economists • Journalists, photojournalists, interpreters, translators • Pilots and comparable roles What you need to qualify Here's what Indian applicants need for the freelance visa: • A valid passport with two blank pages (issued within 10 years) • Minimum monthly income of €1,280.06 (about ₹1.27 lakh) • Proof of professional qualification (e.g. university or vocational degree) • Detailed description of your freelance work • Health insurance valid in Germany • Proof of clients or business contacts in Germany or Europe • Recent CV and passport photos (taken within 6 months) • Those over 45 need pension proof or retirement benefits • €75 visa fee (roughly ₹7,486) Applying from India: Step-by-step The application is submitted before travelling to Germany. Indian applicants must apply through German Missions in India. • Fill out the National D Visa application form and print it • Book an appointment at your nearest German consulate or embassy • Gather all required documents, checking language requirements • Attend the appointment and provide biometric data • Once granted, the National D Visa is valid for 3–6 months • After arriving in Germany, register your address within two weeks • Visit the local foreigner's office to convert your visa into a residence permit Freelancers also need to register with the local tax office (Finanzamt) and obtain a tax identification number. After five years of continuous residence, German language proficiency, and proof of steady income, you may become eligible for permanent residency. Why some Indians are choosing Germany 'Germany's Freelance Visa can be a valuable opportunity for Indian professionals, especially in fields like IT, media, design, consulting, and language training where independent work is common,' said Mayank Kumar, co-founder and CEO at BorderPlus. 'It allows individuals to live and work in Germany while offering services to local clients. The benefits include flexible work arrangements, access to the European market, and potential long-term residency if structured well,' he said. 'Those who come to us for jobs abroad (mostly nurses in the case of BorderPlus), they look at career growth, job security, long-term settlement options, and a better quality of life. We do observe a steady interest in Germany as a possible destination for skilled work and long-term planning,' Kumar told Business Standard.
Hindustan Times
28-06-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Startup Mantra: Giving nurses wings
Pune: After spending 10 years with his earlier venture upGrad, Mayank Kumar left in October 2024 to start another company — BorderPlus — with his co-founder Ayush Mathur (who was earlier with OYO). The genesis of BorderPlus began when Mayank was in Germany and happened to visit an old age home. Lack of healthcare professionals at a foreign country triggered Ayush to set up his second startup BorderPlus that aims to meet the increasing demand for skilled nurses in Europe to begin with. (AP (PIC FOR REPRESENTATION)) 'I noticed there that despite having capacity they could absorb maybe 70%-80% elderly people. The reason? They lacked staff that could care for them. This was the case in most of the old age homes there. While their population was growing old, they did not have enough young, able-bodied people to look after them. Also, about 90% of the residents were women. And besides having someone to care for them, they wanted a person who they could talk to, someone to share their day with. And, unfortunately, this was missing.' 'To address this demographic crisis – this huge shortfall of caregivers, in such homes, Germany was planning to hire thousands of Indian nurses over the next few years.' And so, Mayank's entrepreneurial mind began to work in overdrive. 'This was something we noticed in countries around the world. They were struggling to find skilled workers, especially in healthcare, logistics, and construction. A key driver of this shortage is the aging population in many developed nations. In Japan, nearly 30% of the population is over 65. Germany isn't far behind, with 22% of its population in the same age bracket. As older populations grow and birth rates decline, the pressure on essential services, especially healthcare, is increasing sharply. At the same time, India has a large, young, and trained talent pool. But most people don't have access to the right support systems to take their skills global,' he said. This was an opportunity knocking at the door. Mayank Kumar (HT) Mayank set out to build a solution for this need. He met with several stakeholders across countries- hospital recruiters, healthcare administrators, and policymakers. 'What we consistently heard was that the talent gap wasn't just about skills or degrees. It was about language proficiency and real-world readiness.' Mayank understood that to serve the need in those countries he had do more than just send out blue-collar workers on the next plane to Germany. 'There's no shortage of qualified professionals in India. But without strong language training, cultural preparation, and the ability to meet local standards, most would never get access to global opportunities.' And so, he got down to fill that gap in their qualification. 