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Historically, India’s nonmetros and small towns have been a poor place to do business —much less try to seed and catalyse the growth of a startup — but things have slowly begun to change.
Venture capitalists (VCs) point to some of these trends. “As an early-stage tech fund… we are focused on discovering the next wave of entrepreneurs from emerging parts of India,” says Karan Mohla, executive director & head of digital consumer investments, IDG Ventures.
“There has been a significant increase in digital consumer activity, especially in the last couple of years and more of this is being driven by consumers beyond the Top 10 cities.
Tier II and III cities are growing faster in terms of their online consumption of goods and services compared to bigger cities and often drive 60-70% of transactions of ecommerce companies.”
Entrepreneurship and starting up is no longer a big city phenomenon. As the success stories of Indian entrepreneurs are celebrated, more people in the hinterland are being emboldened to try their hand at starting up.
Across small town India, in places as diverse as Dharamshala, Udupi, Udaipur and Guwahati, the startup culture has taken hold and is producing dozens of entrepreneurs with nifty ideas.
Udupi, a town in coastal Karnataka, is best known as the birthplace of Darshini, a chain of quick service south Indian restaurants. However, Robosoft, a startup based there, has attracted millions of dollars from VC funds for its range of mobile apps and games. Hubli, also in Karnataka, has gone from a budding software services destination to a hub of startups, backed by the likes of Gururaj Deshpande, an early technology entrepreneur. In Dharmashala in Himachal, ventures such as Mindgrep, Moonpeak Media and Earth Store have all been founded and nurtured in the bracing climate offered by the Himalayas.
Serial entrepreneurs Karthic Ravindranathan and Abhilash Thirupathy chased their startup dreams with Shakti Aeros pace and Healthcare Magic respectively, both in Bengaluru, but for their latest cleantech venture, Surya Power, they came home to Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu. “Our products are targeted at the hinterland and we want to be close to our markets,” says Ravindranathan.
Arohan Foods is possibly the only VC-funded venture in the northeast and its three founders, Anabil Goswami, Arindom Hazarika and Rana Pratap Brahma, gave up careers in Mumbai to head for Guwahati. “It made no sense being in a large city for our business; we wanted to be close to the source,” says Goswami, who co-founded the branded pork venture four years ago.
Investors say that entrepreneurs from small towns appear to be more charged to succeed and willing to put in the hard yards to make their startups flourish. It also helps that costs — from human resources to rentals — are lower, commutes are shorter and fewer people quit jobs.
“Many employees prefer to be in smaller towns… [they are] closer to family, [have] manageable work hours … In the end, there has to be a net long-term productivity gain for the model to work,” says Kumar Shiralagi, managing director of earlystage VC firm Kalaari Capital.
Robosoft, where Kalaari has invested, is in Udupi for its talent base alone. “The proximity to good educational institutions (Manipal Institute of Technology, whose graduates include Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, is an hour away) in the region has helped,” he adds.
But is this enough? Some entrepreneurs suggest that while a small-town launch may be handy to keep costs low initially, moving to a large city may be only a matter of time.
Unni Koroth, Abdul Hisham, Arvind GS, Arun Raveendran, Abdul Salam and Vishwajith A started Foradian Networks, a provider of technology solutions for the education sector in Kasaragod, perhaps Kerala’s most backward district. While being in the boondocks helped keep early cash burn low, hitting the big time required the founders to shift to Bengaluru.
“Our business has been growing 300% year on year since we moved two years ago,” says Koroth. “We all had families and deep ties to Kerala. This was our most difficult, but necessary move.”
The start-ups we have profiled in the following pages may also be confronted with such tough choices. Yet, as they try to make it big, they’ll surely inspire many more in small-town India to take the big leap and start out on their own.
Pigs can Fly
By Rahul Sachitanand
The northeast of India and Guwahati, the region’s largest city, are hardly names that crop up when you discuss places to found a startup with entrepreneurs and investors. While Bengaluru, Mumbai, Pune and NCR may be the top places to venture forth, even smaller cities such as Jaipur, Indore, Kanpur and Coimbatore feature well ahead in preferred locations to start up.
Anabil Goswami, Arindom Hazarika and Rana Pratap Brahma, who have all lived and worked in metro cities, defied the odds when they returned home to Guwahati to found their startup and, what’s more, snag venture capital funding too. Their three-year old venture, Arohan Foods, wants to be the preeminent brand in the branded, packaged pork market, a segment few meat marketers have addressed.
While egg and poultry have established names, pork (India has some 14 million pigs, only marginally below market leader Denmark with 17 million) remains an untapped market. Goswami believes that being in Guwahati is central to the success of Arohan. “Threequarters of Indian pigs are east of UP,” he says. “It makes sense for us to be, so to speak, close to the source.”
From a job with Tata Chemicals in Mumbai, Goswami returned home to Guwahati to cofound Arohan. He says Arohan wants to recast the piggery business in India. “If pork can come from Europe and south east Asia to India, then there’s no reason pork from India can’t be sold around the world,” he argues.
Arohan’s founders are going about revolutionising the pork business in a phased manner. They started with a couple of states in the northeast, then covered the entire region, before embarking on an ambitious nationwide expansion. Today, Arohan’s products, which include bacon, sausages, ham and salami are available in 22 states in India.
“We can become a huge player in this market,” says Goswami. “We have barely started on our journey and already we’ve got enquiries from international markets.” Arohan is working to improve the quality of meat, helping farmers raise healthier (and tastier) pigs, even as it charts its ambitious expansion plan.
While Arohan started out as a tentative business with a small office in the National Centre for The Research on Pig in Guwahati, it has had to quickly scale up both its production and marketing efforts.
From barely a couple of tonnes of meat a year in 2014, Arohan’s facilities are today capable of cranking out 45 tonnes annually and even that is being expanded.
“We are first-generation entrepreneurs who relied on seed capital from friends and family to get off the ground,” says Goswami. “But, we have expanded fast enough to be perhaps the only VC-funded startup in the northeast.” Ironically, the company’s investors, Omnivore Partners, were conducting a study on the piggery business and ended up asking for Arohan’s help with its research.
“That was almost two years ago…we are already running out of production capacity and space at our existing plant and need to quickly consider expanding our capacity to keep pace with this explosion in demand.” Arohan seems to have hit on a meaty business idea.
It will now have to prove it can outgrow its northeast roots and become a national, if not global player in this market.
By Rahul Sachitanand
With over 15 million downloads, the mobile game Dhoom 3 is a runaway hit for its makers, a company headquartered in Udupi, a town of some 1,13,000 in coastal Karnataka. The company, which started with remote software product development and was based for a short while in Mumbai quickly moved to Udupi and refocused on the emerging opportunities in the mobile space.
As a specialist in building apps and games on the Apple platform, Robosoft has cornered a niche for itself in the crowded mobile phone market. Dhoom 3 is hardly its only success story; another game named Star chef (launched in August last year) has already racked up over $3,50,000 in revenues for Robosoft.
“We want to build a series of super hits from both our businesses … Global Delight, which builds mobile photo, video and audio apps, and 99games, which engineers casual mobile games for a global audience,” says Rohith Bhat, founder and chief executive of Robosoft.
Star chef, the fastgrowing mobile game, itself is expected to earn $20 million in revenue this fiscal year. When Bhat first pitched his business to early-stage investors, barely a couple showed an interest in backing a venture from the hinterland. “I had to really go out there and hard-sell our abilities and our products,” he says. Three years later, the situation couldn’t have been more different. When the I-bankers went out scouting for funds, at least 18 or 20 investors queued up for a share of the fast-growing company.
“In the interim, we had proven our abilities and taken location of our business out of the picture. We showed you can build a global business out of a small town.” While Robosoft does have offices in Bengaluru and Mumbai, he says, the firm continues to be headquartered in Udupi. “Entrepreneurs need to get the formula right…with a strong business plan, location become irrelevant to the success of any venture,” he says.
Being in Udupi has given Robosoft business out of a small town access to an abundant pool of talent — Manipal Institute of Technology nearby is an education hub — and the opportunity to be among a few early successes in the region. Doing business has been second nature to the people in and around Udupi, trading and banking have flourished (several staterun banks including Syndicate, Vijaya and Corporation Bank were founded in the area) and Robosoft wants to lean on this tradition to grow.
“We can be a successful company without being based in Bengaluru,” says Bhat. “We have strong customer support and an eagle eye on the competition… for our clients it was okay to be located anywhere
Smart prix: A bird in hand
By Rahul Sachitanand
Bhat has looked to build on this reputation. In April this year, he raised some $12 million for his venture and says the eventual goal is to spin both entities off into separate businesses, to maximise valuations. “Both businesses have separate staff, both for engineering and support,” he adds. “In the long term, we are looking for investors who have both the patience and deep pockets to fund our global expansion.”
From their IIT Delhi hostel rooms to Bharatpur was a natural progression for the founders of comparison site Smartprix pread across nearly 30 square km, the Keoladeo National Park in Bharatpur in Rajasthan is home to around 400 different varieties of birds, besides an assortment of other plant and animal life. The city that is home to this green oasis is an unlikely destination as any to house a startup. You’d be more likely to bump into a keen ornithologist than an enthusiastic entrepreneur.
That didn’t stop Abhinav Choudhary and Hitesh Khandelwal, IIT Delhi computer science graduates, from calling the nearby town of barely 200,000 people their home. Their entrepreneurial journey didn’t, however, start in this small town. In the third year of their computer science course at IIT Delhi, Choudhary and Khandelwal tried to go online to buy a mobile phone, and were duly greeted with a deluge of brands, models and offers.
They discovered that comparisons were almost impossible to come by, and they had to take the long way around, visiting individual sites and drawing their own conclusions on prices, offers and other variables while buying online.
To try and give internet commerce consumers a one-stop place to make these comparisons, they founded smartprix.com in late 2011 out of their hostel rooms. For a couple of semesters, the duo ran their fledgling startup from there, coding in their spare time, even as they raced to prepare for exams and submit projects.
After graduating, the cofounders stuck with their startup, giving up lucrative job opportunities, instead moving back home to Rajasthan to focus on their fledgling startup. Although the going was slow in the first few months, soon the big ecommerce retailers (think Amazon, Snapdeal and Flipkart) were collaborating with Smartprix.
“We have added around $40 million in GMV [gross merchandise value] to our partners’ business and this year we expect the number to increase to $100 million,” says Choudhary.
Based on the growth of Smartprix, the duo is already looking beyond its staple of consumer electronics and plans to add fashion to its kitty.
Leveraging the IIT Delhi network, the founders reached out to Rohit Bansal, a cofounder of ecommerce site Snapdeal (he was a resident of the same hostel) to boost their growth. Today, Snapdeal owns just under a tenth of Smartprix and the founders lean on Bansal to guide them.
“We have over 1,000 brands on our site, listing some 10 million products,” says Choudhary. “With the addition of fashion to our basket, we can become a heavyweight in the price comparison space.”
The duo is already looking to raise a fresh round of funding to boost its growth, even as it has grown from two engineering students working from a hostel with too many phones to pick from to a small office in semi-urban Rajasthan — and to a 25-person startup now based in Noida.
The founders will need to carefully consider a critical shift in the industry — from a browser-centric business, ecommerce is shifting to a mobile app-driven one. As large players such as Flipkart and part-owner Snapdeal invest heavily in their mobile apps, is there a future for Smartprix?
Choudhary seems to think so. “There’s a lot of headroom for growth,” he argues.
“Indian ecommerce is very pricesensitive and not everyone is going to be driven by what they see on an app. We have over a 100 ecommerce businesses on our site and more are being added as we expand our business.”
By Rajiv Singh
Ashutosh Modi needs an introduction, but the place he belongs to doesn’t. “Billionaire investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala is from Jhunjhunu,” Modi says proudly.
For the 30-year-old owner of EntrancePrime, an online test preparation startup, Jhunjhunwala unwittingly has been a saviour. Whenever Modi is confronted with the bugging yet persistent question about the geographic location of Jhunjhunu, he smiles and retorts ‘Jhunjhunwala’. The queries abruptly come to an end.
Jhunjhunu, a nondescript town in Rajasthan some 180 km from the capital city of Jaipur, is the unlikeliest of places for a startup.
That didn’t deter Modi when he started EntrancePrime in July 2013. In less than two years, the test preparation startup has managed to garner 1.5 lakh registered users, including 9,000 paid members. Although it’s yet to make a profit, it posted revenues of Rs 80 lakh in 2014-15 and has set an ambitious target of Rs 2 crore for the current financial year. “It’s a realistic target,” maintains Modi.
But why Jhunjhunu and not Jaipur or any other top city? “It helped me invest more time in my product and stay focused,” contends Modi.
The business Modi chose was born from the pain of not making it to an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT). Coming from a business family that runs a chain of schools in Jhunjhunu, Churu and Sikar in Rajasthan, Modi settled down in his hometown to help his father after working for L&T Infotech for three years in Mumbai.
But the failed IIT aspirant was still not able to come to terms with the bitter truth that the lack of access to quality educational resources had ruined his IIT dream. He wanted to do something on his own but the thought of leaving the family business was intimidating. Finally, in 2013 he mustered courage and asked a loan of Rs 1 crore from his father to start a website.
“My father was flabbergasted. Rs 1 crore for a website! You must be joking,” recalls Modi. But the spunky engineer — he graduated from a private engineering college in Jaipur — managed to convince his father and other family members.
EntrancePrime, which has a range of packages for students starting from Rs 299 and going up to Rs 10,000, has opened offices in Noida, Pune and Kota. It’s easy to start in a smaller town like Jhunjhunu but you have to move out to bigger places for growth, feels Modi. So he has zeroed on in Pune for technical talent and Noida in the National Capital Region to meet his sales and marketing needs.
While it was cost effective to set up a startup in Jhunjhunu in terms of infrastructure and manpower, after a few years of operations the flip side became evident. Lack of access to a startup environment, the absence of mentors and feedback from industry specialists, and the dearth of investors started bothering Modi.
“Eventually moving out to a bigger city will become an imperative,” admits Modi. But that doesn’t mean he will wander away from the roots. Value investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala is doubtless an inspiration, but as far as this entrepreneur is concerned he “would like to become the Ashutosh Modi of Jhunjhunu”
By Rajiv Singh
CV Bhejo could easily have been Rajasthan’s naukri.com. Started in Udaipur in 2011, the online hiring portal had a promising start — it got loads of resumés from candidates hunting for jobs in Rajasthan, recruiters were thrilled with the talent pool and the startup even managed to attract funding. But it shut down in October 2013.
“The business could not be scaled up and lack of paying capacity of people meant time was running out for us,” recalls 33-year-old Nikhilesh Tayal, founder of CVBhejo.
