Connect with us

News Wire

Digital payments for holiday packages and movies rule festive appetite with 200% and 450% growth respectively: PayU Insights Report – Festive Edition

  • Maharashtra & Karnataka account for 40% of country’s transactions; Maharashtra for 25%
  • Record of 8mn transactions processed in single day on PayU platform

NEW DELHI, Nov. 22, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — PayU, India’s leading online payment solutions provider unveiled PayU Insights Report – Festive edition today, a comparative analysis between digital transaction trends in Festive Season 2020 and 2021.* The Indian festive season is a measure of consumer buying sentiment, and this report maps changes in demand across categories.

PayU Logo

Strong sales on retail and e-commerce channels and massive pent-up demand resulted in consumer appetite rebounding; PayU registered a record high of 8 million transactions on a single day. Consumers are getting much more comfortable shopping for large ticket items online. In Festive Season 2021, average spends have increased by 52% while overall transactions handled by PayU increased by 17% compared to 2020. PayU is a pioneer in driving value addition for merchants and banks through data insights, offering targeted solutions which allow them to deepen customer engagement & create actionable business strategies.

Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Delhi and West Bengal drive digital payment adoption

The above-mentioned states showed highest spending through digital payments, with Maharashtra and Karnataka accounting for 24.5% and 14.8% of total spends processed. Mumbai accounted for 20% of total spends this season, Bangalore for 13%, Delhi for 7%, Kolkata and Hyderabad both for approximately 5%. Among smaller cities, Jaipur, Coimbatore, Vijaywada, Pune showed increased volumes of digital payments. Bhubaneshwar and Surat also made their way into Top 15 cities this year (Basis available data; location data not available for all transactions).

Travel and tourism sectors revitalized

Travel and hospitality saw an increase of 105% more users transacting in Festive season 2021, compared to last year. This could be attributed to relaxation of travel norms and positive impact of mass vaccination.  India showed healthy appetite for travel as total spends and total number of transactions grew by 61% and 67%, respectively, compared to Festive Season 2020. This was clearly seen in increased demand for different types of transport.

For airlines, total spends increased by 109%. Trains was a preferred mode of travel with 250% increase in total number of transactions and 200% increase in total spends. This could be because larger number of consumers chose public transport for inter-state travel, after large-scale vaccination drives in different states. Travel by cabs and self-driving options increased during Festive season 2021, with 271% growth in number of transactions and 111% growth in spends. It could be that consumers preferred car rentals and ride-hailing options for weekend getaways and short trips. Holiday packages received a boost with record 200% growth in spends processed per day.

Appetite for financial services grows

Across BFSI categories, consumers were making larger transactions, as the number of transactions showed mild increase but spends increased in double & triple digits. As leading companies issued IPOs in October, investments through trading and wealth management platforms gained momentum, with 431% growth in total spends processed per day.

In Banking and Insurance, the spends through digital modes increased by 109%. Interestingly, consumers also showed penchant for debt reduction as total spends for credit repayments increased by 50% while number of transactions increased by 23%.

Movies see massive recovery

In the entertainment sector, digital payments for movies and events had a surprise recovery with 264% growth in total number of transactions and 469% growth in total spends processed. The uptick comes on the backdrop of gradual re-opening of public theatres and auditoriums post second wave of COVID-19 pandemic.

UPI dominates payment modes, debit cards decline

Payment through credit cards saw a 66% increase in spends and 30% increase in number of transactions. However, payment through debit cards saw a decline as both spends and number of transactions decreased by 13% and 18%, respectively. UPI was the next most popular mode of payment and witnessed 104% increase in total spends and 72% increase in total number of transactions.

Commenting on the PayU Insights Report – Festive Edition, Hemang Dattani, Head- Data Intelligence, PayU, said, “Festive Season 2021 was unique in several ways. After conservative sentiments post the second wave, businesses and consumers alike showed a more robust and optimistic consumption environment. Online shopping festivals organized by leading e-retailers, positive recovery in markets, and relaxed guidelines on travel and public events spurred digital payments across key sectors. Also, what we are seeing across categories is greater confidence in spending large amounts, which is a great sign for the economy and takes us closer to becoming Digital India.”

