A First For Hospitality Loyalty In India: Marriott Bonvoy And Swiggy Turn Every Order Into A Reward

* The strategic partnership enhances member engagement by extending Marriott Bonvoy benefits into everyday moments through Swiggy’s many offerings

Marriott Bonvoy, Marriott International’s award-winning travel program, and Swiggy, India’s pioneering on-demand convenience platform, have come together to bring Marriott Bonvoy’s benefits into the everyday lives of Indian consumers. The strategic partnership unites two trusted brands in India’s hospitality and on-demand convenience, enabling members from both brands to earn Marriott Bonvoy points across Swiggy’s diverse offerings, from food delivery to quick commerce and dining out, seamlessly extending the benefits of Marriott Bonvoy beyond travel.

The collaboration bridges daily life and unique travel-related experiences, enabling members with linked accounts to earn points on everyday transactions and enjoy access to a host of enhanced benefits and awards across Marriott Bonvoy’s portfolio of hotels and experiences worldwide.

Through this collaboration, Marriott Bonvoy members can now earn five points for every ₹500 spent across Swiggy’s offerings like Food Delivery, Instamart, and Dineout. This allows members to earn and accumulate points not just when travelling, but when ordering dinner, making a restaurant reservation, hosting friends over dinner, or stocking up on groceries and other needs. By turning everyday transactions into point-earning opportunities, Marriott Bonvoy continues to extend its presence on consumer touchpoints, adding greater value to members’ lifestyle choices.

As an added exclusive benefit, Marriott Bonvoy Elite members across tiers (Silver, Gold, Platinum, Titanium & Ambassador) will enjoy a complimentary Swiggy One membership, the country’s only membership program with benefits across food delivery, quick commerce and dining out with access to free deliveries, exclusive discounts.

Hospitality-led loyalty has been centred around moments of travel, with engagement peaking around stays and journeys. Marriott Bonvoy is revolutionising this traditional approach by integrating loyalty benefits into everyday life in India, spanning a co-branded credit card (Marriott Bonvoy HDFC Bank Credit Card), e-commerce (Flipkart), culture and sports (ICC), and now everyday convenience through Swiggy. Swiggy has also extended its own rewards program with travel benefits (Indigo) and now hospitality (Marriott Bonvoy). Together, these initiatives mark a shift from occasional travel-led engagement to more frequent, always-on connections in a mobile-first market, with India playing an important role in the evolution of Marriott Bonvoy’s loyalty approach across the Asia Pacific excluding China (APEC) region.

“Marriott Bonvoy has always been about creating meaningful connections with our members. With Swiggy, we are bringing loyalty into everyday life, turning daily spend into future travel. This strategic partnership allows us to meet members where they are, making Marriott Bonoy more immediate, relevant and just a tap away. It is an important milestone reflecting our growth in India and a clear step toward the future of loyalty, beyond the stay,” said John Toomey, Chief Commercial Officer, Asia Pacific excluding China, Marriott International.

Phani Kishan Addepalli, Chief Growth Officer and Co-Founder, Swiggy said, “Everyday convenience is where Swiggy shows up for consumers, whether it’s through food, quick commerce, or unique experiences. With Marriott Bonvoy, we’re turning these everyday moments into something more rewarding by letting users earn global travel benefits and stay with Marriott.”

Goldmedal Wins Prestigious iF Design Award 2026 For Innovative Lighting System

Goldmedal Electricals Pvt. Ltd. has been honoured with the prestigious iF Design Award 2026 in the Professional Concepts – Lighting Fixture Design category for its innovative ROOTS Modular Lighting System.

The iF Design Award, established in 1954, is one of the world’s most respected design awards, celebrating outstanding achievements in creativity, innovation, and excellence. This year’s edition received over 10,000 submissions from 68 countries, with winners selected by an independent jury comprising 129 international experts in design and sustainability.

Inspired by the organic cycle of growth and the vital role roots play in sustaining life, the ROOTS Lighting System reimagines the connection between light, nature, and human spaces. Its modular design extends like an intricate root network, enabling each installation to adapt seamlessly to different environments and create unique, harmonious lighting arrangements that complement and engage with their surroundings.

What truly sets ROOTS apart is its ground-breaking interactivity. The system dynamically responds to indoor air quality, rising gracefully as air quality improves, symbolising vitality and renewal, and subtly contracting when levels decline. This transforms the lighting from a static fixture into a living, responsive installation that not only illuminates a space but also provides continuous ambient awareness of the surrounding environment, encouraging healthier and more responsive spaces.

