From big events such as the Yatra to starting a large business unit at Hyderabad, from paving way for small and medium business to celebrating good for India causes - this year our stories were drawn from every corner of India and we have every reason to celebrate this form of diversity.
And like all good gifts, this year needs to be wrapped up as well.
From big events such as the Yatra to starting a large business unit at Hyderabad, from paving way for small and medium business to celebrating good for India causes - this year our stories were drawn from every corner of India and we have every reason to celebrate this form of diversity.
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Celebrating Yatra
Amazon loaded up the 3 larger-than-life trucks and headed for a cross-country trip to see the difference e-commerce was making in the lives of customers. The Amazon Festive Yatra made its way to 13 cities with the theme being house-on-wheels! The goodies in Amazon’s house-on-wheels were up for open and closed bidding. The proceeds were given to this wonderful organization to help them in their noble endeavours in providing for young girls in school. With Amazon’s help, Akshaya Patra was able to provide over 2 crore cups of milk to kids. 12 premium products were also up for grabs and included a Dhokra Statue, Traditional Rogan Painting and a Tanjore Painting of Ganesha.
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Celebrating small businesses
Every drop counts and thanks to Amazon even the smallest of businesses are making a big difference. Amazon has paved smoother paths for remote artisans to reach every corner of the country, made it simpler for sellers to set their shops up on their online platform and empowered the smallest of businesses with their offerings. Ask Mukesh Chippa about the journey of his family business and you will see the big difference the e-commerce platform has made. With Amazon paving the path, Rapsodia has made its way from a small village near Jaipur to wardrobes across the nation. Amazon Saheli is empowering women entrepreneurs across India by showcasing products handcrafted by women.
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Celebrating Handloom Day
There’s nothing better than the feeling of handwoven fabric! Amazon celebrated the skilled hands that work with traditional looms to weave these works of art on August 6th and 7th. Amazon is building a better world for the talented souls of our country that are keeping traditional art forms alive. You can buy Jamdani, Sambalpuri, Banarasi, Pochampally, Rogan Art and more on Amazon Karigar. Amazon Karigar was setup to provide artisans with a space to showcase handcrafted goods and help customers find authentic quality goods. Choose from a range of handloom sarees, handwoven fabrics, handcrafted accessories and even handmade footwear.
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Celebrating technology
Amazon is making waves with technology. If you were impressed with Alexa when she was first introduced to the world, you’ll be proud of what the tech giant has achieved this year. Amazon had its first ever ‘voice’ conference in India and many are happy to be using Echo devices.They are voice-controlled smart speakers that are always ready, hands-free and quick to respond. Voice control has changed our lives and now that Alexa understands Indian English, Hindi and even English—life in India will never be the same. Arre Wah! Alexa isn’t just making your day cooler by playing your favorite Bollywood track on voice command; the futuristic device is helping people with disabilities (PwD). Voice control is minimizing the barrier for using technology and making life easier for PwD.
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Celebrating entrepreneurship
Amazon is not only providing a platform for businesses of all kinds but providing the environment for entrepreneurs to grow. While Amazon Saheli helps women-powered businesses, Amazon Launchpad is helping newbies get innovative products into the market. Meanwhile, Amazon Flex is helping people become their own boss by delivering packages. The paid program allows employees to choose from part-time and full-time options. But Amazon didn’t stop there as it also offers ‘I Have Space’ to small businesses. This opportunity allows the owners of these small shops to earn an additional income. They simply help with the pickup and delivery of packages for Amazon. The program has successfully joined hands with 18,500 stores in 225 cities across the country!
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Celebrating writers and authors
Books are portable magic and Amazon has done it’s share in spreading magic with Kindle Direct Publishing! Budding writers across the country have fulfilled their dreams with KDP. Amazon isn’t just paving the path for English literature but for regional languages too. The online platform is empowering writers from all genres to now self-publish in Hindi, Tamil, Marathi, Gujarati and Malayalam. Writers, who otherwise struggled to have their books published due to the industry’s stringent standards and preferences, are finally reaching millions of readers with Kindle Direct Publishing. Amazon also conducted the Pen to Publish Contest to encourage writers to try their hand at long- and short-form writing. The contest gave writers the platform, the recognition and motivational boost they deserved for writing inspiring and compelling pieces. Amazon offered cash prizes and helped many writers including Nandini Kumar, Aparna Das Sadhukhan, Vignesh C Selvaraj, and Sen Balan fulfill their dreams.