*The report compares digital payment transaction trends between Festive Season 2020 (10th Oct – 10th Nov) and Festive Season 2021 (1st Oct – 31st Oct).

**Findings are based on transactions on PayU platform

About PayU India

PayU, India’s leading online payment solutions provider, is regulated under the Reserve Bank of India and has advanced solutions to meet the digital payment needs of the Indian market. PayU India aims to create  a full-stack digital financial services platform to serve all (tapped and untapped) financial needs of customers (merchants, banks and consumers) through technology. PayU provides payment gateway solutions to online businesses through its cutting-edge and award-winning technology.  In India, PayU serves more than 3,50,000 merchants with 100+ local payment methods and is the preferred payments partner for nearly 60% of the e-commerce merchants, including all leading e-commerce companies and a majority of airline businesses.

PayU also developed LazyPay in 2017, an alternate lending platform to offer credit solutions such as Small Ticket Credit (Buy Now Pay Later), App-based loans (Instant personal loans) and Point of Sale Credit (Merchant EMI). LazyPay Buy Now Pay Later is currently live on 100+ merchants such as Byju’s, Swiggy, Flipkart, Makemytrip, Dunzo, Vodafone, Zomato, Bookmyshow, Oyo, Tata Sky and many more.

Logo: https://oyefilmy.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/digital-payments-for-holiday-packages-and-movies-rule-festive-appetite-with-200-and-450-growth-respectively-payu-insights-report-festive-edition-1.jpg

Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

Leave a Reply

News Wire

Santokbaa Humanitarian Award 2026 Marks 20 Years of Compassion and Service

SURAT, India, June 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Santokbaa Humanitarian Award 2026, instituted by Shree Ramkrishna Knowledge Foundation (SRKKF), the philanthropic arm of Shree Ramkrishna Exports (SRK), marked 20 years of honouring individuals who have made a lasting difference through compassion, service and leadership. The awards were presented recently in Surat.

This year’s Santokbaa Humanitarian Award was conferred on Padma Shri Dr. Gullapalli N. Rao, renowned Indian ophthalmologist and Founder-Chair of the LV Prasad Eye Institute, and Padma Shri Smt. Reema Nanavaty, development worker and Director of the Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA). Their work has touched millions of lives through healthcare, empowerment and community development.

In a significant addition this year, SRKKF introduced the Social Entrepreneur Award to recognise leaders who combine business excellence with measurable social impact. The inaugural award was presented to Shri Srikanth Bolla, Founder of Bollant Industries, a sustainable manufacturing company known for disability-inclusive employment and environmentally responsible practices.

The event was graced by Chief Guest Shri Harivansh Narayan Singh, Hon’ble Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha and Guests of Honour Shri Harsh Sanghavi, Hon’ble Deputy Chief Minister of Gujarat; along with several other distinguished personalities.

Established in 2006 by Shri Govind Dholakia, Founder & Chairman Emeritus of Shree Ramkrishna Exports Pvt. Ltd. and SRKKF, the award reflects the legacy of compassion and selfless values embodied by his mother, Santokbaa. Over the past two decades, it has become a platform to honour individuals whose lives and work continue to inspire society.

The awardees are selected through a rigorous and transparent process led by an independent jury comprising leaders from diverse fields. The 2026 jury included Shri Govindan Rangarajan, Director, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru; Shri A.S. Kiran Kumar, Former Chairman, ISRO; Admiral R. Hari Kumar (Retd.), Former Chief of the Indian Navy; Shri Rishabh Shroff, Partner, Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas; and Shri Shreyans Dholakia, Entrepreneur and Brand Custodian, SRK.

