Dream11 Lists $550MN Investment Ahead Of IPL

Deam11, the Mumbai-based fantasy gaming startup, is raising fresh funds to the tune of $500 MN. And it is expected to get the funds before the Indian Premier League starts. Tiger Global could become its largest investor so far.

Dream11 funding

According to an unconfirmed report, Tiger Global would buy new as well as secondary shares from the company’s existing shareholders like Kalaari Capital, Think investment and private equity firm Multiples. But Dream11 is tightlipped over the investment.

Previous year, its founder BhavitSheth its user base had increased at CGAR of 230%. He further said that during IPL 2018, the company had 1MN concurrent users and that the expected to the users would increase to 2-3MN in the 2019.

Dream11 history

Harsh Jain and BhavitSheth founded Dream11 in 2008 with the aim of offering games of skills in cricket, football, kabaddi and National Basketball Association (NBA). The company was growing fast but its owners said that they wanted to focus only on Indian market.

Jain said that the company attempted to capture overseas markets like the US but it was found that any attempt to step outside the domestic market impacted the home market of the company. For Dream11, it was undisputable fast growth in the home country.

Growth of fantasy gaming market

According to Deloitte, the present rate of growth of fantasy genre in India is 199.69%. And the total revenue from this market was INR 67 Cr in 2016-17.Deloitte attributes this growth to IPL and T20 extravaganza.

Source: https://bit.ly/2RZAAUj

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Grammys 2020: Priyanka Chopra Stole The Show With Jonas Brothers

Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas became the best photo-couple on the occasion of the Grammys 2020. It was the 62nd edition of music’s biggest awards night at Los Angeles’ Staples Centre when Priyanka Chopra made a head turning entry with her husband Nick Jonas. But they weren’t the only Jonas couples in the event.

Priyanka Chopra’s Grammy dress

It was Priyanka Chopra that consumed limelight. Her dress and accessories soon went viral on social media. She arrived dressed in a plunging neck-line for the red-carpet customary photo-op. Styled with a sleek and neat hairdo, she also accessorized with sparkling earrings and a crystal stud on her belly button.

Jonas brothers

Nick Jonas was joined by his brothers – Kevin Jonas was accompanied by wife Danielle while Joe Jonas was joined by wife Sophie Turner. The Jonas brothers were there to made the night to be remembered with their performance. They had a Grammy nomination for Sucker.

Priyanka Chopra at Grammy awards

She had plenty of drama element on her outfit. Also, she shared a husband appreciation post on Instagram before the event. Earlier in November, Priyanka Chopra gave a grant photo-shoot to Jonas Brothers for their Grammy nomination.

Source: https://bit.ly/3aRxcTR

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Basant Panchami: History, Celebrations And Importance

It is believed that worshipping goddess Saraswati on Basant Panchami brings knowledge. In schools and educational institutions, Mata Saraswati is worshipped is worshipped in the morning and Prasad given to all students and devotees.

Basant Panchami date and celebration

It falls on Magh Shukla Panchami. It is also celebrated as Shri Panchami and Saraswati Puja. It is a very auspicious day for worshipping goddess Saraswati that blesses her devotees of knowledge. It is said that Mother Saraswati blessed all living organisms with voice on this very day.

History of Basant Panchami

Following the orders of Lord Vishnu, Brahmaji created human vagina but wasn’t satisfied with his creation. Taking further orders from Lord Vishnu, he sprinkled water from is kamandalaon the earth and a beautiful woman goddess with four hands appeared on the earth. She was having veena in one hand and garlands and books on other two hands. Her one hand was in vara posture. When she played veena, all the creatures of the world got voice. At this instance, Brahmaji called her goddess Saraswati or the goddess of speech.

Saraswati Puja importance

This day is the devoted to goddess of learning and knowledge. It is important because on this day, people worship goddess Saraswati to get her blessings for knowledge. They want to the goddess to develop good understanding in their children. People associated with the field of art and knowledge worship goddess Saraswati on this day and celebrate Basant Panchami as a day of learning.

Source: https://bit.ly/2RY90GS

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Coronavirus: Why The World Is Scared Of This Virus Outbreak?

The latest tally of coronavirus is 106 fatalities and over 4,000 infected worldwide. But the good thing is that the world has come together to contain the spread of the deadly virus. 