Tayal, however, persisted with his dream of starting something of his own; last November he flagged off Stagephod, a marketplace for independent moviemakers. Started with a seed capital Rs 10,000, Stagephod has a list of over 200 filmmakers across India who have closed 30 deals in just seven months. The startup charges a commission of 10% from the filmmakers for every deal inked.
“Stagephod will not grow as fast as OLA or Snapdeal or Flipkart. A startup in smaller places like Udaipur needs time, patience and money,” says Tayal, who had a harrowing time after the failure of CVBhejo.
Financially, it became difficult to survive and emotionally there was a void as his family didn’t support him and Udaipur didn’t have any startup entrepreneurs who could have empathised with his situation. For Tayal, a software engineer, leaving Bengaluru after three years at Infosys and a year thereafter with a startup to shift to Udaipur in 2011 appeared a Himalayan blunder.
To be sure, Udaipur has its advantages, vis-à-vis the metros, a lower cost of living and cheaper infrastructure being two of the bigger ones. But as Tayal puts it: “The cost of survival was low but the price of continuing was high.”
In his second attempt at starting up, Tayal decided to combine his passion — he had a tryst with theatre when in school — with business. But didn’t he ever think of bailing out from Udaipur? “Startups can survive in Udaipur and flourish as well,” he says, adding that one just needs to be a bit more patient. And Tayal is ready to play a patient game this time. The business model of Stagephod is such that it doesn’t need to bother about the paucity of local talent or any infrastructure issues as it’s not just confined to Udaipur or Rajasthan.
Recently, an NGO contacted Stagephod for a filmmaker in Dantewada in Chhattisgarh. “To our utter surprise, we did manage to get hold of one,” says Tayal. In a year or so, he reckons the business will hit a critical level, and that’s when he will start scouting for investors.
“If investors see value in a scalable business model and an efficient team, then I don’t think location matters at all,” he says. Clearly, Tayal believes even a non-metro can allow him to take centre stage.
By Malini Goyal
If entrepreneurship is a tough life, social entrepreneurship is arguably even tougher. Shravani Pawar, 28, will agree. For the graduate in social work, it all began when she got picked as a social fellow by the Deshpande Foundation, an NGO founded by venture capitalist and entrepreneur Gururaj Deshpande and his wife Jaishree. Pawar figured the best way to empower women was to help them get financially independent. So in 2009, when she was just 23, she started Safe Hands 24/7.
The first and biggest challenge was at home with her parents asking her to drop the plan and pick up a regular job and get married. Pawar chose her passion over her parents. “Their opposition made my resolve even stronger to make a success out of Safe Hands,” says Pawar.
When she started, there were two other cofounders but they soon left the waferthin margin business.
“It is a treat to see Pawar, her phenomenal energy and her passion to work for women empowerment,” says Naveen Jha, chief executive officer of Deshpande Foundation, who has been mentoring her since inception.
Safe Hands today deploys 400 security guards in five districts of Karnataka, and a majority of them are women.
Pawar hopes that in one to two years, Safe Hands will be able to have a presence across Karnataka. And maybe even outside the state; a proposal from an NGO in Kolkata to set up office there is lying with Pawar. Safe Hands works with mostly uneducated women who are deployed as security personnel or guards in commercial complexes like hospitals , colleges , schools and malls.
Almost all women who are deployed by the startup have stepped out of their homes for the first time to earn their livelihood. Their starting salary is Rs 6,000 plus statutory benefits. Since inception, she has been supported by the Deshpande Foundation which also put in the seed capital of Rs 1.25 lakh, besides mentoring and monitoring. Today, the startup has an annual turnover of Rs 2.6 crore.
Profits came in from the second month itself, although it is a low-margin business. By 2017, Pawar hopes to grow the revenue to Rs 5 crore. A constant challenge for Pawar is to keep going in a male-dominated industry.
“They do not take women seriously,” says the mother of a one and a half yearold son. Her husband has joined the business, and Pawar has decided to make the company a private limited one and hire more experienced staff.
There are societal challenges, too. “In a small town, getting women guards to wear a shirt and pant has been a big problem and often a deal-breaker as their families often do not allow them to,” says Pawar. But she is clear that to sustain a professional operation she cannot compromise on these basics.
Being located in a small town means competition is minimal, although the flip side is that there’s no rival to pick up best industry practices from, and thereby improve. Also, the ticket size is lot smaller in the non-metros. “Despite the odds, we would prefer them to focus on smaller towns,” says Jha.
The startup has reached a stage where it needs to put structures and processes in place; and it needs additional funding to hire seasoned executives who will help the company scale. “Getting an investor in a low-margin business is difficult. And, often, the so-called impact investor or patient capital in India is more impatient for returns than a VC,” says Jha.
So Pawar most likely will lean on a bank loan and organic growth to generate funds and slowly scale up. “The way we are able to make a difference to the lives of these women is the biggest motivator for me.”
Smile, we’re in the Hinterland
By Rahul Sachitanand
The city of textiles and a hub for the powerloom business in India, Bhiwandi is an unlikely location to seed a dental services startup.
However, that’s just what Rushi Trivedi, Alpesh Chaudhari, and CM Pandey, dentists by training, did when they founded Smile Merchants, a dental services provider for the hinterland.
The troika took small steps to build the business.
The first was a misstep — an overambitious move to provide dental services to villages flopped. Doctors didn’t want to travel so deep into the hinterland to provide dental services (they yet don’t want to). Instead, the trio retooled the startup’s focus, shifted away from villages and decided to focus on the yawning demand gap in small towns.
According to a recommendation from the World Health Organization, the ideal patient to dentist ratio is around 1 to 7,500. In the top five or six cities in India, there is an oversupply, according to estimates, with one per 5,000 residents. On the contrary, in smaller towns it is closer to one per 10,000 and in villages far more skewed at one dentist for every 2.5 lakh residents.
If Smile’s founders had to rejig their business plans due to travel-wary dentists, they are fortunate to have a large talent pool to target. According to government estimates, over 3,000 dentists graduate annually from Maharashtra alone. Other states such as Karnataka graduate an even larger number, around 5,000, annually.
“There are a huge number of graduates and not all of them can afford to work in a Mumbai or Delhi,” says Trivedi. “We think there’s a pressing opportunity to provide quality, affordable dental care in smaller towns.” Smile Merchants’ approach then is to hire young dentists (fresh from medical college or with a couple of years of experience) and help them set up a branded practice in small towns.
Smile pays dentists more than the market rate and also helps retrain them to be medical entrepreneurs and not just doctors alone. “Convincing patients to pay for quality dental care in the hinterland is a challenge… they prefer to travel 50 to 100 km to a larger city and then wait in line to see a dentist there,” admits Trivedi.
Smile, then, is taking a more measured road to success. Its first few clinics are in places such as Ulhasnagar and Bhiwandi on Mumbai’s outskirts, which will be used as prototypes to gauge the feasibility of this model and make tweaks as required.
However, there are signs that most pieces of this model are already in place and Trivedi is already plotting an ambitious expansion plan. “We already have eight clinics operational and we want to reach 60 clinics in the next 12 months,” he says. “We raised our first round of funding from Unitus, but we’re already talking to investors again to back this expansion.”
While towns such as Nashik, Amravati and Akola are on Smiles’s radar, Trivedi is considering expanding Smile’s focus beyond Maharashtra. “Most other chains [Smile Kraft, Vasan Dental Care, Alliance Dental Care] are based in metro cities,” he adds. “We want to bring a dental revolution to the hinterland.”
Priming the Pump
By Rahul Sachitanand
Karthic Ravindranath and Abhilash Thirupathy have known each other since they were in class VII and threatened to work together for years, but career compulsions kept getting in the way. Ravindranath, an aerospace engineer, last worked with Sakthi Aerospace, a startup in Bengaluru; Thirupathy, an IIM Lucknow graduate, was technology chief for Rx HealthCare Magic. After existing these startups, both got an opportunity to finally start up together.
This time around the duo is in the field of clean energy, specifically solar irrigation solutions to farmers. The first leg of the business is in and around Coimbatore, their home town, with plans afoot to sell their solutions nationally. “It was easier for us to be in a familiar, smaller city and be closer to our core market — farmers — than try to be distantly located in a large metro,” says Ravindranath. “Being close to our core market helped us be in touch with farmers and, especially in the pilot phase, tweak our technology to suit their requirements.”
Surya Power Magic, their startup, takes aim at a few frailties in Indian agriculture. First, farmers in Tamil Nadu and beyond are heavily dependent on the monsoon to water their crops. Faced with the vagaries of the rains, several farmers have leant heavily on artificial irrigation. However, they battle with poor electricity supply to their pumpsets.
Even when power is supplied it is of poor quality and erratic, says Ravindranath. According to World Bank data, only 35% of land is irrigated.
Surya Power thinks its solar-powered irrigation sets offer a handy alternative. In the first year of operations, it sold barely 18 units, in the second 100 and, in year three, the number jumped to almost 400 pumpsets. As order numbers have racheted up, word has also spread to neighbouring districts of Coimbatore and to adjoining states. “Orders have been pouring in...we want to be a national player soon,” says Ravindranath. “We have already starting shipping to Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh and want to expand further this year.”
Ravindranath claims that Surya Power is the largest vendor of solar pumps in Tamil Nadu and possibly nationally. “With the addition of business from Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, our revenues have grown three-fold,” he adds. “We are currently reaching out to around 2,000 farmers to promote our products…this is a small fraction of the number who will benefit from these pumps.”
With orders showing little signs of abating, both cofounders are already thinking ahead to the startup’s next stage of growth.
“We are improving our technology and hiring specialists to upgrade the energy efficiency of our products,” he adds. Solar pumps for farmers may only be the beginning of Surya Power’s journey. As the company establishes itself, Ravindranth already envisions the firm morphing into a technology-led provider of a range of agricultural inputs, and not just pumps. “This is a grey area, with little transparency for farmers…technology can transform their lives,” he says.
By Rajiv Singh
Amit Agrawal’s father suffers from chronic lung disease. The 75-year-old has to be taken for a medical checkup every week in Raipur, Chhattisgarh. But routine visits were turning out to be “mental harassment” for the 34-year-old techie. In spite of having an appointment, Agrawal would on most occasions have to wait for hours at the clinic with his ailing father as the doctor was rarely punctual.
In that experience lies the genesis of Agrawal’s five-month-young online healthcare startup. Ineeddoctor, which connects patients with doctors, was started by Agrawal along with his friends Abhishek Tiwari and Akansh Goyal in January this year in Raipur.
In less than half a year, the venture managed to rope in 55 doctors and 80 health partners, including diagnostic centres; and Agrawal claims they’re already in the black. “It’s not big money but we are making a profit,” he says, declining to disclose numbers.
Agrawal and Tiwari worked in Infosys for nine years. Though both were located in different geographies — Agrawal in the US and Tiwari in Australia — they were in the same training batch and were roommates in Bengaluru and Hyderabad before their foreign stints. Goyal, meanwhile, was in Raipur working for TCS. In 2011, when Agrawal decided to come back to India to take care of his father, Tiwari too made up his mind to shift to his hometown in Raipur and start up. “We met Akansh in Raipur and set up an IT services company in 2011. And early this year we rolled out ineeddoctor,” says Agrawal.
The reasons for choosing Raipur were obvious: optimisation of costs, a virgin market, an opportunity to stay with the family and a chance to make most of the experience gained through their IT venture in four years.
Ineeddoctor makes money from health partners and affiliates, by charging for premium listings and advertisements on its apps and website and by selling customer relationship management (CRM) software to doctors.
While the going has been smooth so far, the startup is gearing up to negotiate sharp curves on its growth path. Unconducive government policies like no tax benefits, lack of access to funding options and creaking infrastructure are some of the issues to contend with. “One of the investors told me: jab tak Raipur main rahoge, invest nahin karunga [As long as you are in Raipur, I won’t invest],” says Agrawal.
However, he doesn’t regret the decision. “I envy startups in top metros who have all the luxuries of the world, especially easy access to funding, but I don’t regret settling down in Raipur.”
Over the next few months, he plans to open offices in metros, primarily to be in touch with investors and recruit for the sales team. In Raipur, more and more citizens may be ready to say I need (a) doctor, but Agrawal also realises that he needs an investor.
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Bosnia and Herzegovina is preparing for a general election on Sunday, 2 October. Here we explain how the election works, who the main parties and candidates are, and what the likely outcome might be in a country said to have the most complicated system of government in the world. How did Bosnia end up with the world’s most complex administration? The Balkan country of about 3.2 million is facing a difficult set of choices in its ninth general election since the first multi-party vote in 1990. At the time, Bosnia was still a part of the Socialist Federative Republic of Yugoslavia — a communist country that soon crumbled and set off a series of wars and conflicts between 1991 and 1999. As one of the seven independent states that came out of the breakup, Bosnia experienced its own war between 1992 and 1995. Until recently, it was considered the bloodiest conflict in Europe since World War II. Bosnia remains extremely vulnerable to the increased nationalist … [Read more...] about Bosnia election explained: How does it work? Who is running? Who is likely to win?
President trump executive order
Royal Mail workers have voted for just shy of three weeks of strike days over the course of October and November. The industrial action, which is a wrangle over pay terms and working conditions, could have a huge impact on pre-Christmas shopping and other massive sales. The strikes will come in the form of single days and also rolling action across Royal Mail Group’s network, the Communications Workers Union (CWU) has announced. The CWU said the move revolves around the “outrageous” decision by senior management to withdraw from major national agreements, push ahead with cuts to workers’ terms and conditions, and a “complete side-lining” of the union. Royal Mail strike dates Royal Mail worker strikes in October and November could disrupt Christmas shopping ( Image: Anadolu Agency via Getty Images) Organisers at CWU said there will be 19 days of strike action over the course of the next two months. While the exact dates have not been announced, union … [Read more...] about Royal Mail strikes before Christmas — dates and how your online shopping is affected
Paris: Having turned to French experts to overhaul her struggling business, Victoria Beckham is seeking the highest validation of the fashion world with her first runway show in Paris on Friday. The former Spice Girl, 48 -- who has been away from the catwalk for two years -- joins Paris Fashion Week after a long stint presenting her clothes in New York and a brief dalliance with London. Her sophisticated office and evening wear has been a surprise hit with fashionistas ever since her debut show in 2008, confounding those who expected her to be another celebrity dilettante. But despite having 250 global outlets selling her clothes, 30 million followers on Instagram and one of the most famous husbands in the world, Beckham´s company has always struggled to turn a profit. In a bid to turn things around, she has recruited top French talent: her chairman is Ralph Toledano, ex-president of the French Federation for Haute Couture and Fashion, and her CEO is Marie Leblanc de Reynies, … [Read more...] about Victoria Beckham returns to catwalk as she joins Paris Fashion Week