"We are deeply honoured to receive this recognition from iF Design Award," said Kishan Jain, Director, Goldmedal Electricals Pvt. Ltd. "The ROOTS Modular Lighting System embodies our commitment to blending innovative technology with nature-inspired design, pushing the boundaries of how lighting can enhance and interact with everyday life."

This achievement reflects Goldmedal’s core strength as India’s leading brand in wiring devices, LED lighting, electrical appliances, and home automation. With a legacy since 1979 and a strong Make in India ethos, Goldmedal consistently pioneers user-centric innovation—delivering feather-touch and gesture-controlled switches, intelligent home automation, flame-retardant safety wires, energy-efficient BLDC fans, and smart IoT solutions. Backed by over 10,000 SKUs, an uncompromising focus on safety, sustainability, and contemporary design, plus recent international recognitions including Red Dot and iF Design awards, the brand transforms everyday electrical products into seamless, healthier, and smarter living experiences.

For more details on the winning project, visit: https://ifdesign.com/en/winner-ranking/project/roots-lighting-system/757294

Residential Demand Holds Strong In East Bengaluru as Fortune Primero Sells 172 Homes In 48 Hours Of Prelaunch For ‘Seven Sarjapur’

Reflecting sustained demand for well-planned housing in Bengaluru’s eastern corridor, Fortune Primero, a Bengaluru-based real estate developer with over three decades of experience in premium commercial real estate, has recorded ₹215 crore in pre-launch sales, with 172 homes booked within 48 hours for its residential development, ‘Seven Sarjapur’.

The project recently received RERA approval and saw strong early buyer interest, registering over 400+ enquiries and 300+ walk-ins during the initial access phase. The response highlights continued momentum in Bengaluru’s residential market, particularly in emerging micro-markets such as Sarjapur.

Bengaluru continues to remain one of India’s most resilient housing markets, supported by steady employment growth in the technology and services sectors, rising end-user demand, and expanding urban infrastructure.

According to industry estimates, the city has consistently ranked among the top three residential markets in the country by annual home sales, with strong absorption in mid-to-premium housing categories. Micro-markets along the eastern corridor including Sarjapur, have witnessed growing buyer interest due to their proximity to major IT clusters, educational institutions, and improving connectivity.

Spread across 15 acres, Seven Sarjapur has been planned with 85% open spaces, combining expansive landscaped areas with high-rise residential living. The development will feature residential towers set within an integrated master plan, alongside a dedicated commercial and retail zone spanning four acres, aimed at creating a self-sustained community ecosystem.

Commenting on the milestone, Raahil Reddy, Director - Residential Projects, Fortune Primero, said: “Achieving ₹215 crore in sales within the first 48 hours reflects the strong trust homebuyers place in well-planned developments. What we are increasingly seeing in Bengaluru is a clear shift in buyer priorities - from transactional purchases to thoughtfully designed communities that offer long-term liveability and quality of life. Developments that combine efficient layouts, open spaces, and integrated community planning are resonating strongly with buyers, and we believe this approach will shape the next phase of housing demand in the city.”

Elevating Modern Urban Living

Comprising of four high-rise towers, Seven Sarjapur is part of a 15-acre development offering over 750 premium residences. The project combines contemporary architecture with thoughtfully designed living spaces, complemented by landscaped open areas and lifestyle amenities that support modern urban living. Strategically located in Sarjapur, one of Bengaluru’s fastest-growing residential corridors, the development offers seamless connectivity to major IT hubs, reputed educational institutions, healthcare facilities, and key infrastructure, positioning it as a strong residential offering in the city’s evolving housing market.

Coffee As The New Language Of Gifting Among Gen Z Across India

Gifting for loved ones is evolving. For Gen Z, it’s no longer about last-minute sweet gestures. It’s about thoughtful, personality-led choices that feel intentional. And increasingly, coffee is becoming the new trend.

This generation doesn’t do “regular.” They look for meaning in the everyday and their gifting reflects that. Coffee is immersive. It fuels conversations, creative brainstorming sessions, catch-ups that stretch for hours, and slow weekend mornings. It isn’t just consumed, it’s experienced.

Coffee becomes part of a shared routine. Brewing a cup together, experimenting with new blends, recreating café-style drinks at home, these small rituals feel more lasting and personal. For Gen Z, gifting isn’t about excess, it’s about creating moments.

