Popkast with Garima: Revitalising Indian podcasting with a pop of entertainment 

Popkast with Garima: Revitalising Indian podcasting with a pop of entertainment 

Podcasting has gone mainstream and the audio industry is literally on a boom! With more than 850K podcasts, the field continues to grow, so will the opportunities for content creators. Popkast with Garima is commissioned by Hubhopper, India’s largest audio platform. The podcast is first interactive pop culture podcast. An unapologetic and badass show, talking about the taboo, breaking the Stree-o-type, opining on everything. From everyday millennial drama to social norms, from 90’s music to all things woke. Hosted by self-proclaimed know-it-all and expert of nothing, PopKast with Garima, ensures that you get your weekly dose of sass and everything that your parents forgot to teach you about life! Garima says, “I started listening to podcasts two years ago that’s when I realised that most podcasts were pretty similar in nature and format – long, loaded with data, and zero audience engagement. I wanted to disrupt the podcast paradigm by still talking about the relevant topics, but in a fun two-way banter with my listeners. On the show I opine on everything millennial, break the Stree-o-type with woke references from pop culture and old Bollywood dialogues. Infact, all episodes on the podcast are names of weird Hindi movies with vintage posters and much nostalgia! Some of the episodes are called Dhoti, Lota Aur Chowpatty, Murde ki Jaan Khatre Mein. There are fun segments where listeners have to guess famous 90’s songs and a whole Popkast playlist to hook on to in the times of Masakali 2.0.” So, basically a podcast revamped and packaged with a lot of dope and sprinkled with sass! Voila! Her latest episode on 420 has sparked conversations across leading news portals and websites. 420 is considered as an occasion for smoking or celebrating the smoking of cannabis. But cannabis is so much more than just smoking the herb. Did you know that? To talk about the same, the episode features a Cannabis activist and Hemp-prenuer gyanning us about the MJ plant and something cool that he is building for the ecosystem – Terraphilic! An expert reveals some uber cool fun facts about India’s history with the plant, it’s medicinal benefits and how this miraculous plant can give us all – Roti, Kapda, Makaan but in the most sustainable fashion. The episode is super fun and a light listen! Hemp’s uses are kaleidoscopic and has innate power to build a better future. From clothes, to using hemp seeds in food – one seed contains 25% more protein and more omega-3 oils than walnuts to pain relief, hemp cooking oil which is better than any oil. Hemp is a great bio-fuel too. Hemp fibre is among the most durable and versatile of all-natural textile fibres. Infact, hemp has even been used to decontaminate soil around the Chernobyl disaster. This nine-thousand-year-old wonder crop of the Himalayas can transform the future but is unfortunately still illegal in India. The episode also draws light on the loopholes that are present in our law regarding cannabis. India has a rich history with the plant, we all know about bhaang, that’s nothing but the flower of the plant. Hemp is definitely the sustainable way forward and it is high time to raise awareness on the same. Garima Surana is a self-proclaimed expert of nothing and loves to talk rant on all things pop. Her podcast, Popkast with Garima – A Hubhopper Original (India’s largest audio platform) is available for streaming on Hubhopper, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher and all other major podcasting platforms as well as on the website. When not scrolling on Instagram, she can be found reading about art and culture. Garima hosts India’s first interactive pop culture podcast. As it is April 2020 also (4-20) Garima, has contributed the third episode to millennials who are developing mixture of hemp hurds and lime, sand, or pozzolans, which is used as a material for construction and insulation. This is called Hempcrete, which is extremely sustainable! The love for 420 in India is silent yet violent types. There are consumers and dedicated ones too!  Link: Episode 3: BOOM: the one that got us high FEAT. An Anon  ymous user   IG : Popkast with Garima Popkast with Garima: Revitalising Indian podcasting with a pop of entertainment

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 Heal the World Cover by The Bangalore Collective

