Is Your Insurance Keeping Up With Life's Changing Needs?

You buy insurance to protect your family, but what happens when your policy ends, and your responsibilities don’t?

Life evolves. In your younger years, the focus is on protecting your loved ones, paying EMIs, and securing your children’s education. Later, your needs change, you want to build a steady, tax-free income and live your retirement years without financial worry.

Yet, most insurance plans stop midway, leaving a gap between protection and lifelong financial security.

That’s the very gap Tata AIA Life Insurance’s Shubh Maha Life is designed to close. It’s a whole life savings plan that ensures your financial protection, income, and health coverage grow with you, not end before you need them most.
A plan that Protects, Pays, and Grows — for Life

● Family Protection: High life cover when responsibilities are at their peak

● Steady Retirement Income: Lifetime, tax-free* payouts that keep coming even after you stop working

● Health Security: Critical illness covers to protect your savings during medical emergencies

● Long-Term Growth: Balanced returns through equity participation for sustained wealth creation
Why It’s Different

● Whole life participating savings plan — combining protection and income

● Lifetime, tax-free* income for post-retirement independence

● Extended protection well into later years

● Premium discounts — 2% for women, 4% for Tata AIA customer families/nominees, and 20% for Tata Group employees
Tailored for your Life Stage

● Gold: High cover with riders such as Accidental Death Benefit (ADB) and Total & Permanent Disability (ATPD)

● Plus: ~30x annual premium cover with higher income and lump sum flexibility

● Gold Health: High cover with critical illness protection and riders such as ATPD

● Plus Health: Combines 30x life cover with critical illness, and riders like ATPD
Choose how you want to receive your benefits -

● Retirement Income Option: Lifetime, tax-free* income

● Deferred Income Option: Timed payouts for major milestones

● Lump Sum Option: One-time payout for legacy or long-term planning
Beyond Insurance — A Lifelong partner in wellbeing

Shubh Maha Life also integrates Tata AIA Health Buddy, offering preventive health check-ups, teleconsultations, physiotherapy, lifestyle management, and women’s health programs, making it a true partner in long-term wellbeing.

Building on the legacy of Maha Life, Shubh Maha Life simplifies financial planning the way a smartphone simplifies daily life, bringing protection, income, health, and peace of mind together in one lifelong solution.

From Fossil To Fan Favourite: Stan The T. Rex Takes Over Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi Social Media

Experience Abu Dhabi introduces the world’s first “AI-ncient Influencer” — a 67-million-year-old digital creator inspired by one of the most complete T. rex fossils ever discovered

As the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi welcomes visitors, one of its star residents is already capturing global attention online. “Stan” the Tyrannosaurus rex – one of the most complete fossilised T. rex skeletons ever discovered and a signature exhibit of the museum – has been brought into the digital age as an “AI-ncient Influencer”. For the first time, a real T. rex fossil has inspired an AI-driven digital persona, transforming Stan into a talking, expressive digital character designed for social media audiences.

With a bold personality, witty attitude and a distinctly self-aware sense of humour, Stan invites visitors and social media audiences worldwide to experience the museum in a fresh and entertaining way.

This campaign gives one of Earth’s most ancient creatures a contemporary digital voice. Stan’s personality draws from his 67-million-year journey and is brought to life through playful commentary that speaks to families, young audiences and curious minds globally.

The first episode of his takeover has gone live on the museum’s social channels, tracking his journey from New York to Abu Dhabi – from squeezing through airport security and enjoying a first class Etihad Airways seat to landing at Zayed International Airport and settling into his new home. More episodes will follow as Stan explores Abu Dhabi and shares behind-the-scenes moments from his new home, the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi.

Visitors can meet Stan in person at the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi and follow him across TikTok and Instagram for more episodes, late-night museum adventures, scientific facts and the unexpected personality you’d never expect from a 67-million-year-old fossil.

Follow the museum on Instagram at instagram.com/nhm_abudhabi, TikTok at tiktok.com/@nhm_abudhabi and book your tickets at nhmad.ae

Marriott International Inks Deal With Sugee Group To Develop The Goa Marriott Manohar International Airport Hotel

Anticipated to open in 2030, this new hotel is set to deliver the perfect blend of heartfelt service and elevated hospitality to one of India’s most beautiful beachfront destinations.

Marriott International, Inc. today announced a signed agreement with the Sugee Group, growing its portfolio in Goa with the anticipated opening of the Goa Marriott Manohar International Airport Hotel. Thoughtfully designed for today’s global traveller, this 200-key property is situated in the first Aerocity in Western India. The hotel is planned of a mixed-use project that will comprise commercial spaces, retail outlets, a golf course, as well as educational and training institutes.