Addressing the gathering, Chief Guest Shri Harivansh Narayan Singh said that the SRK Foundation is carrying forward Santokbaa’s legacy to the next generation by celebrating service, sacrifice and compassion over wealth or fame. He added that the family’s effort to connect this legacy with social entrepreneurship reflects the values of nation-building.

Shri Harsh Sanghavi said the Santokbaa Award reminds us that true achievement lies not only in personal success, but in bringing light and happiness to others. Shri Govind Dholakia said his mother Santokbaa spent her life guided by truth, love and compassion, and that her values continue to inspire the family’s work. He added that the award’s 20-year journey is a tribute to changemakers whose efforts have strengthened communities across the country.

Speaking on the honour, Dr. Gullapalli N. Rao said it was a privilege to receive the recognition on behalf of all those working to expand access to quality eye care. He said restoring sight restores dignity and opportunity, and praised SRK’s world-class operational systems. Smt. Reema Nanavaty said the award belonged to the millions of women whose resilience and entrepreneurial spirit continue to inspire SEWA’s mission. She noted that when women are empowered, they become agents of change for their families and communities. Shri Srikanth Bolla said his journey has shown that limitations often exist more in perception than reality, and that the award is a reminder that with the right support, every individual can contribute meaningfully to society.

Over the past 20 years, the Santokbaa Humanitarian Award has honoured 20 of India’s most distinguished humanitarian and social leaders, including Shri Ratan Tata, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, Dr. Sudha Murty, Dr. Cyrus Poonawalla, Shri Shiv Nadar, Dr. Abhay Bang and Dr. Rani Bang, Dr. Verghese Kurien, Shri Kailash Satyarthi and Shri A.S. Kiran Kumar. With the introduction of the Social Entrepreneurship Award in 2026, the milestone celebration reaffirmed the importance of empathy, service and purposeful leadership in building a better future.

About Santokbaa Humanitarian Award:

Over the past 20 years, the Santokbaa Humanitarian Award has honoured 19 of India’s most distinguished humanitarian and social leaders, including Shri Ratan Tata, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, Dr. Sudha Murty, Dr. Cyrus Poonawalla, Shri Shiv Nadar, Dr. Abhay Bang and Dr. Rani Bang, Dr. Verghese Kurien, Shri Kailash Satyarthi and Shri A.S. Kiran Kumar, among other eminent personalities. In 2026, SRKKF also instituted the Santokbaa Social Entrepreneurship Award, with Shri Srikanth Bolla becoming its inaugural recipient.

As the Santokbaa Humanitarian Award completed a remarkable 20-year journey, the milestone celebration reaffirmed the enduring importance of empathy, service and purposeful leadership in shaping a better future. The journey endures, contributing to nation-building through compassion, innovation and service to humanity.

For more information, visit: https://srk.foundation/honours

Photo: https://oyefilmy.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/santokbaa-humanitarian-award-2026-marks-20-years-of-compassion-and-service-1.jpg

 

Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/in/news-releases/santokbaa-humanitarian-award-2026-marks-20-years-of-compassion-and-service-302804299.html

Continue Reading

News Wire

Osstem Implant Accelerates Innovation in India with ‘Denall TV’, a Digital Dental Education Hub

  • Over the past two years since its launch in April 2024, Denall TV has become a core platform for digital dental education in India.
  • Opened a dedicated Denall Studio in India in July 2025, strengthening live hands-on and professional training programs.
  • Supporting the professional growth of clinicians through practical content, including ‘Master Courses’ and ‘Product Reviews’.

NEW DELHI and MUMBAI, India, June 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Osstem Implant announced that its specialized dental education platform for the Indian market, ‘Denall TV’ (https://in.denall.com), is gaining significant traction among local practitioners, establishing itself as a vital hub for digital dental education in India.

The thumbnail for the ‘Implant System Introduction’ lecture, the most-watched content on Denall TV India
  •  Building a Comprehensive Digital Clinical Education Environment

Since launching its first content in April 2024, Denall TV has continuously evolved to meet the needs of Indian clinicians. To provide more immersive and high-quality education, Osstem Implant established a dedicated Denall Studio in India in July 2025. This facility has enabled the creation of a systematic digital clinical education environment, overcoming geographical limitations for dentists across the country.