Coffee also signals individuality. Strong, smooth, bold, balanced, every cup reflects a mood and personality. Choosing coffee as a gift feels curated rather than conventional.

A thoughtfully assembled coffee hamper featuring premium blends and stylish mugs becomes more than a present. It becomes an invitation to pause, connect, and build shared habits that extend beyond a single occasion.

With its rich aroma and smooth flavour, Tata Coffee Grand fits seamlessly into these evolving expressions of care. It isn’t just another beverage on the shelf, it’s #NotJustYourRegularCoffee.

Because for a generation that doesn’t choose regular lives or regular conversations, regular gifting simply doesn’t cut it anymore.

TruSoul Launches TruHerbs Range, A Traditional Ayurvedic Herbs Under TruSoul Wellness Platform

TruSoul, a modern wellness and personal care brand from the House of Baidyanath Ayurved announced the launch of the "TruHerbs range", a thoughtfully curated and refined offering of traditional Ayurvedic herbs under the TruSoul wellness platform. Designed for today’s wellness-conscious consumer, the range brings together four single-herb formulations - Ashwagandha, Gokshura, Brahmi, and Hadjod - in clean, contemporary formats that balance classical Ayurvedic wisdom with modern lifestyle needs.

The TruHerbs range is developed using carefully selected herbal ingredients processed under controlled conditions to preserve their natural properties. According to formulation requirements, the products contain concentrated, standardised extracts to ensure uniformity in active constituents while retaining the plant’s natural characteristics. Each batch undergoes rigorous quality checks for purity, safety, and ingredient integrity, and is manufactured in facilities that adhere to Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and comply with applicable regulatory guidelines, including FSSAI requirements.

Each herb in the TruHerbs range has been traditionally valued for distinct wellness applications in Ayurvedic literature - Ashwagandha for stress balance, stamina, and overall vitality, Gokshura for strength, endurance, and active living support, Brahmi for cognitive wellness, focus, and mental clarity, and Hadjod for bone and joint support.

Positioned primarily for preventive and lifestyle-oriented wellness, the TruHerbs range is designed to complement balanced living rather than serve as condition-led treatment. It is especially suited for working professionals managing busy schedules, fitness enthusiasts seeking plant-based vitality support, students and knowledge workers prioritising focus and clarity, and adults looking to incorporate traditional herbs into preventive wellness routines.

Speaking during the launch, Adhiraj Sharma, Co-founder, TruSoul, said: “For generations, herbs like Ashwagandha, Brahmi, Gokshura, and Hadjod were part of everyday wellness in Indian households. However, over time, as lifestyles became faster and more urban, that familiarity gradually faded. Convenience replaced tradition, and somewhere along the way, we stopped using them. With TruHerbs, we wanted to bring these age-old herbs back into everyday life – not out of nostalgia, but to help people reconnect with natural wellness in a way that feels effortless, authentic, accessible, and aligned with a healthier, more balanced lifestyle.”

Echoing this vision, Rishi Raj Sharma, Co-founder, TruSoul, said: “We come from a legacy that views herbs not merely as ingredients, but as an integral part of daily wellness. At the same time, we recognise that today’s consumers are well-informed and expect purity, transparency, and consistency. With TruHerbs, we are offering some of Ayurveda’s most trusted, traditional herbs in a premium, contemporary, and easy-to-consume format designed for modern lifestyles. The range has been developed with a strong emphasis on ingredient integrity and rigorous quality checks.”

By introducing TruHerbs, TruSoul further strengthens its positioning as a bridge between classical Ayurveda and modern wellness, demonstrating how heritage ingredients can be thoughtfully reimagined for today’s evolving consumer expectations. For more information, log on to https://www.trusoul.co.in.

Trontek To Create 500+ Jobs By FY27 As Lithium Adoption Accelerates Across Mobility And Energy Storage

As India’s energy storage and electric mobility ecosystem enters a new phase of expansion, Trontek has announced plans to create over 500 new jobs by FY27, strengthening its manufacturing and engineering capabilities to meet rising demand across mobility, residential energy storage and emerging grid applications.

The workforce expansion will increase Trontek’s employee base from 967 to nearly 1,400, marking one of the largest hiring phases in the company’s two-decade journey. A significant share of the new roles will be focused on production, quality systems, battery engineering, R&D, logistics and service operations.

The move comes amid sustained growth in lithium-ion adoption across electric two- and three-wheelers, rooftop solar installations and distributed energy storage systems - segments that are reshaping India’s clean energy landscape.