Located just five minutes from the Manohar International Airport, the hotel is set to offer easy access to North Goa’s iconic Anjuna, Baga, and Calangute beaches, while Panjim’s vibrant cityscape sits a convenient 30-minute drive away. Set at the crossroads of Goa’s sun-soaked coastline and its lively cultural circuit, the hotel’s location invites travelers to immerse themselves in Goa’s unique history, vibrant scenic beauty and diverse experiences. The proximity to Panjim allows for quick detours into the charming Latin quarters of Goa, with riverfront dining, and sunset cruises along the river Mandovi. Adventure seekers can explore nearby forts, waterfalls, and coastal trails, while culture lovers can seamlessly hop between art galleries, heritage walks, and vibrant Goan festivals.

“We are delighted to strengthen our footprint in Goa with this significant signing, a destination that continues to be one of India’s most compelling leisure and lifestyle markets,” said Kiran Andicot, Senior Vice President, South Asia, Marriott International. “Marriott Hotels has always been a place where guests can seamlessly blend business and leisure. Goa’s thriving demand for high-quality hospitality makes it an ideal Marriott location as we expand the brand’s presence in our next phase of growth. This signing also underscores our commitment to bringing elevated experiences to travellers while embarking on this strategic collaboration with the Sugee Group who share our vision of shaping the future of hospitality in India.”

Sharing his thoughts on the occasion of this signing - Mr. Nishant Deshmukh, Founder & Managing Director, Sugee Group, said: “We are delighted to work with a global leader like Marriott International for our first hotel development project. The collaboration with Marriott International reflects Sugee’s commitment to India’s growing tourism and hospitality sector. Goa, with its thriving leisure, lifestyle, and global tourism appeal, serves as the ideal destination for Sugee’s hospitality debut. This partnership also marks a key milestone in Sugee’s broader vision of developing international-standard experiential living spaces in the residential sector, serviced by global hospitality operators. Our teams have worked tirelessly over the past few months to bring this agreement to fruition, and we are eager to break ground and begin construction. This is not just the beginning of a project, but of a lasting relationship.”

The Goa Marriott Manohar International Airport is anticipated to offer 200 guest rooms and suites, together with a range of culinary venues including an all-day dining restaurant, specialty restaurant, a patisserie, The Greatroom lobby lounge and a Pool Bar. Planned facilities also include the indulgent Quan Spa, a swimming pool, a fitness center, and a Kids Club. Additionally, the hotel is planned to offer 1,000 square meters of conference and event spaces including a Grand Ballroom and inviting outdoor lawns, catering for professional meets and social gatherings both large and exclusive. M Club guests can expect Marriott Hotels’ signature wonderful hospitality, with modern design, comfortable spaces and enriching experiences that blend leisure and business.

Solve For Tomorrow 2025: Young Innovators Using AI To Transform Health, Hygiene & Wellbeing In India

Technology’s role in healthcare is no longer just futuristic—it is reshaping diagnostics, care, and dignity for patients today. Samsung Solve for Tomorrow (SFT) 2025, Samsung’s flagship education programme, in partnership with IIT Delhi, showcased this transformation by challenging thousands of students nationwide to design AI-first, human-centred solutions under the theme “Future of Health, Hygiene and Wellbeing.”

Here’s what this wave of innovation looks like:

1. Rooted in Real-Life Challenges

Students were invited to build accessible healthcare tech addressing hygiene, sanitation, nutrition, emotional well-being, and preventive care—ensuring better health outcomes are a right, not a privilege.

2. Practical Solutions for Better Tomorrow

Teams like Alchemist, BRHM, Hear Bright, Pink Brigadiers brought innovations ranged from multi-articulated bionic hands and AI early detection tools to predictive breast health apps and speech recognition devices tailored to India’s linguistic diversity—all focused on delivering dignity and accessibility in care.

· Alchemist (Andhra Pradesh) – AI-powered platform with deep learning model to detect subclinical silicosis

· BRHM (Uttar Pradesh) – Low-cost bionic hand to restore mobility for people with disabilities

· Hear Bright (Delhi) – AI-powered glasses that convert speech into text for supporting hearing impaired

· Pink Brigadiers (Odisha) – Predictive AI app for women to self-check their breast health at home with secure results

3. Theme Winner – Paraspeak: Giving Voice to the Unheard

Among the four national winners, Paraspeak stood out. Developed by 16-year-old Gurugram student Pranet Khetan, it is a compact AI device that converts impaired speech into clear, fluent playback—including Hindi. Inspired by people battling speech disorders, Pranet created India’s first dataset for dysarthric Hindi, filling a critical gap in AI healthcare.

