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Unforgotten Brands: Blue Dart

𝐔𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐁𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬: 𝐁𝐥𝐮𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐭 In 1983, over a casual coffee in Mumbai, Clyde Cooper and Khushroo Dubash mulled over business ideas. They had no grand plans or deep pockets—just a sharp eye for market gaps. At that time, India’s exports were gaining momentum, but small businesses were struggling to keep up. Sending packages abroad was either unreliable, delayed, or prohibitively expensive. The duo roped in their friend Tushar Jani, a young logistics professional with Gujarati business instincts and family roots in freight forwarding. Together, they pooled ₹30,000—modest savings in any era—and launched Blue Dart Courier Services in a cramped 200 sq. ft. space tucked beneath a staircase in Mumbai. Their mission was simple but ambitious: make reliable, fast, and transparent delivery possible, both within India and internationally. ✅The First Big Break: A UK Partnership and 10:30 AM Deliveries To build trust, Blue Dart needed global credibility. They struck an e...

Surviving the Q-Commerce Wave: How Kirana Stores Can Fight Back

𝐒𝐮𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐐-𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐞 𝐖𝐚𝐯𝐞: 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐊𝐢𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐚 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐅𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤 India’s kirana stores have withstood decades of disruption—from the rise of supermarkets to the e-commerce boom. But today, they face perhaps their toughest challenge yet: the rapid rise of quick-commerce platforms like Blinkit, Zepto, and Instamart. What once gave kiranas an edge—personal relationships, hyperlocal convenience, flexible credit—is now being outpaced by 10-minute deliveries, app-based ordering, and deep discounting. Delivery-based income, especially post-COVID, is shrinking. From major metros to towns like Mangaluru, kiranas are feeling the squeeze. But here’s the turning point: many kiranas are not giving up. They’re evolving. Digital transformation is no longer optional—it’s existential. Tools like Near.Store and KiranaPro are helping these shops digitise inventories, manage real-time stock, streamline payments, and even plug into ONDC’s public infrastr...

The Story Behind Father's Day – And What It Teaches Us About Influence

🌟 Not Every Tradition Is Ancient. Some Are Just Deeply Human. Take Father’s Day, for instance. It didn’t begin in sacred texts or ancient rituals—it began with a daughter’s story. In the early 1900s, Sonora Smart Dodd, inspired by Mother’s Day, wanted a day to honor her father—a widowed Civil War veteran who raised six kids alone. At first, the idea didn’t take off. Back then, fathers weren’t seen as emotionally central—they were providers, not celebrated nurturers. But stories have power. Over time, this one stuck. Why? Because it resonated with unspoken truths: ✅ Most dads do a lot behind the scenes. ✅ Families often forget to say “thank you.” ✅ People need a reason—and a ritual—to express emotion. The result? A simple tradition that grew from gratitude—not marketing. And when brands eventually joined in, it worked because the emotion was already there. From mugs to toolkits, Father’s Day became more than a sales event—it became a moment. A reminder. A chance. Of course, not ever...