(Unlike most content on this site, The Relics is 18+)
My first attempt at a graphic novel after finishing film school!
Honestly, this one is a bit embarrassing to look back on— I think I've come a long way since! But as an aspiring cartoonist I thought it was important to "learn by doing" and making this book taught me a lot.
Shaenon Garrity summed it up well in The Comics Journal, "This is very much a journeyman’s piece, the work of an artist still learning how to do comics, but it comes together nicely and shows promise."
Scott McCloud read it and called me, "One to keep an eye on," which was very exciting to this neophyte 'toonist!


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- dezembro 8, 2022
- Posted by: Cleilton
- Category: rochester escort service
It research difficult for the university and you will realize the lifestyle needs. Ergo, he or she is very educated consequently they are likely to end up being brilliant, ambitious and ready more than just housework. Likewise, stop losing crazy at first sight, since these sort of everyone is often proves to be misleading. First thing you have to know on the Armenian people is their book beauty and you can appears. These female enjoys high make-up, which will make him or her research eye-popping. But despite its beauty, they are not scared to exhibit their true personality.
- Together with valuing their culture, Armenian people together with respect its husbands and family unit members.
- they are not arrogant, thus don’t let ego or cockiness block the way out of an effective relationship.
- Nevertheless, you may still find a female who doesn’t attention becoming a beneficial people’s spouse.
- They’re not frightened to stand out while having their unique style.
- And you may, people should be careful of the women’s people.
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- Therefore, you shouldn’t be afraid of this improvement, since site it doesn’t matter for them.
Along with such opportunities, Armenian girls together with prioritize their family. The man is the breadwinner within domestic, since lady is the guardian. And you will, people would be considerate of ladies’ people. In addition to being respectful, Armenian women value esteem due to their husbands. This is why they often times accept brand new husband’s friends, hence, it is advisable to eradicate them well. Additionally, he is extremely attracted to profitable people who will make a secure matchmaking. If you’re able to admiration its life and you will thinking, you will have the ability to attract a woman from this part.
Detail by detail Notes on the Armenian Feamales in Step by step Order
The new Armenian community keeps generally stressed the latest division of domain names between sexes. The house was a good woman’s domain, and you may she are regarded as new director of the house. If you’re males was in fact generally missing from the household, the mother are accountable for enhancing the loved ones.
Armenian ladies are very respectful of its husbands as they are happy so far a mature son. Generally, it value value and you will award each gender. While men are responsible for bringing-up people, ladies are the people to improve the family. This means that, they’re far more polite of its husbands than of their spouses. While you’re relationship an Armenian lady, understand that years isn’t problematic! You ought to know of one’s need for ily.
The new Armenian Girls Diaries
It is also best to create the lady be ok with yourself. Once you have produced ideal perception, she’ll become more going to need certainly to spend your time to you. Armenian ladies are very talkative and friendly, leading them to attractive to males from all around the world. Furthermore, they will not such as for example pretense, so they really commonly most seeking putting on a phony front. They like to keep honest and you will easy the help of its couples. Also, they are maybe not pompous, very don’t let pride or cockiness get in the way out of a robust dating.
Armenian Lady Provides
They’re not afraid to stand away and now have their own build. But not, if you are not knowing in the although you might be suitable, definitely inquire further due to their viewpoints. Understand that Armenian ladies are most attached to their own families and you can need a romance that persists. It’s a good idea to cultivate a relationship together with her slower and stay diligent.
Rumors, Lays and you will Armenian Ladies
Given that boy was responsible for discussing the household, their are guilty of the brand new household’s repair. The newest role off a female is important from the family members. And additionally respecting their society, Armenian girls together with regard the husbands and you will family relations. Typically, the male is the brand new merchant of the domestic, just like the girl is responsible for raising the pupils.