Heal the World Cover by The Bangalore Collective

The Bangalore Collective is an initiative by few of this city’s musicians, artists, DJs and folks from the event community collaborating through music to help raise funds for the souls fighting for survival due to the Covid 19 Pandemic in Namma Bengaluru. They are releasing their cover version of the Legendary Michael Jackson’s ‘Heal the World’ today evening. Let us all unite through music and do the best we can to generously support the needy. They will be releasing their first cover English video on the 29th of April, and the Hindi Version on 30th of April, 2020. The lyrics are written by Bangalore’s popular DJ Sasha Sammbi. Let us show the world that the pandemic has miserably failed to move us off from our humanitarian values. Let us fight Covid 19 together, because we are family and we are one. They are working with efficient establishments like NRAI, The Smally’s Foundation and The Shah Foundation, who have already been doing such wonderful work of reaching out to people in need. All the proceeds would go towards the Feed The Needy Campaign of NRAI (National Restaurant Association of India) and The Smally’s Foundation. Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/thebangalorecollective/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebangalorecollective/ Twitter : https://twitter.com/thebangaloreco1 English : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dl2eq1GAGXs Hindi : https://youtu.be/-VR5WVaF4bk https://nrai.org/feed-the-needy/ Original Song Composer / Performer : Michael Jackson Original Lyrics : Michael Jackson Conceptualised By: Neeraj Kapoor Curated By: Neeraj, Yon, Thirtha Patil ( TT ) Hindi Track Curated / Lyrics By: Sasha Sammbi Produced By: Brian C Bangera English Track Sung By: Brian C Bangera, Rachna Ramadin ,Sanah Anwar, Rosemary Joshi ,Kenishaa Francis, David Windsor, Sandeep Boniface, Neethusha C, Goapu, Dheeraj Kumar, Ashwin Bhatia Hindi Track Sung By: Sasha, Shownak , Sanjana, Sunayana, Aarti Sivakumar, Rafiushan Pasha Chorus Featuring: DJ Yon,DJ Martin D’souza, DJ Jeffry Martin, DJ Andre, DJ TT, DJ Clitus, DJ Arlene Gomez, DJ Gladwin Corrie, DJ Ganesh, DJ Rohit, DJ Clement, DJ Vanshi, Joshua, Sash, DJ Jasmeet. Label Credits : Epic Video Produced By: Blueprint Productions Supported By: Virtuous Retail, Mypartymob, Differed Records, Blueprint Productions, Soul Sante Special thanks to: Russ Peterson and Richard Mathew Our Support Partners: NRAI (https://nrai.org/), Shah group (https://www.shahgrp.com/about-us.html) and the Smally’s Foundation Sunday Soul Sante: “As Sunday Soul Sante is a community by the people of Bengaluru, its our time to make a difference and give back. We are happy to associate with the good folks of The Bangalore Collective in the effort to provide essentials for the less fortunate.” [envira-gallery id=”8992″] Heal the World Cover by The Bangalore Collective

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 THE GALLERIA VITTORIO EMANUELE II

THE GALLERIA VITTORIO EMANUELE II

In a generation like ours where today the craze for shopping just seems to be rapidly increasing, have any of us wondered how or when the first shopping mall came up? The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele is believed to be the oldest shopping mall in Milan, Italy and a major landmark as well. This four-storeyed arcade was designed in 1861 by the architect Giuseppe Mengoni centrally located in the city and is named after Victor Emanuel II, the first King of the Italian Kingdom. Image source: shutterstock.com This elegant structure, located between the two main monuments of Italy- Il Duomo and Teatro alla Scala, is formed by two arcades shaped like a Latin cross covered by a glass and iron dome and houses the most exquisite fashion boutiques as well as renowned cafés and restaurants. Image source: tripsavvy.com The Galleria is also known as il salotto di Milano which translates to Milan’s drawing room as a result of its numerous stores and is also a meeting and dining place. It houses luxury retailers selling merchandise ranging from haute couture, jewellery, books and paintings as well as restaurants, cafe’s and bars. Few of the high-end, jaw dropping boutiques include: Louis Vuitton, Prada, Versace, Swarovski, Massimo Dutti, Borsalino and many others. Covering the vast expanse of the space for you to indulge in retail therapy or mere window shopping is enough to build up an appetite. The Galleria has a range of elegant eateries to select from- Camparino, Luini, Ristorante Galleria, Savini, Felix Lo Basso are some of the places where you can enjoy a lavish gourmet meal. Imagesource: wheremilan.com This is indeed not a place one would want to miss out on while visiting the Fashion Capital of the world. Whether you’re a shopaholic or not, you’re bound to be awestruck by this spectacular place. #thestyle.world #galleriavittorioemanueleII #milano#milan #italy #italia #travel #architecture #discovermilan By Anoushka Makhija. THE GALLERIA VITTORIO EMANUELE II