  • Providing High-Quality, Practice-Oriented Clinical Content

The platform focuses on promoting ‘Digital Dentistry’ through specialized ‘Digital Surgery’ education and providing accurate product information. Denall TV consistently uploads essential clinical content, including: Live Hands-on sessions, Practical Master Courses, Expert product reviews featuring items such as the T2 Plus and 122 Taper KIT, helping clinicians make informed decisions for their practices.

  • Strengthening Trust as a Strategic Education Partner

Professional clinical courses have become a major topic of interest among local medical professionals. Notably, the ‘Implant System Introduction’ lecture has surpassed 25,000 views, proving the platform’s high influence. This achievement signifies that Osstem Implant has successfully established itself as a trusted education partner in the Indian market, going beyond its role as a manufacturer.

  • Bridging Global Trends and Improving Educational Accessibility

Osstem Implant connects local practitioners with global academic networks. The platform provides timely content from global academic events such as the ‘2026 Osstem World Meeting in Bangkok’, sharing the latest implant trends and technological advancements with the Indian dental community. By offering online access, Denall TV effectively bridges the educational gap for dentists in regions where offline seminars are difficult to attend.

An official from Osstem Implant India stated, “Denall TV serves as a key bridge, delivering world-class clinical knowledge to local dentists. We will continue to strengthen our real-time interactive webinars to provide deeper clinical insights.” The official added, “We are committed to driving both the quantitative and qualitative growth of the Indian dental implant market through the continued provision of high-quality educational content.”

Moving forward, Osstem Implant plans to enhance its B2C PR strategies centered around the Denall TV platform and lead the popularization of digital dental treatment in India through close communication with local practitioners.

Photo – https://oyefilmy.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/osstem-implant-accelerates-innovation-in-india-with-denall-tv-a-digital-dental-education-hub-1.jpg

Cision View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/in/news-releases/osstem-implant-accelerates-innovation-in-india-with-denall-tv-a-digital-dental-education-hub-302796515.html

Continue Reading

News Wire

Deutscher Cricket Bund (DCB) announces an exciting 2026 season to showcase Germany as the leading European cricket nation, building world-class cricket IP’s

ESSEN, Germany and MUMBAI, India, June 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — After the tremendous success of the recently concluded ‘5 match T20 International event – ‘Austria Tour of Germany,” DCB is all set to kick off its ambitious domestic set of events for 2026.

German Super League – Berlin edition starts at Mayfeld – next to the iconic OlympiaStadion from the 8th of June.

With a fixture of 43 T10 matches, 10 best clubs from the Berlin region will compete to be crowned champions. Legendary English umpire, Billy Bowden, will be the special guest, and will be officiating the final match.

Mr. Severin Weiss, the president of DCB, said, “In order to have a robust system, we need to have a strong domestic structure. It’s not about just having premier leagues and international contests, but building bottom up. And that’s what our core focus and mission is.” He added that for cricket in Europe and particularly in Germany to flourish, they need to attract more natives to take up the sport. Organizing good quality events, that are properly produced at the domestic level, will ensure they achieve this in the years to come.

The team at DCB is working methodically to achieve the stated mission.

Mr. Dieter Voight – DCB CEO – shed more light on the calendar events and stated, “In 2026, with strong collaboration and support of our regional partners, we have plans to conduct up to 8 domestic tournaments with about 300 matches. Add to this, we have 4 international events, the biggest being the Nordic Cup in August.”

The Nordic cup will see 5 women’s teams battle it out in August. The hosts will be joined by the Nordic national teams of Finland, Sweden, Denmark as well.

Germany will also host two more bilateral events, the next one being against Switzerland women’s in July.

Germany hopes to soon break into the top 30 men’s T20 ICC rankings. They won 4-1 against Austria and hope to continue their dominance on the field.