domain: sociology


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Seven rights groups have demanded that an investigation be launched in allegations that suspected Israeli spy, Tareq al-Rabaa, had been subject to torture while in custody.
They said in a statement that Rabaa was tortured while he was at the Defense Ministry on July 12, 2010, where he was being held for investigation.
It explained that while he was at the ministry, he received a telephone call from a French number that the Lebanese military intelligence suspected to be from the Mossad Israeli intelligence.
Rabaa was consequently tortured, forced to take off his clothes, and arrested against his will.
He was tortured through electric shock and beaten on his ears, continued the statement.
The suspect was allowed to meet with his lawyer after 32 days of detention, it added.
The lawyer however found out that the number actually belonged to a company that cooperates with Lebanon’s Alfa mobile phone services provider.
Rabaa was tortured for 108 days before being jailed in Roumieh prison, stressed the rights groups.
In addition, they revealed that the suspect refused to sign a confession presented to him by Lebanese intelligence.
This confession was the basis of the arrest warrant issued by the military judiciary in which Rabaa was accused of collaborating with Israel, the statement noted.
The suspect’s trial commenced in February 7, 2011 during which the Defense presented all evidence proving his innocence and torture, but the military tribunal refused to take the reports into consideration, it explained.
The statement said: “Rabaa is a victim of torture and his ordeal is a dangerous violation of Lebanon’s criminal trial law.”
It demanded his immediate release and holding those responsible for his torture accountable for their actions.
“Military tribunals are violating internationally recognized laws on conducting fair trials,” it stressed.
The statement was signed by the Lebanese Center for Human Rights, al-Karama organization, the World Organization against Torture, the Lebanese Association for Education and Training, the International Federation for Human Rights, Agir Ensemble pour les Droits de l’Homme, and the Christian Movement to against Torture.
Observers attributed this unjust arrest to Hizbullah’s efforts to prove that telecommunications evidence used by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon has been tampered with by Israel through its spies in Alfa.
They added that Rabaa probably paid the price of these efforts.
Last year, Lebanese authorities arrested a number of individuals working for Alfa on suspicion of collaborating with Israel.
The STL has accused four Hizbullah members of being involved in the assassination of former Premier Rafik Hariri.
Hizbullah has slammed the accusations, deeming the tribunal an Israeli-American product aimed at destroying the party.
|Copyright © 2012 Naharnet.com. All Rights Reserved.||http://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/20029|

