Inside India

One business idea can transform your lifestyle and bring out the entrepreneur in you. But if you were born into a middle-class, Indian family, you will need much more than just an idea to become an entrepreneur. 

In today's episode of Inside India, Ben Hayward brings to you the story of one of India's internet pioneers, Sanjeev Bikhchandani, Founder and Executive Vice Chairman of Info Edge. Sanjeev now owns a portfolio of companies including India's largest job portal Naukri.com, Matrimony website Jeevansathi.com, real estate classifieds platform 99acres.com, and educational website Shiksha.com. What started as a small idea back in 1997, when he observed colleagues trawling through the office copy of Business India for job ads, Sanjeev has an uncanny ability to observe customer needs and turn unsolved problems into powerful business ideas. He has an in-depth understanding of the Indian consumer and their ever-growing thirst for doing things online, be it ordering a pizza or finding your house or even your spouse. Join us as we have a conversation with one of India's most successful entrepreneurs and learn what it takes to build an internet business in Asia's fastest growing digital economy.

You have probably heard before that there are two religions in India that truly unite its population of 1.3 billion people: Bollywood, and cricket. Whilst it is entertainment for the fans, both industries can mean serious business for brands and producers alike. 

In today's episode of Inside India, Ben Hayward is joined by Venky Mysore, CEO of Red Chillies Entertainment and Managing Director of the IPL cricket franchise, Kolkata Knight Riders. Venky's understanding of the Indian audience and his story of building two of the biggest entertainment brands in the country alongside the king of Bollywood Shah Rukh Khan offers a fascinating insight into the world of media consumption for a generation of new Indians. Join us as we explore India through the lens of Venky's story and how he plans to export Bollywood and cricket to audiences all over the world. 

When you think about India, the first thing that comes to mind might be the amazing food, for example, butter chicken, naan bread, dosas and the entrepreneurial Indians who bought these foods to the world. But with India’s rapidly expanding middle-class population literally hungry for new ideas, is there an opportunity to flip the script and take the world to India? It may sound counterintuitive, but for some, this is exactly what is happening. 

In today's episode of Inside India, Ben Hayward is joined by Jasper Reid, founder of International Markets Management, a UK-based trading house specializing in developing brands and businesses in new markets, particularly in India and China. IMM owns the master franchises in India for Jamie's Italian, Jamie's Pizzeria and Wendy's burgers. Jasper’s story of bringing pizza and burgers to India is literally the story of a new, modern-day India. That story is one of the opportunities that lie in this amazing subcontinent and the opportunity to serve an emerging consumer who is literally hungry for new ideas and tastes.