Latest news with #SagarShah
News18
a day ago
- Health
- News18
Why Your Oral Care Routine Could Be Missing This Crucial Step?
Most people brush daily but skip the step that completes oral care. News18 A true pioneer in India's oral care landscape, Colgate introduced its first toothpaste to the country in the late 1930s. At the time, oral hygiene for most Indians was steeped in traditional practices, think neem twigs, home remedies, and age-old rituals passed down through generations. When Colgate launched its first modern products, dental cream in a tube, tooth powder, and, most recognisably, the toothbrush, it didn't just introduce a product; it sparked a cultural shift. Modern oral hygiene became a daily habit, and the brand quickly became a trusted household name. For over 88 years, the toothpaste brand has been part of everyday Indian life from carefree childhood grins to mindful morning rituals. The brand evokes not only freshness but also nostalgia. Today, the brand's name is so ingrained in our vocabulary that people often ask for 'Colgate" when they simply mean 'toothpaste." Every Indian has a memory linked to Colgate. For Sagar Shah, a 34-year-old entrepreneur and father from Mumbai, that connection bridges generations. 'Colgate's been around since I was a kid, I still remember those red-and-white tubes at home. Now, with my own child, it's the one brand I don't even second guess," he says. 'Whether it's the strawberry kids' variant for my younger one or Colgate Total for the rest of us, I know I'm covered. And with the Barbie electric toothbrush, I don't even have to convince my daughter to brush twice a day." For homemaker Sunita Soni, 49, from Jaipur, Colgate blends tradition with innovation, 'I'm always on the go, from household chores to everything in between. I need one product that tackles multiple concerns. Colgate Active Salt does exactly that—it uses the power of salt, something my family has trusted for ages, to stop oral problems before they start." Evolving with Every Generation Today's consumers want more than basic hygiene, they seek freshness, flavour, and a dash of excitement. For Gen Z and Millennials, Colgate has evolved into a lifestyle product. 'Colgate Purple is my go-to before shoots or events, it gives my smile that extra pop," says Shifa Khan, 27, a social media consultant from Mumbai. 'It's almost like a beauty product. Sometimes I switch it up with MaxFresh, the one with hearts, it's fun and makes brushing feel aesthetic." For others like Moiz Sayed, 26, a marketing manager from Bengaluru, simplicity is key, 'I've been using Colgate Total since my early 20s. It works, it's reliable, and I don't have to think twice. On busy days, that kind of dependability matters—just like my Colgate ZigZag toothbrush, which makes sure every corner gets cleaned." The sentiment echoes with Ria Chowdhary, 31, a consultant from Kolkata, 'As a child, my parents would buy me toothpaste with cartoon characters on it. Over time, I've only grown more loyal to the brand. My favourite is Colgate Total, but I also use Visible White Purple for extra brightness, and their mouthwash for a quick freshen-up. It leaves a lasting freshness and I know my teeth are being cared for." The Unmistakable Effect From rural towns to urban metros, from children learning to brush to adults seeking advanced care, the brand has become more than just a toothpaste, it's a daily ritual, a symbol of trust, and the gold standard in oral care. Few brands achieve this rare status: becoming so deeply woven into daily life that they define the category itself. view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
New Indian Express
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
In Chennai GM, players bat for spectators but with caveats
CHENNAI: At the chess World Championship in Singapore, one senior journalist was asked to leave the arena because 'you keep talking'. At Norway Chess, casual fans had to keep exiting the arena to understand if games were about to finish. They had access to live boards but of course the eval bar was switched off. At the ongoing Chennai Grand Masters, a ticketed event, the priciest ones set you back `3500 (VIP ticket) to watch Sagar Shah and his guests discuss games in real time. The eval bar is available on tap. They are also allowed full time access to the playing hall but sans phones. To see them, first, they will have to deposit their mobile phones, walk through a corridor before entering the playing hall. There, they will again be asked to 'maintain silence'. It's basically one of chess' biggest quirks. You pay for the privilege of watching the world's best but you won't be allowed to behave like a normal match-going fan. If you like to shout, chess may not be the game for you. For decades, the game's organisers have been fine with this attitude. With respect to noise from inside the playing hall, it's like Wimbledon on steroids in terms of decorum and etiquette. 2025, though, has seen a few disruptors wanting to challenge that particular status quo. The Las Vegas -- staying true to the loud and gaudy nature of the place — leg of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam was a crystal ball into the game's future, or at least one version. There were fans inside the Stadium with access to live commentary and eval bar. Players had access to noise-cancellation headphones. It was like the chess world had channeled the blingiest version of themselves and marketed it. Not every player liked it. Fabiano Caruana, one of the best in the game, hated it. The Las Vegas event, though, was just an appetiser. The main event came at the eSports World Cup in Riyadh two weeks ago. The chess was loud, the format was crazy (10 minutes and zero increments), the games were super fast and it was atmospheric. An adjective that's seldom been used in a chess setting.