domain: politics


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Library and Archives
The collection is particularly strong in the fields of the Canadian Arctic, ornithology, systematics and taxonomy. Our collection specializes in the subject areas of interest to the museum, including biology, biodiversity, botany, conservation and care of collections, ecology, mineral sciences, natural history, wildlife and zoology.
The library contains
- more than 35 000 books
- 2000 periodical titles, of which 100 are current subscriptions
- museum publications
- Rare Book Collection
- microforms, cassettes, CD-Rom, CDs, DVDs.
The library is located at our research and collections facility in Gatineau, Quebec.
Online Library Catalogue
Browse the online catalogue of the museum's library holdings. The online catalogue contains all library holdings catalogued since 1978. Pre-1978 materials must be accessed manually through the card catalogue.
The interlibrary loan service allows museum staff to borrow material from other libraries and provides loans to external users through their own library. To request interlibrary loans, please contact us.
Serials (Journals and Periodicals)
The library subscribes to approximately 100 journals in natural history. Current issues of serials are displayed at the front of the library for one month. Bound and unbound volumes of serials are shelved in call number order on the first floor. The serials are searchables in the online catalogue.
Rare Book Collection
The Rare Book Collection consists of 4000 pre-20th century monographs, manuscripts and periodicals that cover expeditions, natural history and biological and Earth sciences dating back to the 1500s.
The library staff provides basic reference services.
The Canadian Museum of Nature's archives hold three collections: the Archives, the Nature Art Collection and the Photograph Collection
The Archives hold approximately 1.5 kilometres of shelf space of unpublished documents, mostly institutional records. The institutional records offer insight into the past and present activities of our exhibitions, research, collections and administration. The archives hold files that document the museum's history and the museum's mandate—they tell us stories about field trips, discoveries, exhibitions, our natural world and more.
Nature Art Collection
Besides the beautiful and exactingly naturalistic backgrounds of the dioramas on exhibition in the museum, our nature art collection includes more than 1800 items such as oil paintings, watercolours, photographs, drawings, decoys, sculptures, carvings, tapestries representing artists such as Grondin, Landsdowne, Ely Kish, Malak Karsh and Belzaire.
Photographed mostly by the museum's staff, this collection consists of more than 275 000 slides, photos, negatives and glass plates. This collection represents images of the natural world, with an emphasis on Canadian material.
Some material is available for reproduction. More information.
On-site access to our Library and Archives is temporarily closed.
Canadian Museum of Nature
Library and Archives
P.O. Box 3443, Station D
Ottawa, ON K1P 6P4

domain: library


- This event has passed.
KPSRL: Learning and Knowledge Uptake in Practice
30/07/2018 @ 00:00 - 30/09/2018 @ 00:00
Between July and September 2018, the KPSRL will organize three workshops on institutional dynamics and the creation of an organizational learning culture for a constant knowledge inquiry, sharing and absorption. Practitioners, researchers and policy makers will reflect on the application of new information to adjust ideas, strategies, operating assumptions and/or activities in SRoL policy and programming.
The workshop series aims to unpack learning and knowledge uptake practices as well as dynamics of KPSRL’s community members and to develop strategic approaches for:
- a better use of knowledge and research produced within the community
- the development of a common understanding of pathways to using that knowledge and research for policy and program improvement
The three workshops are scheduled as follows:
- Understanding and linking knowledge, learning and policymaking in relation to security and rule of law – July 2018
- Learning and knowledge uptake in practice: Assumptions, Approaches and Dynamics – August 2018
- Strengthening knowledge absorption: pathways and obstacles identified – September 2018


Drugs and gun possession surround a tragic death.
The $15 million suit moves forward.
They shed light on the rapper's struggles.
Many Juice WRLD fans could be forgiven for suspecting drugs were to blame after learning the young rapper died following a seizure.
Rapper Juice Wrld dies at 21 after suffering seizure.
Indigenous Peoples' DayThings You Wouldn't Have Without Native Americans
op-edTaking A Stand Against Forced Motherhood
women's history monthErika Alexander Narrates New Audible Series 'Finding Tamika'
#theblackballotKeturah Herron Wins Kentucky Special Election
#theblackballotImportant Primary Elections Happening This Week
OP-EDBlack Voters: Dressed Up With Nowhere To Go


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In an article for the University of Melbourne, Dr David McInnis, a Shakespeare lecturer at the institution, accuses the Oxford English Dictionary of “bias” over its citation of Shakespeare as the originator of hundreds of words in English. The OED, which saw its original volumes published between 1884 and 1928, includes more than 33,000 Shakespeare quotations, according to McInnis, with around 1,500 of those “the first evidence of a word’s existence in English”, and around 7,500 “the first evidence of a particular usage of meaning”.
“But the OED is biased: especially in the early days, it preferred literary examples, and famous ones at that,” writes McInnis. “The Complete Works of Shakespeare was frequently raided for early examples of word use, even though words or phrases might have been used earlier, by less famous or less literary people.”
Shakespeare himself, according to...
H συνέχεια εδώ


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The Loop (Games)
Jamie Robertson This article is a stub. Please help the Doom Wiki by expanding it.
, born 1981, is a music composer. He has scored music for Plutonia 2
and Doom Millenium: The Last Sunset
Community content is available under CC-BY-SA
unless otherwise noted.

domain: entertainment


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Water Damage Repair and Restoration
- 24-Hour Emergency Service
- Faster to Any Size Disaster
- Highly Trained Water Restoration Technicians
- A Trusted Leader in the Water Restoration Industry
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Water damage incidents are the most common call-outs that our company receives. We have ensured that our entire staff is knowledgeable about water damage problems, such as leaking pipes and others. All of our seasoned technicians have accreditations through the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration Certification (IICRC). Many of our employees have earned their Water Restoration Technicians (WRT) certifications. Many of these technicians have also pursued secondary certifications for Applied Structural Drying (ASD) and Applied Microbial Remediation Technicians (AMRT) to get fully prepared for the potential hazards a water loss incident could present.
We have a growing inventory of the most up-to-date equipment in the restoration industry. This array of tools and machines can help us to address the needs of your property quickly, including extraction, drying, cleaning, and odor removal. No matter where water loss situations arise, from West Loop to Greektown, our SERVPRO professionals can make it “Like it never even happened.”
We’re a Local Company with National Resources in Chicago
As a locally owned and operated business, SERVPRO of West Loop / Bucktown / Greektown is strategically located. Our crews can respond quickly to any of your water or flood damage events in these communities. Occasionally, significant flooding may happen that is beyond our local capabilities. When that occurs, we can call upon our national network of more 1,700 fellow SERVPRO Franchises for support. We even have special Disaster Recovery Teams to call upon if we need additional resources or work-force personnel.
Have Water or Flood Damage?
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Locally Owned Company with National Resources
We live and work in this community too; we might even be neighbors. As a locally owned and operated business, SERVPRO of Downtown Chicago / West Loop / Bucktown / Greektown is close by and ready to respond to your flood or water damage emergency. We are proud to be an active member of the Chicago community and want to do our part to make our community the best it can be.
We are proud to serve our local communities:
- Chicago, IL
- West Loop, IL
- Downtown Chicago, IL
- Bucktown, IL
- Wicker Park, IL
- University Village - Little Italy, IL
- Ukranian Village, IL
Why Choose SERVPRO of Downtown Chicago / West Loop / Bucktown / Greektown?
We’re Faster to Any Size Disaster
When water damage strikes, a fast response is critical. Day or night, Chicago residents and business owners can expect us to respond immediately to your water emergency.
We’re Highly Trained Water Damage Specialists
As leaders in the water damage industry, we have advanced training and expertise, not to mention a tremendous amount of hands-on experience. We use this training and experience to quickly dry your home and restore it back to pre-water-damage condition. Our process includes documentation of the drying process to validate your property is dry. Learn about our water damage training and certificates.
We Use Advanced Drying Equipment and Techniques
We invest in the latest technology and equipment because it helps us restore your home more quickly and to minimize cost. This equipment allows us to detect hidden moisture and extract standing water quickly and efficiently. We also utilize professional-strength cleaning, sanitizing, and deodorizing products to cleaning and sanitize the affected water damage area for your comfort and safety.
Our Water Damage Restoration Process
Since every flood and water damage scenario is a little different, each one requires a unique solution tailored for the specific conditions. However, the overall water restoration process remains the same. The steps below detail our restoration process for the typical water-damaged property.
Step 2: Inspection and Damage Assessment
Step 3: Water Removal/Water Extraction
Step 4: Drying and Dehumidification