“India’s battery ecosystem is entering a structurally strong growth phase,” said Samrath S. Kochar, Founder & CEO, Trontek. “As demand scales across mobility and home energy, the competitive advantage will increasingly come from engineering depth and manufacturing resilience. Our expansion reflects long-term confidence in this opportunity and our commitment to building both scale and capability.”

A substantial portion of the hiring will strengthen Trontek’s in-house research and development functions, particularly in battery management systems (BMS), thermal safety engineering, lifecycle optimisation and product validation under Indian operating conditions. The company is positioning itself for the next phase of lithium adoption, where reliability, safety and performance consistency will be key differentiators.

“Battery innovation today is not just about chemistry - it is about intelligent system design, safety architecture and lifecycle performance,” Kochar added. “We are expanding our R&D teams to build robust, locally engineered solutions that can compete globally.”

Alongside manufacturing growth, Trontek will roll out structured technical training programmes aimed at developing specialised skills in lithium-ion assembly, safety compliance, electronics integration and energy storage systems. The initiative is designed to build a future-ready workforce aligned with India’s expanding advanced manufacturing ecosystem.

Industry analysts note that demand for lithium-ion batteries in India is expected to rise sharply over the next five years, driven by increasing EV penetration, renewable integration and decentralised power systems. Companies that combine engineering depth with scalable manufacturing are likely to play a defining role in shaping this growth trajectory.

With this expansion, Trontek reinforces its commitment to strengthening domestic battery capability, enhancing supply-chain resilience and generating high-quality employment in one of India’s fastest-growing clean technology sectors.

Ageas Federal Life Insurance Introduces Large Cap Quality Fund For Long-Term Investors

· An opportunity to invest in strong large-cap companies for long-term wealth creation

· Fund tracks the BSE Large Cap 100 Quality 30 Index

· New Fund Offer (NFO) price of Rs 10 per unit (NAV)

Ageas Federal Life Insurance, one of India’s leading private life insurance companies, has launched the Large Cap Quality Fund, an open-ended index fund designed for customers who wants to grow their wealth by investing in financially strong and well-established companies in India. The fund will be available at a New Fund Offer (NFO) price of Rs 10 per unit, allowing customers to start investing at the base Net Asset Value (NAV) during the launch period.

The fund aims to give customers access to a group of large, financially stable companies that have shown consistent performance over time. By investing in businesses with strong fundamentals and disciplined financial practices, the fund offers customers an opportunity to build wealth while staying aligned with long-term financial goals.

Through this fund, customers can invest in a diversified basket of leading companies across sectors. This helps reduce the risk of depending on any single company or industry while allowing investors to benefit from India’s long-term economic growth. The fund follows a simple investment approach by tracking the BSE Large Cap 100 Quality 30 Index, which selects companies based on strong financial parameters such as return on equity, disciplined balance sheets and overall financial strength. By focusing on companies that demonstrate consistent quality and stability, the fund aims to provide investors with a more resilient portfolio over the long term. Most of the investments will be in equity shares of these companies, while a small portion may be held in cash or short-term instruments to manage liquidity.

Commenting on the launch, Mr. Jude Gomes, MD & CEO said, “India continues to offer strong long-term growth opportunities, and investors today are increasingly looking for stable and disciplined ways to participate in that journey. At Ageas Federal Life Insurance, we remain committed to helping customers build financial security through simple and transparent investment solutions that align with their long-term aspirations.”

With its focus on quality companies, diversification and a disciplined index-tracking strategy, the Large Cap Quality Fund offers customers a straightforward way to invest in some of India’s fundamentally strong businesses while staying aligned with long-term financial goals.

About Ageas Federal Life Insurance

Ageas Federal Life Insurance, one of India's leading private life insurers offers a diverse range of wealth management, protection, and retirement solutions to individual and corporate customers. Ageas Federal Life Insurance Co Ltd is a joint venture of Ageas, a multinational insurance giant based out of Europe and Federal Bank, one of India's leading private sector banks. Having commenced operations in 2008, Ageas Federal was able to achieve breakeven within just five years; the Company's passion for innovation and growth helped it achieve this feat. Through a nationwide distribution network including partner bank branches and Advisors, Ageas Federal Life Insurance has achieved presence across the length and breadth of the country. As of March 31, 2025, the Company has issued over 19.71 lakh policies with a sum assured of over ₹ 27,558 crores. Ageas Federal Life Insurance has total assets under management of over ₹18,956 crore and a robust capital base of over ₹800 crores as of March 31, 2025.