'That's when we realised that if we could integrate a finishing school with language training, career support, and employer demand and layer it with technology for scale and credibility, we could build something truly transformative. A platform that doesn't just move people, but prepares them to stay, grow, and thrive in their new environments. Getting down to work Simply getting blue-collar workers jobs abroad was not the goal was obvious. They had to be trained like in a finishing school. They had to have fluency in the foreign language, understand their customs and culture, get assistance with various legal procedures, be able to crack the visa interviews. BorderPlus helps people build global careers, not just get jobs abroad. Mayank said, 'Finishing school helps train participants in German language and healthcare-specific communication, prepare for cultural and professional expectations, help with documents, interviews, and visa paperwork, and connect to employers abroad.' With his tech skills and upGrad experience, Mayank devised an AI tool that can teach nurses German in 750 to 800 hours. 'If they put in five to six hours every weekday they can learn the language in seven months to about a year. Our AI-powered training platform supports learners with personalised feedback, real-time pronunciation correction, and self-paced practice modules. It complements the finishing school experience and makes sure candidates can build fluency and confidence even outside the classroom.' The programme fee for nurses is ₹ 2 lakh and the amount is reimbursed either through a BorderPlus scholarship or relocation support. 'Our revenue model is employer-based, meaning we only earn when a hospital or recruiter successfully hires someone we've trained,' he said. BorderPlus charges employers ₹ 4 lakh to ₹ 12 lakh per worker placed. Building the platform Since both the founders come with prior entrepreneurial background, assembling a strong early team and raising capital was not their biggest challenge. Mayank, 'What mattered more was to have clarity - a clear understanding of the problem, the systems we needed to build, and how to solve it meaningfully at scale. The real work now is focused execution, integrating training, tech, and compliance into one seamless experience for both candidates and employers. We're building for trust and long-term impact, and that takes time. We're not just trying to scale, we're trying to solve the problem in a way that actually works for everyone involved. We're still building it and there's a lot more work ahead.' The money story Up until now Mayank and his co-founder Ayush started with founder capital of ₹ 1 crore and a few small grants, keeping it lean and intentional. In February 2025, they raised $7 million in their first institutional round. Owl Ventures led the round, with support from investors like Binny Bansal, Ritesh Agarwal, Mithun Sacheti, Apoorva Patni, and Aakash Chaudhary. 'The funds are going into scaling our finishing school model, building AI-led tools like a language bot, expanding to new sectors, and setting up more training hubs across India and beyond.' Ayush Mathur (HT) Each candidate contributes roughly 40%–50% margin after accounting for costs. 'The current focus is on optimising delivery while maintaining quality and compliance.' In their first batch they enrolled 150 nurses who will complete their course in October-November this year. 'Even before our batch closure we are seeing our nurses getting placed.' The country in focus is Germany but plans are afoot to cater to Japan, the UK, Canada, Europe, GCC. Competition Mayank is not unduly concerned about competition because he knows that at the moment there aren't many players who provide the kind of services that they do. 'There are players who focus on either recruitment or training, but not many who do both in a structured, end-to-end way. What sets us apart is our full-stack approach. We don't just find people jobs, we train them, prepare them, and support them all the way. It's about outcomes, not just placements.' Plans to scale Their training hubs are in Pune and Kochi. This 'finishing school' model takes a candidate from language and soft skills to culture and documentation. It runs through both physical hubs and digital tools like AI-led language bots and modular training content. Parallelly, they are working closely with employers, hospitals and governments in their destination countries. The big picture According to Mayank, 'The global demand for skilled professionals, especially in healthcare, is not just large, it's also accelerating. The World Health Organization projects a global shortfall of 4.5 million nurses by 2030. Countries like Germany, Italy, Japan, and the UK are actively expanding visa routes and relaxing norms to bring in foreign talent, with India emerging as a preferred source due to the strong reputation of its nurses. India has a growing, young workforce, but most lack access to structured global pathways. That's the gap we're solving. 'We're building structured global careers backed by training, technology, and trust. Our goal is to create 42 mobility routes across sectors, beginning with healthcare and soon expanding into other high-demand fields like logistics and construction. 'Our model is vertically integrated from language training and cultural preparation to documentation, placement, and post-arrival support. For destination countries, that means better-prepared, longer-retaining talent. For candidates, it means a smoother, more supported journey to global opportunity,' he said. Future plans BorderPlus has seen a 20%-30% increase in demand for nurses since its launch in January this year. 'We're setting up more hubs across Delhi NCR, the North East, and South India, and expanding quickly through a franchise model. We're also scaling in the Philippines and Brazil, and actively training 150+ nurses there right now. The goal is to train 100,000 nurses in the next few months. And we're also exploring strategic partnerships and acquisitions to grow faster in key regions.' Mayank and Ayush have set their sights across the globe. Time will tell how this will play out for India's blue-collared workers.