domain: geography


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HAMAKUA COAST (HawaiiNewsNow) - An earthquake on the Big Island triggered an alert over the airwaves. It said the quake did not generate a tsunami, but the alert did cause a little bit of a mix-up.
Tsunami? Or no tsunami?
To some, the bulletin the National Weather Service broadcast wasn't clear.
On Hawaii News Now's Twitter page, comments included 'Seen the crawl but the audio was poor'. Another tweet said 'There was just a voice over with a lot of audio dropout'.
The Hawaii Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said it received some calls from people asking whether a warning was up or not.
The center says the audio bulletin is standard procedure.
The National Weather Service issues it when a quake with a magnitude 5.0 or above hits.
"We just felt two jolts over here, but it was strong enough that you could feel it, but we live in a five-story cement concrete apartment complex, shored up with steel beams, so if it shook this place, somewhere decent enough where you could feel it," said Kawika Johnson, a Hilo resident.
The quake shook the Hamakua coast area around 6:30 p.m.
The U.S. Geological Survey's 'Did You Feel It' map shows the areas that felt it most were Kamuela, Kailua Kona and Hilo.
The U.S.G.S. says the quake was a magnitude 4.5.
But the preliminary magnitude measured by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center was 5.0.
The last time a quake that size hit was April of 2009, when a magnitude 5.2 rattled the Hilina region on the Big Island.

domain: news


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or make 4 interest-free payments of $9.50 AUD fortnightly with More info
If you would like to pre-order, please email via contact page to have one put aside.
A wonderful activity for all ages and a great introduction to the world of jigsaw puzzles!
The pieces are small in this puzzle which would normally be suitable for young adults and older however I found my young children (aged 6-8 yrs) loved helping due to the gorgeous bug illustration. They were able to find pieces to makes up a butterfly or insect ...so with guidance, its certainly a puzzle that can be enjoyed together as a family.
Whether its a gift or holiday/weekend activity...its a fun way to encourage creativity, concentration and mindfulness.
Suitable for Ages- 12 years plus
Size- 58.5cm diameter
Gorgeous Paris in all her glory!! 1000 pieces Puzzle size: 53.3 x 71.1 cm Made...
A gorgeous puzzle for the nature lover xx 1000 pieces Puzzle size: 53.3 x 71.1...
$38.00 - Sold Out
A puzzle packed with colour and fun.....gorgeous vintage firecracker labels! 1008 pieces Puzzle size: 58 x...