4. Other Winning Innovations Beyond Health & Well-Being

SFT 2025 also honoured:

· NextPlay.AI – AI sports coaching platform

Percevia – AI-powered glasses

· Prithvi Rakshak – Gamified sustainability app

5. Support to Scale & Succeed

Winners received up to ₹1 crore incubation support at IIT Delhi, with additional awards for top teams, including ₹1 lakh grants, Goodwill Awards and Young Innovator Awards and Samsung Galaxy Z Flip smartphones for the top 20 teams.

6. A Growing, Inclusive Innovation Ecosystem

SFT 2025 saw wider participation from Tier-II and Tier-III cities, with alumni returning as mentors and access to IIT Delhi’s FITT Labs for prototyping. This growth reflects a decentralising STEM movement beyond urban centres. With 2.9 million young innovators engaged across 68 countries since 2010, SFT continues to shape the next generation of problem solvers in India.

7. Guided by Empathy and Responsibility

Design-thinking workshops encouraged students to build AI solutions that solve real problems responsibly—aligning innovation with social needs in a rapidly evolving digital world.

From Smartphones To Smart TVs - Cromtastic December Offers Start At Just ₹14,990*

· Buy Macbook Air M4 at ₹ 55,911*

· Buy Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra at ₹ 69,999*

· Buy 75" Samsung Smart TV at ₹ 62,967*

· Buy Voltas 1.5 Ton inverter AC at ₹ 29,019*

As consumers reflect on the year gone by and prepare their homes for a fresh start, Croma, India’s trusted omni-channel electronics retailer, has announced the ‘Cromtastic December Sale’, a year-end shopping event designed for customers looking to upgrade their lifestyle before stepping into 2026.

Running from December 15 to January 4, the sale offers best deals of the year in stores across electronics and home appliances, positioning it as the final upgrade window of 2025.

Unmissable Deals across Categories:

1. Smartphones:

· iPhone 16 starting at ₹ 40990* & EMIs of ₹ 1833

· iPhone 15 starting at ₹ 36,490* & EMIs of ₹ 1604

· Samsung S25 Ultra starting at ₹ 69,999* & EMIs of ₹ 3361

· Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 starting at ₹ 99,999* & EMIs of ₹ 4639

· Vivo V60 starting at ₹ 23,999* & EMIs of ₹ 3083

2. Laptops:

· MacBook Air M4 starting at ₹ 55,911** & EMIs of ₹ 2746

· Next Gen AI PC starting at ₹ 47,710* & EMIs of ₹ 2071

· 3050 GFX Gaming Laptop starting ₹ 64,950* & EMIs of ₹ 4330

· Lenovo i5 starting at ₹ 48,790* & EMIs of ₹ 4066

3. TVs:

· 75" Samsung Smart UHD TVs starting at ₹ 62,990* & EMIs of ₹ 5713

· 55" Croma UHD Google TV starting at ₹ 29,990* & EMIs of ₹ 2493

· 43" Croma Google TV starting at ₹ 18490* & EMIs of ₹ 2299

4. Washing Machine:

· LG Front Load 7 kg Washing Machine starting at ₹ 29,350* & EMIs of ₹ 2444

· Samsung Top Load 7 kg Washing Machine starting at ₹ 16,417* & EMIs of ₹ 1368

· Croma Top Load 7.5 kg Washing Machine starting ₹ 14,990* & EMIs of ₹ 1690

5. AC:

· Voltas 1.5 Ton 3 Star Inverter AC starting at ₹ 29,019* & EMIs of ₹ 2950

· Haier 1.5 Ton 5 Star Inverter AC starting at ₹ 34,161* & EMIs of ₹ 4270

“December is when customers actively look for meaningful upgrades whether it's refreshing their home setup, preparing for the year ahead, or purchasing what they postponed during the festive season. With Cromtastic December, we’ve curated strong price drops, bank offers, and EMI benefits so shoppers can make informed, value-driven purchases before the year closes.” said a spokesperson from Infiniti Retail Ltd.

The Cromastic December Sale will run across all Croma stores.

*Offer is subject to applicable cashback offers or discounts provided by participating banks or consumer finance, exchange value for eligible old products. In case of EMI transactions, cashback value could be lower or not applicable. The offer is valid only on select brands, product classes, and categories and may vary by store, city, days and until the stock lasts. Samsung prices include upgrade/cashback and exchange value of old device. Macbook Air M4 price includes student discount. T&C Apply.

About Croma:

Infiniti Retail Ltd. is one of the first organised consumer durables and electronics retailers in India operating under the brand name Croma. With over 570+ stores across 200+ cities, the company continues to aggressively open new stores to expand its presence especially in suburban region of metro cities along with tier-2 and tier-3 cities. Croma offers its customers a world-class ambience to shop both in-store and staged at www.croma.com and allows for a seamless ‘omni-channel’ shopping experience that lets a customer enjoy the best of both worlds. Through its deep integration with the Tata Neu ecosystem, products from Croma are also available on the Tata Neu app. Croma has been featured among the 100 most valuable Indian brands by Brand Finance India 100 report for two years in a row.