In India, the Union Health Ministry has already sounded alert at international airports and has asked its officials to do a thermal screening of those coming from China. Several cases of coronavirus from Delhi, Mumbai and other states have been reported.

Members of security wear facemasks inside the high-speed train station connecting Hong Kong to mainland China during a public holiday in celebration of the Lunar New Year in Hong Kong on January 28, 2020, as a preventative measure following a virus outbreak which began in the Chinese city of Wuhan. – China on January 28 urged its citizens to postpone travel abroad as it expanded unprecedented efforts to contain a viral outbreak that has killed 106 people and left other governments racing to pull their nationals from the contagion’s epicentre. (Photo by Anthony WALLACE / AFP) (Photo by ANTHONY WALLACE/AFP via Getty Images)

An emergency helpline number has been set up to attend to queries about the deadly virus. The call center is active 24×7. The Union Health Ministry provided information about the helpline number in a Tweet. Anyone looking for help can call 011-23978046. He will be directed to the concerned district and state officials for help. 

Let’s check what is this virus and where it came from

Origin

Origin of the coronavirus can be traced to Wuhan city in central China and it is suspected that the virus took birth in the crowded seafood market of the sprawling capital of … Read the rest

The US Embassy In Baghdad Again Hit With Rockets

The US embassy in Iraq was attacked with rockets on Sunday. It was the first attacked after months of close-calls but thousands of protestors kept-up anti-US sin-ins across the country.

Attack on US embassy

Three rockets landed in the US embassy but no casualty was reported according to Iraqi security forces. But the US embassy didn’t give any information on the attack. Also, no one took responsibility for the attack but the US blamed Iran-backed military factions in Iraq for the attack. The rockets were launched earlier in the day and fell on the western bank of Tigris.

Iraq condemned the attack

Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi condemned the attack. Speaker of Parliament Mohammed Halbusiwhile condemning the attack said that Iraq faced the risk of being dragged into a homeland war. But it had already been dragged into a worrying tit-for-tat fight between the US and Iran.

The US in Iraq

Presently there are approximately 5,200 Americans stationed at various locations in Iraq. And they are there to lead the global coalition fighting the Islamic State group. But now the top Iraqi fighters also want the US to be out after the Baghdad attack.

Iraqis protesting against the US

Cleric Moqtada Sadr, who’s considered a vehement critic of the US, held a rally in Baghdad on Friday and called for American troops to leave with thousands of his supporters. He had previously supported the anti-regime protests across Baghdad and south. Also, he held a large bloc in parliament and top ministerial posts.

Source: https://bit.ly/2GqhHnU

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European Union Passes Six Resolutions Against CAA And Kashmir Ahead of PM Modi’s Visit

As India PM Narendra Modi’s gears up for the India-EU summit in Brussels in March, there is a big backlash from European Parliament (EU) on the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the clampdown on Jammu and Kashmir.

EU backlash on CAA and J&K

EU parliament had six resolutions by 626 from 751 members on the CAA and J&K. But their bigger concern was CAA as they are of the opinion that the controversial citizenship law could create the largest statelessness crisis in the world. But the Indian government refuted the resolutions by calling both the issues as internal matters of the country. Also, the government assured that acts were adopted with due process of the law.

EU groups that moved the resolutions

  1. Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats
  2. The European People’s Party (Christian Democrats)
  3. European United Left and Nordic Green Left
  4. Greens/European Free Alliance
  5. Conservatives and Reformists
  6. The Renew Europe Group

While the first group denounced the fact that India had incorporated religious criteria into its naturalization and refugee policies, the second group expressed its concern over negative image of internal stability in India due to CAA consequences.

India’s reaction to the resolutions

India took exception to the move saying that the issues were entirely internal to the country. And the government displayed hope that those backing India would engage with the government to assess the facts related to the said issues before proceeding any further.

Source: https://bit.ly/3aQ47si

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Retired N.B.A. Player And Champion Kobe Bryant Died With His Daughter In A Helicopter Crash

Kobe Bryant, the retired N.B.A. player and 18-time All-Star and five-time N.B.A. champion, died in a helicopter crash with his daughter Gianna near Calabasas, California. The crash also claimed life of a college baseball coach, his wife and daughter.

Helicopter crash

According to Nine people including the pilot died in the crash said Alex Villanueva, the Los Angeles County sheriff in a press conference. The National Transportation Safety Board had already sent a team to California to investigate the incident. According to Daryl Osby, the Los Angeles County fire chief, the crash site was difficult to access and that the firefighters had to hike the area.