domain: artistic


Video of the Siberia mission trip to come.
Updated: 5:25 p.m. July 29, 2020
From weekly episodes to daily devotionals to shows in Spanish, eight original It Is Written programs are now available as podcasts on Apple and Google Podcasts. It Is Written, Sabbath School, Every Word, Line Upon Line, Conversations, Escrito Está, and Una Mejor Manera de Vivir join In the Word to provide uplifting content on the go.
The new podcasts allow It Is Written to spread the gospel even further. “Podcasts are extremely popular, so it is important for It Is Written to utilize podcasting as another effective way of sharing life-changing messages,” said John Bradshaw, It Is Written president. “The new podcasts extend the scope of It Is Written and give us a greater opportunity to reach people for Christ. In a short time, our podcast audience has grown significantly, so I’m encouraged that God is powerfully using this.”
A new episode of It Is Written is posted every Saturday morning. It Is Written, the flagship program of the ministry, is presented by John Bradshaw and takes viewers to locations around the world while presenting the transforming teachings of the Bible. Listen on Apple, Google, or Stitcher.
Sabbath School is an in-depth study of the Bible featuring the author of the current adult Bible study guide, international evangelist Pastor Mark Finley. The weekly lesson study is posted Friday morning. Beginning August 1, a short review of the daily lesson study will also be released. Listen on Apple, Google, Spotify, or Stitcher.
A new Line Upon Line episode is posted weekly on Mondays. Hosted by Pastors John Bradshaw and Eric Flickinger, Line Upon Line answers Bible questions submitted by listeners. Listen on Apple, Google, Spotify, or Stitcher.
Released every Monday, Conversations takes you into the heart of inspirational experiences and unforgettable testimonies that will encourage you in your own walk with God. Listen on Apple, Google, or Spotify.
Presented by Pastor Robert Costa, Escrito Está is a Spanish-language program that discusses a variety of biblical topics, pointing people to Jesus as the only hope for our world. The weekly program is published on Saturdays. Listen on Apple or Google Podcasts.
Taking you deep inside the Bible, In the Word presents inspirational preaching by Pastor John Bradshaw on a wide range of biblical subjects. A new episode is posted every Friday. Listen on Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, iHeart Radio, or Castbox.
In addition to podcasts, these programs and more may be viewed at itiswritten.tv.
A man recently ran into one of his neighbors and said to him, “Look at me! I’ve changed my lifestyle, lost weight, and never have felt better. Do you know why? YOU inspired me.” He went on to explain that his friend’s health journey is what had motivated him to get his health in order. That very kind of “you inspired” exclamation is what motivated It Is Written to do a seven-part health series called Take Charge of Your Health.
From June 22 to 28, John Bradshaw, It Is Written president, and a team of highly-qualified health professionals tackled some of the biggest health issues affecting people today. More than 20 physicians–including cardiologists, otolaryngologists (ENTs), general practitioners, surgeons, oncologists, and others–shared insights and advice on heart health, diabetes, cancer, obesity, mental health, stress, and addictions. Special guests spoke of how they had lost weight, reversed diabetes, survived cancer, overcome depression, and seen a dramatic improvement in their heart health. Take Charge of Your Health also featured segments on diet, exercise, and cooking. The informative, scientifically-based nightly presentations focused on how simple lifestyle changes can have profoundly positive effects.
Thousands of people watched each night, with viewers joining from all around the world. Feedback was positive, with people saying they were on the way to defeating diabetes, losing weight, making changes to their diet, and committing to turning back illness and disease. “It was extremely encouraging,” said John Bradshaw, president of It Is Written. “We knew as we planned Take Charge of Your Health that there was the potential to see dramatic results. Knowing that people got together in groups, came out to churches to watch–church members and non-members–encouraged us. And what’s great is that the programs will age well. They’re going to be watched for years to come.”
The It Is Written Media Production department produced Take Charge of Your Health. “It was an entire team effort,” said Michael Bell, director of media production at It Is Written. “Our production team produced around 40 separate segments featuring almost 40 different people. There were a lot of moving parts. We set out to honor God, and I think we achieved that goal.”
And each presentation featured a strong focus on spiritual health. “And that’s the most important thing of all,” said Yves Monnier, director of evangelism at It Is Written. “We featured the CREATION Life study guides each night. They were produced in association with Advent Health, and they’re powerful. So each presentation pointed people to faith in God, which of course is what brings ultimate health and healing.”
Take Charge of Your Health was made possible by generous donations. “It’s hard to put into words what this means,” commented Ellen Hostetler, It Is Written Development Director. “It Is Written is donor-funded, meaning that what we do relies entirely on the kindness and the vision of others. It’s humbling to know that people had such a burden to see this happen that they donated to make it possible.”
At a time when people are still concerned about serious health issues, when people realize maybe more than ever how important their health is owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, It Is Written is pointing people to the Great Physician and showing people how they can take charge of their health.
Take Charge of Your Health can be viewed at takecharge.life. The Take Charge of Your Health DVD set can be purchased for home, office, church, or small group use at a special introductory price. The CREATION Life Study Guides are also available for purchase from the It Is Written shop or free online at creationlife.study.
The It Is Written In the Word sermon series is now available as a podcast, making it easy to listen to the Word of God wherever you are! Taking you deep inside the Bible, In the Word presents inspirational preaching on a wide range of biblical subjects. A new episode is posted every Friday.
John Bradshaw, It Is Written president, presents each sermon. “We have so many programs that we want to share as podcasts,” he said. “In fact, people have been podcasting our programs before podcasts were a thing. They’d download them and listen while walking or driving. We have a full-time channel and our website and app, but podcasts are one more way we can share our life-changing programming with a huge global audience. I’m looking forward to seeing what God will do.”
The first podcast episode, “For Us,” examines the book of Hebrews and what Jesus is doing now. “Forgiveness,” the most recent episode, discusses forgiveness and its power to mend and restore a broken heart. Other titles include “Dog Food,” “Gracious,” “The Temple of God,” “Lightened with His Glory,” and “The Unsung.”
The uplifting sermons are perfect for listening on your next trip or commute to work. They are also ideal for your church or small group. In addition to a podcast, In the Word is available as a TV program on It Is Written TV or on DVD for purchase.
Updated Oct. 22, 2020, 10:45 a.m. with additional program information.
As issues of social unrest and racial injustice continue in the world, It Is Written remains committed to approaching difficult topics from a Biblical perspective.
“Our focus is to proclaim the everlasting gospel to the world,” said John Bradshaw, It Is Written president. “We’ve told some painful stories over the last few years, but each of these stories–while causing us to confront some difficult subjects–focuses on the Bible, on Jesus, and on God’s gift of everlasting life.”
Check out the following inspirational and educational programs from It Is Written on race and justice.
Racism is a serious problem that challenges societies around the world. The Bible addresses the issue in an unlikely New Testament story, showing how God feels about racism and demonstrating that love and unity can be accomplished when the Holy Spirit is allowed to change hearts.
“The Scottsboro Nine” 2020 winner of four Telly Awards
In a colossal miscarriage of justice, nine young men were found guilty of a crime they didn’t commit. The deciding factor? The color of their skin. Join John Bradshaw in Scottsboro, Alabama, for this story of injustice and discrimination, and learn why it’s so important to serve a God who is just.
“Black Wall Street” 2019 winner of five Telly Awards
In 1921, more than 300 people were massacred, thousands were left homeless, and an entire town was destroyed when people turned on their fellow citizens—in the United States of America. Which raises an important question: What kind of person would do that? The answer is surprising. Join Pastor John Bradshaw on location in Tulsa, Oklahoma, as we look at a challenge faced by every person.
In the 1960s, the civil rights movement made history as Americans took a stand against racial injustice. Join John Bradshaw on location in Selma, Alabama, as he examines the atrocities committed and the bravery of those who paid the ultimate price for standing up for justice.
Confronted by the devastation of a murderous attack, Pastor Anthony Thompson chose to respond to the killing of his wife in an unlikely way. Join Pastor John Bradshaw as he speaks with Pastor Anthony Thompson and discusses a powerful and moving story of radical forgiveness. Filmed on location in Charleston, South Carolina.
Slavery provided a backdrop to the American Civil War. The Battle of Gettysburg was a battle for freedom…in many ways. Filmed on location in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.
It’s something many people struggle with. At times, the Bible speaks of God wiping out whole cities, ending the lives of men, women, the aged, and children. How should we understand that? Join John Bradshaw at the site of a racially-motivated massacre in Australia as the answers are revealed from the Bible.
In April and May, Pastor Robert Costa, speaker/director for the It Is Written Spanish ministry Escrito Está held eight one-week, online evangelistic reaping series aired in over 16 million homes. As a result, millions of people had the opportunity to hear and accept hope in Jesus. Robert Costa filmed the meetings from his living room using his computer, an iPhone, two lights, one lapel mic, and a Bible.
The series were offered to countries in North America, Central America, South America, and Western Europe. Most meetings opened with a 5-10 minute health topic, and four of the events were translated into sign language. As a result, several thousand have been baptized or are preparing for baptism. Thousands are still waiting to be baptized when churches open.
Prayer was an essential part of these meetings’ success. In one area, more than 80,000 members prayed 24/7 for two weeks, and as a result, more than 1,500 baptisms occurred. In another area, six church groups joined forces and almost one million members invited their friends to the meetings. Church members were motivated to reach their friends even if they could only connect with them by phone.
On May 9, 2020, one of the series, Esperanza en Jesús (Hope In Jesus) aired in the United States. Others viewed from Chile, Ecuador, Mexico, and Guatemala. Robert Costa spoke nightly to thousands of people who viewed on YouTube, Facebook, and the Escrito Está website.
Throughout the week, viewers contacted the ministry sharing how they had been blessed (names have been changed):
Jorge and Luisa contacted us through WhatsApp. Jorge had recently lost his painting job and Luisa had just come out of the hospital and was recovering from a severe kidney infection. They don’t attend any church, but the current difficult situation made them both want to reconnect with God and study the Bible. They watched the entire series through Facebook. – Florida
Ademar, is a professional soccer player and captain of a soccer team in Chile. He grew up as a Catholic but now wants to be baptized because of what he learned from watching Esperanza en Jesús. He has already started observing the Sabbath and asks for prayers as many of the main soccer games are played on the Sabbath. – Chile
We received a prayer request during the meetings from Marta for her sister, Eldora, to seek God. She’s in an abusive marriage and has two children with autism. That same evening Marta contacted us again to let us know that Eldora reached out to her and wants to study the Bible. – California
Ricardo grew up in a Christian home where he knew about the Sabbath and the love of Jesus, but his life took a different turn. He watched Esperanza en Jesús because he wanted to come back to the Lord. Please pray for this searching young man. – New Jersey
Jair and Sabrina moved to a small town in Chile three months ago. They had left a life of alcohol and drugs behind. Their lives were changed when God spoke to them through the programs on Enlace TV. One of their favorite preachers is Pastor Robert Costa. When Pastor Costa offered a free subscription to the daily devotional, Una Mejor Manera de Vivir (A Better Way to Live), they reached out to Escrito Está and signed up.
The couple didn’t have a Bible, but they walked around their new town and found a Pentecostal church where they received one as a gift. Jair is very emotional about his new-found faith and is absorbing anything he can get. He and Sabrina didn’t miss a day of Esperanza en Jesús. Escrito Está is connecting them with a local pastor who can help them grow in their new found faith. – Chile
Camila contacted Escrito Está through WhatsApp requesting prayer. “I want my name to be written in the book of life. I want my sins to be forgiven and to dedicate my baby to the Lord, so that he can enjoy eternal life.” She was recently visited by a local pastor and gifted with a Bible. – Massachusetts
During the first nights of the meetings, a man named Angel asked for prayers for his son who had been kidnapped. He was watching Esperanza en Jesús in search of hope and strength as he faced such a difficult trial. Thankfully, by Friday his prayers were answered. His son was returned home safely. – Mexico
“My name is Juan and I live in Quito, Ecuador. Last week I was invited to join the online series Esperanza en Jesús by Pastor Robert Costa. The topics really touched my heart and made me turn to Jesus. I have been a Catholic my entire life…But this week my eyes were opened with a bright light and I realized the mistakes I’ve been practicing all these years. That is why I decided to contact you because I would like to study the Bible to get to know more. Thank you!” – Ecuador
“This is Valeria from Guatemala. I’ve been listening to sermons on your station for a while, but I’m an evangelical Christian. If I want to join your church, do I need to be rebaptized? I was baptized at age 17, but left the church. Now that I’m 29 I want to reconcile with the Lord. I’ve returned to church and started studying about the Sabbath and other doctrines. I want to walk with the Lord. My uncle is a leader from my church and he tells me that the Sabbath is for Jews, but God has convicted me that I should observe it. Please help me to contact a local pastor, so I can learn more.” – Guatemala
“My name is Andrés and I would like to thank you for the wonderful messages you share. I have a loving relationship with a Christian woman, but my family, who is not religious, doesn’t like her. My mom says that she is changing me. My relationship with my family has struggled and we’re distant from one another. When COVID-19 came to Guatemala, I never imagined the impact it would cause on the rest of the world. I became concerned about job security, expenses, and my existence. One day while I struggled with depression and anxiety, I turned on the TV and listened to Escrito Está for the first time. The message really touched my heart, and I continued listening to it in the following days. Finally, I made a promise to God and myself that I would give Him my life and put my relationship in His hands. Please pray for God to intervene and help me to restore my relationship with my family. God bless you and thank you very much! – Guatemala
Although the meetings are over, requests for baptism continue. Please pray for these people as they are reached by local church pastors.
To watch Esperanza en Jesús and other programs by Escrito Está, visit escritoesta.tv.
Watch a FREE series of presentations that could change your life! Beginning June 22 at 7 p.m. EDT, the one-week online Take Charge of Your Health series features interviews with medical experts, success stories from people who have turned their lives around, practical advice that will enable you to take charge of your health, and more!
Register and watch the series at takecharge.life.
Over fifteen doctors will discuss the most pressing health issues facing people today, including heart health, diabetes, cancer, weight loss, mental health, stress, and addictions. They will also answer the most frequently asked questions about each topic and share how their patients have seen remarkable improvement.
In addition, John Bradshaw will be examining Bible-based health principles in light of the most up-to-date medical research. Along the way, you will learn tasty recipes, simple exercises, and fun food facts each evening.
Free access to dynamic study guides will be available to those who attend the event.
This series is designed to help people live life to the fullest, said John Bradshaw, It Is Written president. “If the pandemic has taught us anything at all, it’s that a person’s health is precious,” he said. “And the more we can do to stay well and be strong, the better we’re going to fare in times like these–and in times to come.”
Special guests will include Dr. John Chung, dermatologist; Dr. David DeRose, internist; Dr. Harvey Hahn, cardiologist; Dr. Bob Hunsaker, anesthesiologist; Dr. Glen Papaiaoannou, oncologist; Dr. Mark Sandoval, emergency medicine specialist; Dr. Brian Schwartz, cardiologist; Dr. Lyndi Schwartz, internist; Dr. Doug Teller, internist; and more.
Each night, John Bradshaw will review a CREATION Life Bible study guide. Produced by AdventHealth and It Is Written, the CREATION Life Study Guides provide a scientifically researched, biblically based way to improve health and well-being. The studies outline a framework for living an abundant life that helps the reader live healthier, be happier, feel stronger, and experience trust in a new way.
Take Charge of Your Health is the second online evangelistic initiative from It Is Written, as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to prevent in-person evangelism. The first event, Hope Awakens, focused on Bible prophecy and current events and concluded in May with tens of thousands of views and thousands of decisions for Christ. Those presentations may be watched at hopeawakens.org. Esperanza En Jesús and other series led by the It Is Written Spanish language ministry, Escrito Está, have resulted in hundreds of baptisms so far. Esperanza En Jesús can be viewed at esperanzaenjesus.com.
In May 2020, It Is Written won five Telly Awards for two programs, “Innocents Lost” and “The Scottsboro Nine.” These three silver and two bronze awards join the 18 awards that were won in 2019 for five programs. This year’s programs won for the following categories: Television; General-Religious, Craft-Videography, Craft-Writing, and Craft-Editing.
The two winning programs both deal with hard subjects. “Innocents Lost” carefully covers the difficult topic of miscarriage. It explores the heartbreaking reality of losing someone who was never able to be truly known. John Bradshaw, It Is Written president, interviews a mother who has walked through this painful journey and a physician who has worked with grieving parents. The program offers God’s love and hope to those who have experienced the depth of this particular grief. The program won one bronze Telly Award. The program can be viewed at itiswritten.tv/innocents.
Three silvers and a bronze were awarded for “The Scottsboro Nine,” which recounted the horrific collapse of justice that occurred in Scottsboro, Alabama, in 1931. The ultimate verdict resulted in nine young men being found guilty of a crime they didn’t commit based on the color of their skin. John Bradshaw interviews individuals intimately involved in this brutal story of discrimination and shares why, with so much injustice around us, it is so important to serve a God who is just. The program can be viewed at itiswritten.tv/scottsboro.
It Is Written aims to approach difficult topics from a biblical perspective. “Our focus is to proclaim the love and hope of Jesus throughout the world,” John Bradshaw shared. “Sometimes that takes us into painful places, but that’s where Jesus went. Right now, when our country and world are reeling from a pandemic and social unrest, messages like ‘Innocents Lost’ and ‘The Scottsboro Nine’ along with our other programs speak not only to the human condition, but also to the peace and hope available through faith in Jesus Christ.”
“Innocents Lost” and “The Scottsboro Nine,” along with other award-winning It Is Written programs, can be viewed on It It Written TV available 24/7 at itiswritten.tv and on YouTube, Roku, AmazonFire, Google Play, Apple TV and through the It Is Written mobile app.
Hope Awakens, a global, online evangelistic series recently conducted by It Is Written, concluded May 16. The series of twenty, sixty-minute, livestreamed meetings began April 17. That was to be the date when Revelation Today started in a number of cities in Indiana, including Indianapolis. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, those in-person meetings were canceled, but within a matter of days It Is Written was planning a virtual series that would reach all of North America and the world.
The meetings aired on hopeawakens.org, itiswritten.tv, Facebook, Roku, YouTube, LifeTalk Radio, Apple TV, Google Play, Amazon Fire, and through the It Is Written mobile app. More than one million people reacted to the social media advertising campaign. Almost three quarters of a million people responded to It Is Written directly. Tens of thousands of people registered to attend Hope Awakens. Over 3,500 people made decisions for Christ during the meetings and are being mentored by volunteers from the 600 churches who signed up to be a part of the initiative.
Many attendees of Hope Awakens are attending local virtual communities to continue their studies with Bible workers who received special training by the It Is Written SALT (Soul-winning And Leadership Training) team. Attendees have also been invited to attend Take Charge of Your Health, the new It Is Written virtual, one-week series starting June 22.
Stories are pouring in from people blessed by Hope Awakens:
Denise worked on a cruise ship and was quarantined on board the ship off the Florida coast after a crew member was diagnosed with COVID-19. Denise found It Is Written online and discovered Hope Awakens. She began watching and looking into the Bible to study the texts that were being shared.
Denise’s sister wrote, “She loved the presentations and learned so much and was fascinated to learn about how the Sabbath was changed. In fact, she was angry when she discovered this truth, knowing what God says had been kept from her for so long. Internet troubles prevented her from filling out an online decision card, so she emailed her decision to an online Bible worker who sent her decision to It Is Written! On May 2, 2020, right on the ship, she kept her first Sabbath, and she did the same the following week. What a God!”
Another viewer wrote, “During the past four years, I’ve been praying for my son Chris, who struggles with addiction. He’s been watching the Hope Awakens meetings every night and requested that I call him after each meeting to pray with him. One night, his girlfriend, (who also struggles with addiction) asked to join us and tearfully surrendered her heart to Jesus while praying. Last night I heard my son pray for the first time. I am so thankful for these meetings. Jesus is changing my son’s life, and I’ve been given the privilege to witness it!”
“Last year my church started a community garden,” said a third viewer. “We invited community gardeners to join our weekly Bible study, and two attended. One man went through the whole series of lessons and attended church once. We invited him to watch Hope Awakens. He did, and he made decisions. We just voted him into church fellowship on the profession of faith during our online church service.”
One of our Bible workers dropped off a Mother’s Day gift and the book Steps to Christ to someone watching the meetings. The recipient shared, “I think I clicked on Hope Awakens because I was depressed, and now God is answering my prayers.”
That was the point of Hope Awakens: to awaken hope in our Savior. To give people in an uncertain world a certain hope.
In addition to being streamed in American Sign Language, Hope Awakens has been translated and shared in seven Indian languages. Meetings are also being held in French, Italian, and several languages for refugee groups in the United States. Pastor Robert Costa just completed a companion series in Spanish, and the meetings in English are being aired in New Zealand and Australia.
If you watched Hope Awakens, please take the short follow-up survey: iiw.us/has. Archives of the meetings are available on demand at hopeawakens.org. The new It Is Written virtual series, Take Charge of Your Health, will begin June 22. Registration may be completed at takecharge.life.