Meta AI Now Available In Telugu And Kannada On Ray-Ban Meta Glasses

Meta is starting to roll out Telugu and Kannada language support on Ray-Ban Meta and Oakley HSTN AI glasses, expanding access to Meta AI across India. With this update, users can now interact with Meta AI completely hands-free in two additional regional languages, making AI glasses more natural and intuitive for millions across the country. This addition builds on existing support for English and the recently launched Hindi experience, further strengthening Meta AI’s multilingual availability in India.

Users can now select Telugu or Kannada as their preferred language in the Meta AI app by going to Device Settings > Meta AI > Language and Voice. Once enabled, Meta AI can respond in the selected language and help users ask questions, get information, take photos and videos, answer calls and messages, and control music and media through simple voice commands.

This update follows the recent launch of Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2 and the launch of Oakley HSTN AI glasses in India, giving users more choice across both lifestyle and performance categories. Ray-Ban Meta Gen 1 glasses have also become more widely available through retailers such as Amazon, Flipkart, and Reliance Digital, making it easier for people across the country to purchase their first pair of AI glasses.

Vedanta Sesa Goa IOK Commits To Success Of SSLC Students In Siddapura

Empowering students with skills required to ace their examinations, Vedanta Sesa Goa – Iron Ore Karnataka (IOK) has launched the ‘Master Class to Achieve 100%’, at Shri. Nuthan High School, Siddapura. The initiative, under Sesa Goa’s Project ‘Vriddhi’ would empower 180+ students from four schools – Shri. Anjaneya Swamy High School, Kadleguddu, Shri. Anjaneya Swamy High School, Manangi, Dr. B R Ambedkar High School & Shri. Nuthan High School, Siddapura, through ‘Special Classes’ conducted on all weekends starting on 13th December 2025, for two months.

As part of the initiative Vedanta IOK is providing support through accomplished teachers who will be augmenting the preparations of the SSLC students through special classes.Students will also be mentored to overcome gaps in writing technique, time management, and tips on addressing questions as per board pattern. The event witnessed the presence of Raghavendra G., Chairman, Sri. Nuthan Education & Rural Development Society, along with Keerthi Kumar SB - Head Master, Manangi HS, Dr. Mahesh, Principal, Shri. Anjaneya Swamy High School, along with school faculty, students and Vedanta executives.


Marking the launch of the initiative, Shrishaila Gouda, CEO, Vedanta – Iron Ore Karnataka said, “We are proud to partner the students of Chitradurga through the Master Class initiative under Project ‘Vriddhi’, we will be providing special classes to over 180 students and are inspired to help them achieve 100% pass percentage in the upcoming SSLC examinations.”

Dr. Mahesh, Principal, Shri. Anjaneya Swamy High School, Kadleguddu, said, “The ‘Master Class to Achieve 100%’ initiative will prove extremely beneficial for increasing the overall pass percentage in the SSLC examinations. Vedanta IOK’s initiative will further enhance the self-confidence in students and contribute to their performance. The company has been regularly supporting students & we appreciate their initiative.”

Aishwarya R, a student of Shri. Anjaneya Swamy High School, Manangi, expressed her thoughts on the initiative, “I hail from a rural household in Chitradurga, and my parents strive very hard to make our ends meet. At times, I find it difficult to understand subjects such as Maths and Science. The special classes by Vedanta IOK are going to be extremely helpful for me.”

Vedanta IOK as part of Project ‘Vriddhi’ has been undertaking several projects aimed at promoting education among rural youth. Its ‘Back to School’ initiative provides study materials to students with 10000+ students benefitting so far , and the company also undertakes upgradation of school infrastructure such as sanitation blocks & science labs, and its Vedanta ‘Utkarsh’ Scholarships have so far benefitted over 500 students in rural Karnataka.

Aromatic Biryanis To Teriyaki Salmon: Air India Elevates Its Inflight Dining Experience With Refreshed Global Menu

· New menu incorporates Indian and global influences, and geo-specific star dishes

· The food will be sourced, prepared, packed and handled with care for the environment and community

Air India, India’s leading global airline, announced the introduction of its new global menu across its fleet. The menu draws inspiration from India’s diverse culinary tapestry, from the royal kitchens of Awadh to the coastal flavours of southern India, while incorporating global influences through Pan-Asian, European Bistro, and geo-specific star dishes.