What was the approved strength of passengers wasn’t clear at the time of the incident. Also, the authorities weren’t certain whether the helicopter was carrying more passengers than allowed and if it was overloaded. But authorities said that they would need several days to recover bodies of the victims of hospital crash.

Kobe was going to an academy

Koby Bryant (41) and Gianna were on the way to the academy where he used to coach his daughter’s team. But no further details about the academy or his trip weren’t revealed due to investigations. Meanwhile, fans started visiting the Mamba Sports Academy in Thousands Oaks, California. People of all ages stood huddled in silence around the memorial. Bryant joined N.B.A. directly out of high school in 1996 and rose to become the one of the best players in the history of N.B.A.

Source: https://nyti.ms/37vTKHH

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Highlights Of The Grand Republic Day parade 2020

India celebrated the 71st Republic Day on 26th January with a grand parade on Rajpath. And it was a 90-minute display of military might, cultural diversity and socio-economic progress of the country. The chief guest of today’s parade was Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro. The ceremony started with PM Narendra Modi paying tribute to soldiers at the National War Memorial.

Republic Day 2020 highlights

• The armed forces of the nation and their armaments were at the centre-stage of the grand parade.

• A total of 16 marching contingents including National Cadet Corps and National Service Scheme took part in the parade.

• For the second consecutive year, a woman officer Captain Tania Sher Gill of the Corps of Signals led an all-male contingent.

• The 61st Cavalry, the only active horse cavalry regiment in the world also took part in the parade. Raised in 1953, the cavalry was in the uniform of the erstwhile Gwalior Lancers.

• The Air Force contingent had 144 air warriors with a tableau showcasing scaled-down models of newly-acquired fighter jet Rafael and indigenous Tejas aircraft and the Light Combat Helicopter and Akash and Astra missile systems.

• The naval contingent was comprised of 144 young sailors and equipment like the Boeing P81 Long Range Maritime Petrol aircraft, the Kolkata Class Destroyer and the Kalvari Class submarine.

• DRDO marching contingent displayed the unique anti-satellite weapon Mission Shakti that can bring down hostile satellites.

• 21 women bikers of CRPF on five bikes performed daredevil stunts in the parade.

• There was a total of 22 tableaux from 16 states, union territories and ministries and departments were in the parade.

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Republic Day 2020: Indian Republic Turns 71st Today

The entire country celebrated the 71st Republic Day on 26th January. The whole world witnessed the military might of India in the grand Republic Day parade on the Rajpath. The parade reflects unity and integrity in the cultural diversity of the country.

Republic Day celebrations

The Republic Day is celebrated to commemorate the establishment of the Republic of India on 26th January 1950. Also, it is a tribute to the freedom fighters that laid their lives fighting the British colonialism and to make India free country. The country remembers those freedom fighters and displays its social, economic and military might to the world through Republic Day parade.

Source: https://bit.ly/2vo3O7I

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Beating Retreat Excluding Vande Mataram

The military will continue with the tradition of playing “Abide with me” tune on grand Beating Retreat ceremony on 29 January to mark the conclusion of the Republic Day celebrations.

Beating Retreat ceremony

It is a musical ending of Republic Day celebrations by the three bands of the armed forces – army, navy and air force. Every year, the army bands play “Abide with me” at Vijay Chowk on 29 January since 1950 and it would follow the tradition this year too.

Earlier there were rumours of the army bands replacing “Abide with me” with VandeMatram but there is no official notification from the army. Also, it became clear on the rehearsal on Friday that the army bands would continue with the tradition of playing “Abide with me” tune.

Abide with me

Written in the early 19th century by Henry Francis Lyle and composed in 1861 by William Henry Monk, it was Mahatma Gandhi’s favourite Christian hymn. Also, it was a favourite of King George V of England. Also, the hymn was played at the annual Anzac Day services in Australia and New Zealand and at the associated military remembrance day celebrations in Canada and the UK. But it was first sung at Lyle’s own funeral.

Vande Mataram

It is a Sanskrit poem written by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee in 1870 but it acquired political incendiary Hindutva overtones overtime.The Modi government wanted VandeMataram to be included in Beating Retreat ceremony but the request was turned down by the army.

Source: https://bit.ly/2uCbhzm

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