Remembrance concert to honour heroes of yesteryear in South Shields
The sacrifices and brave actions of yesteryear's heroes will be honoured in an afternoon of music marking 100 years since the end of the First World War.
The commemorative showcase will take place at the Customs House on Sunday, November 11, at 1.30pm.
It has been organised by Ernest Young in aid of the Mayor’s Charity and the Royal British Legion.
The performance will feature music from the Bede Wind, conducted by Mr Young himself, Anne Marie Owens, Sarah Fenwick, The Beacon Band and the DLI Association Buglars.
The Royal British Standards will also be making an appearance.
The afternoon will follow a number of Armistice and Remembrance Services taking place throughout the borough.
Mayor of South Tyneside, Coun Ken Stephenson said: “I would like to thank the Customs House for their support and Mr Ernest Young for organising the event.
“Also a big thank you to everyone who are voluntarily giving their time to take part in this concert, which will mark a very special day in our nation’s history - the day when the guns fell silent and peace returned to Europe 100 years ago.
“I am sure it will be an afternoon to remember when, as a community, we come together to celebrate this special centenary year.
“It is so important that we never forget the sacrifices made in two world wars to safeguard our freedom, so please come along and join the Mayoress and myself at the Customs House for a fantastic concert.”
This year, marks 100 years since the end of the First World War. As part of a range of celebrations and acts of remembrance a number of events will be taking place.
On the evening, a beacon lighting ceremony will take place at 5pm, with live stage performances and moving readings of letters sent from the front line.
It will end with the recreation of the sounds of the end of the First World War with a fireworks display set to WWI-themed music and gun fire and church bells.
Tickets for the Commemorative Concert at the Customs House are priced £10 and are available now from the Customs House or by contacting the box office on 454 1234.