The new menu has been introduced on most international ex-India routes, including flights from Delhi to London Heathrow, New York, Melbourne, Sydney, Toronto and Dubai; from Mumbai and Bengaluru to San Francisco; and from Mumbai to New York, to name a few. It will be progressively rolled out across all international sectors as well as on domestic routes.

The menu weaves a delicious story that combines the flavours of India with influences from global cuisines. To strike a chord with every traveller, there is a portfolio mix of region-inspired meals and global cuisines such as European bistros and pan-Asian. The region-inspired meals like south-Indian cuisine brings alive the heritage of India giving the travellers an authentic dining experience.

Guests travelling First Class will enjoy gourmet meals, artisanal breads, signature desserts, and bespoke wine and champagne pairings. Business Class offers multi-course gourmet meals with customisable options and curated beverage pairings, while Premium Economy and Economy feature upgraded meal trays with balanced, wholesome options with familiar regional flavours and enhanced presentation.

Highlights of the new menu include:

· Signature Indian dishes: Awadhi Paneer Anjeer Pasanda (Veg Awadhi Thali), Murgh Massalam (Non-veg Awadhi Thali), and south Indian platter in First and Business Class. Rajasthani besan chilla, malabari chicken curry, and malai palak kofta in Premium Economy

· International cuisine: Japanese Teppanyaki Bowl, citrus tiger prawns, and oriental napa cabbage and tofu rollmops in First Class and Seoul flamed prawns, manicotti forestiere, and Mediterranean tapas in Business Class

· GenZ Delights: chicken bibimbap and matcha delice in Business Class

· Home-made comfort food: homestyle masala dal khichdi and homestyle stuffed parantha in Business Class

· Plant-Based & Special Dietary Options: A dedicated vegan, gluten-free, and allergen-conscious menu

The exquisite new menu has been curated by Chef Sandeep Kalra, who joined Air India recently as the airline continues with its transformation programme, with new and upgraded aircraft joining the fleet and the introduction of new cabin and the new Air India experience across its fleet. The new menu has taken inspiration from the diverse culinary experiences that India offers from the classic Delhi Street food to the real southern India tiffin, apart from international cuisine that appeal to today’s young travellers such as Korean Bibimbap and Matcha. The Air India cabin crew have also gone through specialised training to enhance customer experience onboard.

“At the very core, the new food and beverage enhancements draw inspiration from Air India's commitment to continuous innovation and transforming the customer experience. We are reimagining the inflight dining experience that resonates with the tastes and preferences of global travellers. Our thoughtfully curated menu caters to guests from different cultural affinities who prefer delectable gourmet meals. We endeavour to master the art of menu design and presentation to ensure every inflight meal goes beyond taste into serving care and culinary excellence,” said Mr. Rajesh Dogra, Chief Customer Experience Officer, Air India.

Air India will also offer over 18 special meal types, one of the few airlines worldwide to do so, accommodating modern travellers’ lifestyles and dietary preferences for a truly inclusive and personalised experience. Guests can choose from thoughtfully curated choices ranging from international cuisine, homestyle comfort food, to health-conscious fare that caters to contemporary dietary lifestyles. Guests can also pre-select meals online using the Air India app with chef's notes, allergen information, and customisation capabilities.

The airline is also trying to reduce its environmental impact across the cycle such as in responsible sourcing, packaging, and waste reduction. Using locally sourced seasonal food to support local farmers and keep food miles down, Air India also ensures freshness of ingredients from the time of produce till the final serving onboard. There is also increased emphasis on environmentally friendly initiatives such as compostable utensils, paper meal boxes, less single-use plastics, and segregation of onboard waste for recycling and composting to reduce the carbon footprint.

About Air India group

The Air India group – comprising of full-service global airline, Air India, and value carrier, Air India Express – is spearheading a new era of Indian aviation. The Air India story began in 1932 when JRD Tata piloted the airline’s inaugural flight and opened the skies for aviation in India. Today, Air India group employs more than 30,000 people, operates over 300 aircraft and carries customers to 57 domestic and 48 international destinations across five continents.

Returning to the Tata Sons in 2022 following 70 years under Government ownership, Air India group is in the midst of a five-year transformation program, Vihaan.AI. As part of the transformation, Air India has placed an order for 570 new aircraft. In 2024, sister airlines Air Asia India and Vistara were successfully merged into Air India Express and Air India, respectively, and the Airline opened South Asia’s largest aviation training academy. A new flying school is scheduled to open in 2025, and construction of a greenfield maintenance base, to be operational in 2026, is underway. In addition to receiving new aircraft, all existing aircraft are progressively undergoing a full interior refit.

With transformation underway across all facets of the business and India’s rich legacy of hospitality, Air India is committed to being a world class global airline with an Indian heart.