Donovan Miller has been appointed the head coach. Donovan brings in rich experience of working with English Counties, and top franchise tournaments. Coach along with the captain Musadiq Ahmed, who was sensational with the bat against Austria and was adjudged Man of the series, has the full trust and support of DCB to lead the team to achieve grander cricketing success.

With a robust domestic and international calendar in place, DCB is focussed on marketing the events and positioning German cricket as one of the most serious cricket destinations in Europe.

The important aspect is to reach as many people as possible, includes a strategic multi-media plan, which includes digital marketing as a key corner stone.

Dr. Vignaesh Sankaran, Vice President of the DCB, added: “Live broadcasting is only one part of the equation. Equally important is how we market our events, players, coaches, and sponsors to a wider audience. We do not want to miss this opportunity to grow the game and create value for all our stakeholders. The Austria–Germany international series generated more than five million impressions across all platforms. Together with our partners, SMW Global, we invited German influencer Liz Laz, whose content introduced German cricket to new audiences and significantly expanded our reach.

Germany is among the first European Associate Members to embrace this approach at scale, combining elite cricket with digital storytelling and influencer engagement. Through these efforts, we have achieved over 150% growth in viewership and now attract some of the largest cricket audiences in Europe.

Germany’s reputation for strong governance, professionalism, and high-quality event delivery also makes it an increasingly attractive market for sponsors and commercial partners. We will continue to build on this momentum and further strengthen Germany’s position as a leading cricket market in Europe.”

The Deutschland Cricket Board (DCB) has officially entered into a strategic partnership with SMW Global Media, with a long-term vision for collaboration. SMW Global Media will serve as the exclusive commercial rights partner, overseeing event production, ground branding, and sponsor asset delivery, while also supporting the DCB in developing consistent digital content and event promotion across platforms.

Azhan Ahsan, executive director – SMW Global Media, said, “The aim is to produce clean, high quality broadcasts, in decent budgets, allowing our federation partners the flexibility to produce more matches professionally. Consistent supply will expand the reach and grow commercial values of German cricket organically.” He added, “Germany is perhaps the only country in Europe that can on its own produce good quality cricket in such high volumes. Sponsors and media partners love it when there is a proper structure and a plan. And if we can add further value for all stakeholders by adding some spice on the digital content front, we can fast track brand Germany to newer markets and audiences. We are committed to that.”

The last event was broadcast LIVE worldwide on multiple platforms – FanCode, Action Sports, Unbeaten +, Unbeaten Prime, SportVot, Cricket Lounge TV, and German cricket’s official YouTube channel. It was also covered by all major data and scoring partners including ESPN, and Olympics.com.

About Deutscher Cricket Bund (DCB)

The Deutscher Cricket Bund is the governing body for cricket in Germany and is responsible for the development, promotion and organization of cricket activities across the country, including domestic, youth and international cricket structures.

For more information, please visit https://www.cricket.de/

About SMW Global Media

SMW Global Media is an international full-service sports agency that serves some of the major leagues, federations, teams and broadcasters in the world. With a global reach, they have been involved in projects in over 41 countries, annually distributing, selling and producing thousands of hours of live sports and work with over 100 broadcast partners. Their four core areas of expertise include Rights Management, Production Services, Streaming Solutions and Sponsorships. For more information, please visit, smwglobalmedia.com

Photo: https://oyefilmy.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/deutscher-cricket-bund-dcb-announces-an-exciting-2026-season-to-showcase-germany-as-the-leading-european-cricket-nation-building-world-class-cricket-ips-1.jpg

Logo: https://oyefilmy.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/deutscher-cricket-bund-dcb-announces-an-exciting-2026-season-to-showcase-germany-as-the-leading-european-cricket-nation-building-world-class-cricket-ips-2.jpg

 

Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/in/news-releases/deutscher-cricket-bund-dcb-announces-an-exciting-2026-season-to-showcase-germany-as-the-leading-european-cricket-nation-building-world-class-cricket-ips-302798377.html

Continue Reading

Trending