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 Celebrates Jazz Around the World on International Jazz Day

Celebrates Jazz Around the World on International Jazz Day

In celebration, NCPA@home will feature a special Jazz performance by DownBeat Rising Star, Camille Thurman with New York City’s finest trio led by world-renowned drummer, Darrell Green at the NCPA International Jazz Festival ’19 from 6:00-7:00pm on the NCPA Mumbai YouTube Channel. In November 2011, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) officially designated April 30 as International Jazz Day in order to highlight jazz and its diplomatic role of unitinpeople together with legendary jazz pianist and composer, Herbie Hancock. International Jazz Day brings together communities in learning about jazz and its roots along with raising awareness to the dialogues amongst cultures through this international art form recognized as a promotion of peace and freedom of expression. In light of these trying times, the National Centre for the Performing Arts would like to join in this endeavour with an online initiative to bring communities together with a touching tribute to Jazz. These performances will be broadcasted at multiple intervals between April 29 to May 1 on NCPA’s social media platforms taking into account all cities, countries and time zones in hopes of celebrating jazz together all around the world. The artistes who have come together with the NCPA in this global celebration include maestros from India, the United States of America, Italy, Japan, Israel, Netherlands, Germany, London and Singapore amongst other countries. The videos collated feature over 75 artistes from the largest jazz hubs all around the world expressing themselves with intimate home-recordings in this celebration of hope. Jazz remains as it was then; Music promising hope and freedom, an art form which evokes identity and augments the desire to express. As Duke Ellington understood it, Jazz embodied certain ideals of freedom and independence through which it evolved, and according to him, “the music is so free that many people say it is the only unhampered, unhindered expression of complete freedom yet produced”. Farrahnaz Irani, General Manager – Western Music, NCPA. Celebrates Jazz Around the World on International Jazz Day

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 Online – a New Performance Venue for the Arts

Online – a New Performance Venue for the Arts

International Dance Day is celebrated the world over on April 29. It is a global celebration of dance, created by the Dance Committee of the International Theatre Institute, the main partner for the performing arts of UNESCO. No one can undermine the effect of a live performance. The experience of alert minds bonding with each other through the arts. A silent exchange of energy, a silent connection giving rise to multiple emotions. A few weeks back this medium suddenly came to a standstill. With the country under lockdown, live performance spaces are closed. Empty stage, vacant seats. But the show must go on. And it did. Every challenge comes with opportunities. NCPA and many such veteran organisations started their online screening from their archival treasures.   As an arts manager at the NCPA, going online has given us the opportunity to add art more to the lives of our audiences. With live shows we were able to only reach out to people who can physically visit our venues but with online we reach out to even that lady who perhaps has never stepped out of her kitchen. My grandmother listened to the radio as she cooked. Those memories of Indian classical music drenched in her mild spices still linger in that space. Growing up her kitchen was no less a space that I connected with good art. An experience dotted with explanations of ragas or stories of wondrous sadhanas of acclaimed artistes as she chopped away. This course into music appreciation was no less for a young mind as mine.  She always missed not being able to watch dance. Today she would have been happy. Every time we have a screening of our music and dance shows, we have audiences sharing photos of themselves – at their homes, with their kids watching an Indian classical music or a dance show. Online surely has helped us reach out better. It has created a new performance venue for us. Both to perform and to experience… With opportunity comes the necessity of focussed research and planning so that the presentations do justice to the art and the artiste. And with that also comes the topic of sustainability. I know NCPA and all organisations who ticket their shows have put in a lot of effort in creating this habit of paying for good art. With a lot of content now being shared for free, though a beautiful way of reaching out in such tragic conditions but with it is also a growing concern of losing the habit of paying for the arts. This contribution is important. Though in most cases box office collection for the classical arts barely cover the expenses of putting up the show but this participation from the audience in acknowledging the efforts and years of hard work by the artistes are important. It is important to that young kid sitting with her parents watching Indian classical dance with a paid subscription to believe in the talent that she has. A confirmation that her dancing talent matters to the world as much as her skills in solving trigonometry. So what kind of content then should be free online? It’s tough to answer this. Probably something which can’t be recreated or has been extensively performed (and some investment has been recovered). I feel new content (unless supporting a cause) should be reserved for the special person who gives us the respect of creation with subscription. By Swapnokalpa Dasgupta- Head- (Odissi dance artist) and Dance Programming, NCPA. Online – a New Performance Venue for the Arts