For more stories on Air India, visit http://www.airindia.com/newsroom

Adyasha Foundation presents ‘ShishiraChhanda 2025’ – 9th Annual Dance Festival At JSS Auditorium

Renowned Odissi dancer and Guru Smt. Sarita Mishra, through her Adyasha Foundation, is set to present ShishiraChhanda 2025, the 9th edition of its annual dance festival, on Saturday, 20th December 2025 at 6.00 PM, at JSS Auditorium, Jayanagar, Bengaluru.

The festival celebrates the rich legacy of Indian classical dance and brings together distinguished performers from India and abroad.

The evening will feature a Bharatanatyam solo recital by an acclaimed dancer from the USA, Smt. Padmini Sirish, followed by an Odissi solo presentation by Smt. Indu Vijay. The highlight of the evening will be “Mādhaveti”, an Odissi production portraying the sacred journey of Neelamadhava to Jagannatha, a tale of divine discovery, devotion, and destiny, expressed through lyrical movement and soulful rhythm.

Gracing the occasion as Special Invitees will be: Dr. Veena Murthy Vijay, Dr. Shobha Shashikumar, and Guru Sri Murali Mohan Kalvakalva.

Speaking about the festival, Smt. Sarita Mishra shared, “With Shishirachhanda, we aim to build a space where artists, students, and audiences come together in celebration of our shared cultural heritage. It is our humble effort to keep these classical art forms alive, vibrant, and relevant for today’s world.”

Event Details:

Date: Saturday, 20th December 2025

Time: 6:00 PM

Venue: JSS Auditorium, Jayanagar, Bengaluru

Ticket link - https://tikkl.com/adyashafoundation/c/shishirachhanda2025/?

Organiser: Adyasha Foundation

Artistic Director: Smt. Sarita Mishra

For tickets and further details, contact +91 96867 64573

o9 Welcomes AI visionary Dr. Ashwin Rao As Executive Vice President, Next-Gen AI & Technology

09, a leading software company that is powering enterprise planning and decisioning models across 30-plus industry verticals with its groundbreaking, AI-powered Digital Brain platform, today announced that Dr. Ashwin Rao, a multi-faceted leader in applying technologies for elevating enterprise intelligence, has joined the Company’s leadership team as Executive Vice President, Next-Gen AI and Technology.

Dr. Ashwin Rao brings more than two decades of extensive experience across business, academia and Wall Street. As Chief AI Officer and Chief AI Scientist at distributor and retail enterprises, he led AI, data science and engineering teams that built leading-edge capabilities for merchandising, pricing, forecasting, supply chain and adjacent domains. Before that, he spent 15 years at Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley, leading teams that developed quantitative algorithmic models and solutions to power trading decisions. He is currently an Adjunct Professor at Stanford University’s Institute for Computational and Mathematical Engineering, where he researches and teaches graduate-level courses on the topic of AI/ML for sequential optimal decisioning under uncertainty. Additionally, Dr. Rao is a published author on several topics, including a textbook on Reinforcement Learning and Financial Trading. He holds a Ph.D. in Theoretical Computer Science from the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, and a B.Tech. in Computer Science from the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay. Dr. Rao resides in Palo Alto, CA., where he’s an active member of the AI community.

At o9, Dr. Rao will build upon the company’s founding premise: Connecting the siloes of enterprise planning and execution to transform end-to-end decision-making is the top value-creation driver in a world of rising volatility and uncertainty. He will engage with o9’s premier customers and partners on the challenges of making enterprise AI deliver on its promise. He will work closely with o9’s world-class R&D team and direct the Company’s strategic, cutting-edge architecture initiatives.

“Upon delving into the o9 technology, I was immediately drawn to the power of its platform and Enterprise Knowledge Graph technology,” Dr. Rao said. “AI has been a fundamental component in o9’s platform, and I believe the combination of advancements in generative and agentic AI with the strength of the powerful Enterprise Knowledge Graph models it pioneered is the key that will shape the future of enterprise planning and decisioning. I am thrilled to join the team to make a significant contribution to value creation in enterprises across industries.”

Chakri Gottemukkala, o9’s Co-Founder and CEO, added, “Ashwin brings a rare combination of talents to accelerate our drive to help build the next generation of Agile, Adaptive & Autonomous Planning & Execution Models that enterprises will need to achieve business plans with greater predictability in an increasingly volatile, uncertain and dynamic marketplace. We look forward to his contributions in raising the bar on value creation and time to value for our customers.”

Bluspring Enterprises Unveils Refreshed Brand Identity Post Demerger From Quess Corp

Bluspring Enterprises Limited (NSE: BLUSPRING, BSE: 544414), India’s leading integrated infrastructure management services company, today unveiled its refreshed brand identity, introducing a new logo and visual language. The brand marks Bluspring’s evolution as an independent, listed entity post its demerger from Quess Corp, and reinforces its role as a trusted partner for organizations seeking tech-enabled, compliance-first solutions across essential infrastructure and people services.

