For an AppNirbhar Bharat, YourStory recommends Bharat AppStore, Indian mobile phone software ecosystem

India has shown the world that it is second to none when it comes to building tech solutions, at scale, which can compete with global rivals and find use cases in different markets. And to honour PM Narendra Modi's historic step in the move towards a more Aatmanirbhar App Ecosystem, or what we at YourStory are calling an AppNirbhar Bharat, we present YourStory Research’s AppNirbhar Bharat report.

In the report, we have also provided an 11-point recommendation for enabling a robust Indian app ecosystem, which includes creating a Bharat AppStore, homegrown mobile phone software ecosystem, and an equity-based, regulated crowdfunding infrastructure in India, among others. Download YourStory's AppNirbhar Bharat report here.

The recent decision by Google to enforce 30 percent fee as commission for in-app purchases on its Play Store has sent shockwaves across the country, especially in the startup community, whose lifeline depends on these mobile applications. Indian startup founders and app developers are calling for an alternative to Google Play — India’s own Bharat AppStore, which is one of YourStory's 11 recommendations for enabling an AppNirbhar Bharat.

Google also updated its Ad Manager Policy, which states that starting from Oct 30, 2020, it will not allow web pages, sites, or apps that are not in its ‘supported’ or approved languages to monetise using AdSense, AdMob, or Ad Manager.

If strictly implemented, these could hinder the growth of regional Indian language internet users and impact many Indian startups and enterprises, who are innovating to popularise Indian languages and build solutions that cater to regional Indian language consumers.

Last but not least, in a conversation with Yourstory Founder & CEO Shradha Sharma, acclaimed actor Manoj Bajpayee, who hails from Belwa village in West Champaran, Bihar, speaks about how proud he is of the Bhojpuri culture and language.

He goes on to detail why he thinks Bhojpuri is ‘cool’ and how when he speaks in Hindi or English, his brain translates it from his mother tongue.

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Rise of home chefs amidst the pandemic

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How women SHGs are fighting against COVID-19

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Quote of the day:

"Just because something worked in China or the US, does not necessarily make it the right solution for India. We want to work with founders who are deeply connected to the markets they operate in."

- Bejul Somaia, Managing Director, Lightspeed Venture Partners