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 Bliss of a perfect brew

Bliss of a perfect brew

Third Wave Coffee has launched a new summer beverages menu for those locked down during the peak of summer. Being homebound isn’t a deterrent to enjoy this range of delicious lattes, frappes, non-coffee fusions and cold brews, as they can be delivered to the customers home by ordering through Swiggy, Zomato and Dunzo. The new beverage menu has iced lattes in five interesting flavours including chocolate, caramel, matcha espresso, Thai and honey, frappes such as choco coconut, salted butterscotch and non-coffee fusions and cold brews having unique flavours like yuzu lemon and orange chilli. The classics, mochas, frappes, shakes and teas have been created by the R&D team of Third Wave Coffee, and carry an innovative mix of flavours that are sure to be loved by the Indian palate. The new menu is complemented with 100% Arabica coffee sourced directly from origin, freshly roasted in small batches and ground at the café. The summer beverages have been created to bring alive the theme of the menu: FUSION, which represents the melange of Third Wave Innovation in beverages and the refreshing need-state summer brings up. The concept of fusion of flavours also manifests visually when the beverage is presented as the key ingredients retain their distinct ,colours. The beverages pair perfectly with the existing food menu, giving customers a wide range to choose from. “We did not want our customers to lose out on their favourite brews during this lockdown period, and so went ahead with the launch of the new menu. To nudge consumers to make coffee at home, we had our Baristas create videos on making beverages at home without complex equipment. We have not let the pandemic come in the way of our customers enjoying their cup of coffee and we have ensured our coffee and coffee beans reach them through orders serviced by our delivery partners. We know our customers are missing their favourite café, so with every delivery to rekindle good memories we are sending across the Spotify playlist of our store.” said Sushant Goel, Co-Founder, Third Wave Coffee. Third Wave Coffee also prides itself on innovation in coffee, and this is seen in the variety of special beverages featured on the menu. Right from pouring the perfect French Press, Pour Over, Aero Press or Syphon to flavourful lattes like Orange Zest Mocha, La Vie En Rose, Yuzu lemon cold brew, Matcha espresso iced latte, Sea Salt Mocha, Third Wave Coffee drives itself towards the single-minded effort of bringing delectable coffee to Indians. With a well-trained team of baristas and ample seating, Third Wave cafes are all set to delight. Each Third Wave Coffee Outlet is accented with minimal and comfortable seating, ample natural light and the warm, inviting aroma of fresh coffee. Third Wave Coffee’s journey has been one of introducing India to a delicious coffee experience while building a great brand. This is achieved by taking great care to ensure quality, flavour and freshness right from bean to when it is made into a fresh cup of coffee ready to be consumed. Third Wave Coffee is founded on the precept that India, being the sixth largest producer of coffee and having the fastest-growing millennial population, is a fertile ground for a start-up coffee brand that can give you, the ‘Bliss of a perfect brew’. Bliss of a perfect brew

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 Katrina Kaif and Nykaa support daily-wage workers