Rooted in Bluspring’s ethos of unity, ambition, and progress, the new identity brings together its specialist capabilities and legacy brands under a cohesive platform. The visual identity is anchored by the new tagline, ‘Infrastructure. People. Progress.’; capturing the belief that seamless infrastructure is built by empowered people and together they accelerate nation’s progress. The new logo, composed of interconnected blocks forming the letter ‘B’, represents how diverse teams and services integrate to create collective strength, while its forward-leaning form signals growth and transformation. The blue–green palette reinforces trust, stability, and renewal.

The updated brand architecture reflects a service-line-first model with 'powered by' endorsements for category-leading brands such as Terrier, Hofincons, and Vedang - enabling clients to benefit from sector expertise alongside single-contract accountability and nationwide delivery. The company today operates at scale across integrated facility management, food and hospitality, integrated security (powered by Terrier), engineering asset management (powered by Hofincons), and telecom networks (powered by Vedang). This structure unifies the company’s narrative for clients, partners, and stakeholders, while preserving the equity and specialist strengths of its legacy brands.

A Distinct Position in India’s Infrastructure Services Landscape

Bluspring addresses a critical gap in the industry; no other company in India offers integrated capabilities across all infrastructure service sectors. As India undergoes rapid infrastructure transformation, supported by the Government of India’s INR 11.21 lakh crore capital expenditure outlay, Bluspring’s positioning aligns with the country's growth priorities and supports sectors including healthcare, education, BFSI, IT, telecom, manufacturing, commercial real estate, and government institutions.

The company’s footprint includes a 90,000+ workforce operating across 28 states and 34+ cities, serving 1,000+ clients nationwide.

Commenting on the announcement, Kamal Pal Hoda, CEO, Bluspring, said, “Bluspring’s refreshed identity is a clear expression of who we are and what we stand for as an integrated infrastructure services enterprise. It unifies our category-leading service lines and specialist brands into one coherent story for our clients, our people, and our partners.

As organizations look for partners who can manage critical infrastructure with agility, compliance, and human-centric care, our new brand platform signals our intent to be that trusted extension of their teams. It honours the heritage of brands like Terrier, Hofincons, and Vedang, while aligning them behind a common purpose—Infrastructure. People. Progress.”

Shilpa Kona, VP – Marketing, Bluspring said, "Our new identity reflects a brand moving forward with clarity and confidence. Every element has been designed to signal momentum and collaboration. This refresh gives us a unified platform to tell the Bluspring story and engage more meaningfully with clients and our people as we continue to scale."

The refreshed identity will be rolled out across all brand touchpoints, including digital and social media platforms, corporate collateral, signage, print and digital ads and employee communications over the coming months.

Interpretations Of 2025: Srishti Manipal Institute unveils winter showcase

Srishti Manipal Institute of Art, Design and Technology invites art enthusiasts to witness their interpretation of 2025 through distinctive exhibitions this December. The winter showcase, titled "Interpretations of 2025," presents the creative explorations of students responding to contemporary complexities through crafting, critical thinking, and experimentation across multiple venues in Bengaluru from December 18–21.

"Practices of Attunement" themed art will be displayed on December 18–19, between 10 AM–7 PM at Bangalore International Centre, #7, 4th Main Road, Bengaluru, featuring the postgraduate students exploring trans-disciplinary research through engagements with bodies, narratives, and communities.

"Prologue - Make New Worlds" themed art will be displayed on December 20–21 between 10 AM–7 PM at Venkatappa Art Gallery, Kasturba Road celebrating the discipline-specific works of the graduating batch, demonstrating how art and design reveal fresh perspectives on the world and ourselves.

"Crafting our Actions 2025" will be held at the SMI campus at MAHE Bengaluru (Govindapura, Yelahanka) from December 18–20. This exhibition features collaborative works by undergraduate students and visiting practitioners created during the Institute's 'Interim' program.

More details : https://srishtimanipalinstitute.in  

Aditya Vikram Birla Kalashikar Puraskar Bestowed Upon Padmabhushan Vidushi Begam Parveen Sultana

Addressing the august gathering at the glittering 29th edition of the Sangit Kala Kendra’s (SKK) Awards. Rajashree Birla, President of the Sangit Kala Kendra in her welcome address, traced the genesis of the Sangit Kala Kendra.

Speaking on the occasion, she stated, “The Sangit Kala Kendra Awards, year after year stir, a lot of beautiful memories. Traditionally, this evening we pay homage to our beloved founder of the Sangit Kala Kendra – the legendary Aditya Vikram Birla, my husband whose life symbolised, the triumph of creativity and imagination. I would like to share snatches of conversations on his philosophy: his timeless values, from thoughts of his Father, as expressed by my son Kumar Mangalam.