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Business Standard
25-06-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Tax-free salary, easy visa: Why 800,000+ Indians live and work in Qatar
As Iran launched a military strike on a US base in Qatar on June 24, 2025, the Indian government said it was monitoring the situation closely. The Indian embassy in Doha issued a safety advisory for its citizens, asking them to stay indoors and follow local guidance. 'In view of the ongoing situation, the Indian community in Qatar is urged to be cautious and remain indoors. Please remain calm and follow local news, instructions and guidance provided by Qatari authorities,' the embassy said. Qatar is home to over 800,000 Indians — the largest expatriate group in the country — and is a long-standing destination for those seeking work and higher earnings abroad. But what makes Qatar so attractive to Indian workers? Mayank Kumar, co-founder and CEO of BorderPlus, a talent mobility platform, told Business Standard that Qatar remains an attractive destination for several reasons. 'Qatar continues to be an attractive destination for Indian professionals, particularly because of the combination of high, tax-free earnings and lower barriers to entry compared to Western markets,' said Kumar. He added that typical monthly incomes for Indian professionals range from ₹1 lakh to ₹1.5 lakh, and with no income tax, the savings potential is much higher than in India and often comparable to countries like the UK or Germany. Kumar said licensing and visa procedures in sectors like construction and healthcare are relatively straightforward, with fewer language hurdles, which makes it easier for professionals to move. 'Geographical proximity, a large Indian community, and familiar cultural norms help new migrants settle in quickly. There's a built-in support system,' he said. Jobs Indians take up in Qatar Indian nationals in Qatar are employed across both white- and blue-collar roles. According to Kumar: • Construction and infrastructure projects continue to absorb large numbers of Indian workers • Hospitals in the public and private sectors hire doctors, nurses and allied health professionals • Oil and gas companies, retail chains, IT firms, schools, and hospitality businesses also depend on Indian talent 'Service roles in hospitality, retail, and domestic work remain vital to Qatar's economy and are often filled by experienced Indian workers,' he said. Indian presence in education and business in Qatar Official figures show that: • Over 60,000 Indian students are enrolled in 19 Indian curriculum schools and a few international schools in Qatar • Around 4,500 Indian nationals work as teachers or non-teaching staff in these schools • More than 20,000 Indian-owned or partnered firms operate across infrastructure, energy, communications, and tech • Indian companies have invested more than $350 million in Qatar between 2017 and 2025, according to Invest Qatar Large Indian firms with a presence in the country include L&T, Shapoorji Pallonji, Wipro, TCS, Tech Mahindra, Lulu Group, Malabar, and Tanishq. Longstanding ties and reforms draw workers 'India and Qatar share deep, longstanding ties, socially, culturally, and economically, with the Indian workforce playing a vital role in Qatar's development,' said Kumar. He noted that Qatar has introduced reforms over the past few years, including: > Removing the requirement for exit permits and no-objection certificates > Setting a non-discriminatory minimum wage > Strengthening labour protections Kumar added, 'As Qatar undergoes rapid growth and diversification, it faces a growing demand for skilled, job-ready professionals. India, with its vast pool of qualified workers, is well positioned to help address this gap.' Impact of regional tensions on Indian migrants On whether the current tensions are affecting long-term plans, Kumar said most Indians still view Qatar as a stable option. 'While current geopolitical tensions may have a short-term impact, Qatar will continue to be a strong destination for Indian professionals in the long run. With steady demand for skilled workers and close India-Qatar ties, it offers promising opportunities for those looking to build careers abroad.'
The Hindu
18-06-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
‘Solidarity, not sympathy': Kolkata campaign centres dignity of the elderly
Kolkata In a social ecosystem where the elderly often find themselves isolated, battling loneliness and depression with few avenues for expression or support, a citywide campaign currently underway in Kolkata seeks to reconnect them with the world beyond their often-empty homes. Launched in mid-April at the Asiatic Society by the Department of Psychiatric Social Work at SSKM Hospital, in collaboration with the National Institute of Social Defence — a Central government body — the initiative will conclude with a West Bengal-level conference at the Indian Museum on June 22. A significant milestone in the campaign came on June 15, observed globally as World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, during an event at the Kolkata Police Training School. In a departure from conventional observances, caregivers and family members were not invited. The event gave the stage exclusively to older adults, who spoke candidly about experiences of neglect and psychosocial distress — concerns often overlooked in discussions around India's ageing population. 'Mental healthcare for older adults is not optional — it's essential. Wrongly labelling depression or dementia as 'normal ageing' delays care and deepens suffering,' Dr. Amit Bhattacharya, Professor of Psychiatry at SSKM Hospital, said underscoring the urgency of the campaign's goals. One of the campaign's most poignant moments, according to organisers, was a theatre performance titled Banchbo Mora Eksathe (We Will Survive Together) by the group Janhabi Sanskritik Chakra. The performance conveyed the message that dignity is not a favour but a fundamental right. 'This campaign is not about sympathy — it is about solidarity. When someone says, 'No one has asked me in years how I feel,' it shakes you. Right to dignity cannot expire with age,' Mayank Kumar, Assistant Professor at the Department of Psychiatric Social Work and project head, said. Reflecting on the emotional resonance of the sessions, Manisha Manna, an scholar and facilitator, said, 'Several participants broke down. For some, it was the first time anyone asked how they were doing emotionally. One woman held my hand and cried — not because of anything I said but because someone finally cared to ask. It reminded me that we don't always need grand solutions. We just need to listen.' The Kolkata Police, which partnered for the June 15 event, runs a separate programme for senior citizens called PRONAM. 'Our programme has around 26,000 members enrolled. Any resident of Kolkata above 60 and living alone or with a spouse can enrol with us. We have a dedicated helpline and a call centre for them. Police persons keep visiting members regularly to provide them a sense of security,' said Santosh Pandey, Additional Commissioner of Police. The final event on June 21–22 will bring together experts from institutions such as NIMHANS, Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), and Delhi University. 'India currently has over 104 million citizens aged 60 and above, according to Census 2011, and this number is expected to nearly double by 2050. Globally, it is estimated that 7% of older adults live with depression, 5% with dementia, and 2% with anxiety disorders. In India, however, such conditions often remain undiagnosed and untreated, usually dismissed as part of 'normal ageing',' said Mr. Kumar.