Indian Express
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Fans inside competition venue, allowing noise and making players wear headphones: How chess's perennial quest to become a spectator sport is playing out
During the 2024 edition of the Chennai Grand Masters, where fans had direct access to the playing hall – the tournament was held at Anna Centenary Library – there was a moment when all the players paused and scanned the auditorium. A tired fan, snoring inside the otherwise silent arena, was enough to disturb the players and the volunteers would take the fan out in no time. For this edition also, being held at a private hotel, the organisers haven't shut the door completely on the fans. Spectators are allowed entry inside the playing arena for the first 15 minutes of proceedings. After that, they have a designated area where one of the most recognisable faces in the Indian chess Sagar Shah provides them with live commentary and there are multiple television screens set up for the fans to keep track of what is happening inside the playing hall in real time (the rest of the world gets a delayed feed of 15 minutes). The Chennai event is one of the many where chess is becoming more ambitious in its attempts to make it a spectator sport. At the recent eSports World Cup and the Freestyle event in Las Vegas, fans had access to the playing hall throughout the contest like any other sport. Unlike the 2024 event in Chennai, where spectators were barred from using mobile phones inside the playing hall, these two events had no such restrictions. The spectators even had the liberty to cheer loudly with players having to wear noise-cancellation headphones. As chess steps out of its tradition and tries to become a spectator sport, the young players don't seem to be perturbed about the change. Liang Awonder, for one, didn't watch world champion D Gukesh take down Magnus Carlsen at Norway Chess, but watched the five-time world champion bang the table as it had drama in it. 'I think it definitely can work,' Awonder says. 'Although, I think I'm part of the problem because I don't actually watch chess. I just watch the drama. My friend told me about the game (Gukesh vs Carlsen), I didn't even see it. But I watched that video a hundred times. I don't know what happened.' 'Whenever Hans (Niemann) tweets, I instantly get a notification on my phone. I don't actually find chess that interesting to watch, but I like it when people are arguing in the comments. When I'm watching the big tournaments, I don't even watch the commentary. I watch the comments. That's where you find the real gems.' The drama is what makes Awonder glued to basketball on television back home. It is the reason that has made him aware of cricket, a sport, he says, where he has heard people say 'there is a lot of drama'. 'I think everyone finds their own entertainment. For me, it's not the games and the players. They're not that entertaining. The moment someone's beefing, I see it right away. Chess has a really bright future, especially for people like me. I feel like there's always drama,' Awonder adds. Vincent Keymer, who sits in sole lead at the Chennai Grand Masters event, reckons there is huge potential for chess to become a spectator sport, provided the players also get used to having fans around when they are at the board. While no player had an issue at the eSports World Cup, it was different at the Las Vegas freestyle tournament. 'There's still some work to do, firstly, because it's not really popular (as a spectator sport). You first need to get into people's heads that it can work. Secondly, you need to figure out a way to make it appealing to the masses and at the same time, keep the conditions such that the players can produce the high level that we are used to. You have to find the fine line where both are possible. Once we start having many tournaments which are going in that direction, you get feedback from both tournaments and players, and it will be possible to find that mixture,' Keymer says. However, Dutch GM Anish Giri doesn't prefer all tournaments taking the same route for the sake of maintaining originality. 