Katrina Kaif and Nykaa support daily-wage workers

As the world comes together to fight the unprecedented human impact of COVID-19, Kay Beauty steps in to support the De’Haat Foundation in their work to aid daily-wage earners in rural Maharashtra. The Kay Beauty contribution will go towards the De’Haat initiative to ensure daily-wage earning families living in the villages around the Bhandara district have food and basic sanitary materials. At the heart of Kay Beauty, the beauty brand launched by Katrina Kaif and Nykaa is the message of #MakeupThatKares, a vision to give back to the community. The De’Haat Foundation was founded by Vrundan Bawankar in 2018 with a vision to support single mothers and provide quality education to their children in the village. Commenting on the initiative, Katrina Kaif said, “The current lockdown to prevent the spread of the virus has led to a situation where many daily wage labourers need urgent supplies for their basic needs. This is a time for all of us to come together and do what we can to support them as best we can. I have always admired the work of the De’ Haat Foundation and we are proud to support them in their endeavour to aid their community. Founded in 2019, Kay Beauty is a partnership between actor Katrina Kaif and Nykaa – India’s leading beauty retailer. The vision behind the brand is to create a bridge between high glamour makeup and skincare to deliver high-performance products that also care for you. Kay Beauty products are enriched with skin-loving ingredients that have been hand-picked personally by Katrina. The range truly defines the premium category through its packaging and the finest quality formulations. Besides being true to the global trend of #MakeupOnTheGo, the products are high on performance. With the range of shades plus versatile and unique formulas, the brand sends the message of #ItsKayToBeYou, inviting customers to celebrate their personality and express themselves with Kay Beauty. The brand is exclusively available on the Nykaa website and app, and at all Nykaa stores across India. Katrina Kaif and Nykaa support daily-wage workers

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 Actor Sanjay Dutt expresses his gratitude

Actor Sanjay Dutt expresses his gratitude

Sanjay Dutt is one of the most prominent actors in the film Industry. Due to the current situation of the lockdown caused by the pandemic, the actor has been active on his social media spreading messages on awareness and alertness, and urging the enormous number of followers he has on social media, to practice social distancing and staying safe and healthy. The actor expressed his gratitude towards the individuals fighting the pandemic for us and risking their lives so we may be safe. He also persuades everyone to appreciate the work they are doing for us while expressing his disappointment in the people who treat the forefront fighters with disrespect. He took to social media and shared, “I’d like to thank all the policemen, doctors and healthcare professionals, front-line workers, essential commodity providers who are working selflessly, risking their lives to keep us safe and secure. It’s disheartening to see people misbehaving with them.” On the work front, Sanjay Dutt has an extremely busy year ahead as he is set to appear in five notable films including ‘KGF: Chapter 2’, ‘Shamshera’, ‘Bhuj: The Pride of India’, ‘Torbaaz‘ and ‘Sadak 2‘. He last made an appearance in Kalank along with Madhuri Dixit, Aditya Roy Kapoor, Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt. Actor Sanjay Dutt expresses his gratitude

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 Six Million People Join in for the Global Online Concert by Grammy Award Winning Musicians

Six Million People Join in for the Global Online Concert by Grammy Award Winning Musicians

The concert was live in more than 200 different digital, social media, DTH, OTT platforms and also in National Television channels in different parts of the world. It featured performances by 40 musicians from 6 countries with 5 Grammy Award Winners including Ricky Kej. This would be the backdrop for the launch of ‘Shine Your Light’ – a music video with the message of hope and solidarity – by Ricky Kej. The concert was supported by WHO, WWF, UNICEF India, UN Climate Change, UNESCO MGIEP, UNCCD, and EARTH DAY NETWORK. One Page Spotlight, the social and professional networking site for creators and entertainment professionals, recently hosted the Global Online Concert on the occasion of Earth Day 2020. The concert was a collaborative effort of One Page Spotlight and Grammy-award winner musician Ricky Kej. Aimed at promoting the Stay Home Stay Safe initiatives amid the global COVID-19 crisis, the 60-minute concert featured 40 musicians from 6 countries with 5 Grammy® Award Winners and renowned musicians. Around 6 million music lovers from across 190 cities across the world logged in to the concert. Acting as a catalyst, One Page Spotlight envisioned to create a global impact by providing a platform to musicians as well as rural artisans to showcase their talent to the entire world. It also included the biggest names of the global music industry including Senegalese singer Baaba Maal, Grammy® Award Winner Laura Dickenson, Grammy® Award Winner Wouter Kellerman, Hindustani classical music instrumentalist Padmabhushan Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, among others. The event also witnessed the launch of ‘Shine Your Light’ a music video by Ricky Kej. In line with the vision of the concert, the song represents hope, solidarity, and light during these confusing and dark times. The music video features their performances in six countries and 13 cities. On the back of its stellar artist line-up, the concert witnessed massive traction as it live-streamed across the official social media handles [Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube] of WHO, WWF, Earth Day Network, UNFCCC, UNCCD, UNICEF and also at the official handles of One Page Spotlight. Eros Now, Paytm Insider, Isha Foundation, PVR, Just Dial, Airtel Digital TV, Airtel Xstream, and Spykke were the outreach partners to stand in solidarity with the global cause. Along with powerful performances, the concert also featured the inspiring words of Dr. Tedros Adhanom, Head WHO, Mr. Pavan Sukhdev, Global Head WWF, Ibrahim Thiaw Global Head UNCCD, HH Sadhguru, Head Isha Foundation who spoke to the viewers about solidarity and hope amid the global lockdown. Commenting on the initiative, Ricky Kej – Grammy-winning American composer, music producer and Environmentalist, said, “At a time as uncertain and unnerving as this, music from across the globe was successful in doing what it does best – bringing people together. I believe that every person in the audience, including me, took away the message that we are all in this together, even as we socially distance ourselves. Moreover, the event has spread much-needed awareness and appreciation for our fragile and ever-giving environment. I believe that this will lead to positive changes and sustainable practices to continue protecting the earth even when the pandemic has passed. This was a one-of-a-kind experience and I am delighted to have been a part of it.” Speaking on the event, Ramani Iyer, Founder, One Page Spotlight, said, “We are thrilled to witness the huge traction that the Global Online Concert has garnered. This only goes to show that people, no matter where they are located, are cumulatively looking for a guiding light that directs them out of this dark and highly challenging period. We are proud to have supported the concert which is one such initiative that will help people overcome this pandemic with the power of hope and solidarity.” Six Million People Join in for the Global Online Concert by Grammy Award Winning Musicians