'Headphones were a nuisance, but the games were very short. If every tournament were like this, the chess world would have gone in a direction in which I don't want it to go. But this is not what they are saying. They are saying, like, should all tournaments be like this? I think not. Should one tournament be like this? For sure,' Anish says. The noise-cancellation headphones weren't preferred by many players at Las Vegas. Having begun the tournament without them, the organisers made it mandatory to wear them. Fabiano Caruana, for one, didn't like the concept of allowing fans inside the playing hall. Despite wearing headphones during his game against Hikaru Nakamura, he complained about the noise from the gallery as he felt it was in some ways outside influence. Arjun Erigaisi, who didn't mind the spectators, did have once concern though from the eSports event. 'During the event, I felt this is exactly what needs to happen for chess to become a spectator sport. It's more entertaining that way. But some things need to be adjusted. One of the things I disliked was that players are forced to wear noise-cancelling headphones,' he says. But the day may not be far when fans sit in the galleries with placards, and chess players hear the odd comment.
Daily Mail
20-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Retail sales slumped in May after April spending spree - but consumers are feeling more confident
Retail sales slumped last month as shoppers held back after an unexpected April binge, and higher inflation weighed on spending. Retail sales volumes fell 2.7 per cent in May, far exceeding expectations of a 0.5 per cent fall and dragged lower by a 5 per cent slump in food sales, according to fresh data from the Office for National Statistics. All sales categories suffered decline for the month and volumes are now 1.3 per cent lower than this time last year, the biggest drop since April 2024 and well below economists' forecasts for 1.7 per cent growth. It follows the sunniest April on record, which prompted Britons to splurge on new clothes, food for Easter gatherings and DIY essentials, and drove retail sales 7 per cent higher for the month. Sagar Shah, associate partner at McKinsey & Company, said retailers' reversal of fortunes could be linked to food inflation hitting its highest level since February 2024 at 4.4 per cent, while 'other fiscal pressures' faced by retailers, such as higher labour costs, 'could potentially be impacting promotions'. But separate data on Friday showed British consumer confidence rose is now at its strongest level this year, with Britons feeling more slightly more positive on the economic outlook. Shah added: 'What's becoming increasingly clear is that consumer sentiment and spending patterns are no longer neatly aligned.' GfK's closely watched consumer confidence index rose to -18 in June from -20 in May, beating forecasts of an unchanged reading. Consumers' assessment of their personal financial situation over the next 12 months remained unchanged at 2 for the month, just barely in positive territory, while their assessment of the UK's economic outlook over the same period improved from -33 to -28. Neil Bellamy, consumer insights director at GfK, cautioned that sentiment could easily deteriorate from here. He said: 'With petrol prices set to rise in the coming weeks following the escalation of the conflict in the Middle East, and with ongoing uncertainty as to the full impact of tariffs, there is still much that could negatively impact consumers.' Thomas Pugh, chief economist at RSM UK, warned tax rises, higher utility bills and more expensive petrol 'will eat into consumers' disposable income', while a cooling labour market will weigh on wage growth and employment throughout the rest of this year. He added: 'However, the outlook is far from dismal. Despite rising inflation and slower wage growth, real incomes will still rise at a reasonable pace this year. 'Household balance sheets are considerably stronger than they have been previously, and lower interest rates will continue to help. What's more, there are good signs that the worst of the labour market pain and tariff uncertainty is already behind us. 'The determinant of spending growth in the second half of the year is likely to be whether consumer confidence continues to rebound and households ease back on their extraordinarily high saving rates.