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 Crocs and Priyanka Chopra Jonas to donate footwear

Crocs and Priyanka Chopra Jonas to donate footwear

Crocs and Priyanka Chopra Jonas will donate 10,000 pairs of footwear to healthcare workers in India. Crocs, Inc., a global leader in casual footwear for men, women, and children, in partnership with the brand’s global brand ambassador, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, announced to donate 10,000 pairs of footwear to healthcare professionals in Kerala, Maharashtra, Haryana and Karnataka. This charitable contribution is an initiative by Crocs and Priyanka to support healthcare professionals in India during the COVID-19 pandemic. Priyanka Chopra Jonas, actor, producer, and global UNICEF ambassador, stated, “Healthcare professionals across the country are our true superheroes, working everyday to ensure our safety and fighting for us on the frontlines. Their courage, commitment, and sacrifices are saving innumerable lives in this global pandemic. While we cannot even imagine what’s it like to be in their shoes, we can at least help them be comfortable in them. Because of the nature of their work, it is critical for them to have easy-to-clean shoes and apparel for themselves. I’m so proud to work with Crocs India to give 10,000 pairs of Crocs shoes to healthcare professionals in public and Government hospitals. We are so glad to be able to offer this support and hope this helps these caregivers in the fight against this virus.” Healthcare workers are on their feet for long hours and require a comfortable pair of footwear, now more than ever. Crocs™ shoes are designed with Croslite™ material that helps provide all day comfort. Further, the ability to easily clean the shoes will give healthcare professionals ease of mind before they go home to their families. Crocs President & CEO Andrew Rees stated, “We are pleased to work closely with our global brand ambassador Priyanka Chopra Jonas in order to extend our support to the healthcare professionals in India who are working on the front lines to help us fight this pandemic. We have spoken to healthcare workers and facilities all over the world, and they have specifically asked for our shoes in an effort to provide ease on their feet, as well as the ability to easily clean them before or after shifts. These workers have our deepest respect, and we are humbled to be able to answer their call and provide whatever we can to help during this unprecedented time. Together with Ms. Chopra Jonas, we will be able to support caregivers working in the public hospitals across 4 states in India – Maharashtra, Haryana, Karnataka, and Kerala. We would like to thank the respective state governments in helping us with this initiative” Crocs is committed to the cause of supporting healthcare workers across the world and is pursuing similar donations in other countries as well. Along with India, Crocs and Priyanka Chopra Jonas also announced a 10,000 pair donation for healthcare workers in The United States. Crocs and Priyanka Chopra Jonas to donate footwear

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