It goes like this. “There is so much one can learn from his life. That you can be successful without having to negotiate on your values and principles, and on your own terms. With hard work, passion, and unfailing commitment. That at the same time there is more to life than work alone. Live life to the fullest – work with undivided focus and play with unbridled passion too. Follow your dreams – there is nothing you cannot learn or achieve if you put your mind and heart to it. That you can touch the lives of many people, more than you can perhaps imagine, through your genuine concern for their well-being, through small gestures and by being a role model to so many. We all realise that he is always with us and that he really never left us.” Unquote.

Today and every day, I feel that Adityaji never truly left us. His aura, his legacy of values, his desire to live life to the full and yet be a complete karmayogi continues to be his legacy bestowed upon us. It is also the rock solid principle at the core of the Sangit Kala Kendra.”

This year, the focus was on Indian Classical Music. Padma Bhushan Pandit Ajoy Chakrabarty was the Chief Guest. The distinguished jury comprised of eminent theatre exemplars pan India with the renowned Pandit Ulhas Kashalkar, as the jury chair. Pandit Venkatesh Kumar, Vidushi Ashwini Bhide Deshpande, Kavita Krishnamurthy Subramaniam and Devaki Pandit, were the other esteemed members of the jury.

The Sangit Kala Kendra has immortalized glorious moments of Aditya Birla’s life. The SKK Awards celebrate the memory of its visionary founder. Kumar Mangalam graced the occasion.

The coveted Aditya Vikram Birla Kala Shikhar Puraskar, its premier award was conferred upon Padma Bhushan Vidushi Begum Parween Sultana by Rajashree Birla. The versatile genius is known for her creativity across all genres- ranging from Indian Classical Music to Film Music.

The high voltage evening saw the crème de la crème from maximum city in full attendance. Spectacular performances by legendary actress Rekha, Shreya Ghoshal, Aditi Mangaldas, and Raghav Sachar, had the audience on their feet, screaming for an encore.

Earlier luminaries upon whom the Kala Shikar Puraskars were bestowed included Lata Mangeshkar, Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, Naseeruddin Shah. Ustad Zakir Hussian, Pt. Shivkumar Sharma, Pt. Vijay Raghav Rao and Pt. Ram Narayan

The Aditya Vikram Birla Kala Kiran Puraskar was conferred on Sammehan Kashalkar, Kumari Ankita Joshi, and Sagar Morankar.

For more than twenty-five years, the Aditya Vikram Birla Puraskars bear testimony to the evolution and tremendous growth of performing arts in India.

Paragon Footwear Redefines In-Store Experience With Next-Gen Retail Format

Paragon Footwear, one of India’s leading footwear brands, today announced the launch of its next-generation retail store format with the opening of its first outlet at Ramamurthy Nagar, Bangalore. This marks a strategic step to strengthen its direct-to-consumer presence, enhance the in-store shopping experience, and capture the fast-growing Gen Z and young urban consumer segment.

The rollout, starting mid-December 2025, aligns with Paragon’s broader premiumisation and market expansion strategy, aimed at driving higher per-store revenue, enhancing brand equity, and deepening engagement with younger audiences.

The new stores are designed as lifestyle experience hubs, blending comfort, style, and community. This reflects Paragon’s shift from a legacy retail presence to a brand-led experiential ecosystem.

Key features include:

● 1,000+ sq. ft. store formats for better footfall management and immersive browsing

● Curated product showcases to drive higher discovery and conversion

● Youth-centric color palette and premium interiors designed for social media appeal

● Premium leather range crafted with emphasis on material quality, refined detailing, and elevated style expression

Speaking on the store opening, Nakhul Joseph, Executive Vice President – Retail, Franchise & Human Resources at Paragon Footwear, said, “We’re reimagining what a footwear store feels like — not just a place to shop, but a space that mirrors the energy, individuality, and creativity of today’s youth. Our new retail identity brings together the best of Paragon’s portfolio under one roof — from everyday comfort wear to trend-driven sneakers and premium leather styles under Carmicci. Designed to be fresh, inspiring, and easy to explore, these stores reflect our evolution as a brand that listens, adapts, and grows with its customers.”

Alongside Paragon’s core collections, the new retail format will spotlight its portfolio of brands from the House of Paragon — Eeken for bold, Gen Z styles, Stimulus for everyday comfort designed for Millennials, and Carmicci for premium leather footwear. Together, these brands address distinct consumer needs and style preferences across segments and price points.

This portfolio strategy is aimed at expanding Paragon’s share in the mid to premium-footwear category, while retaining its stronghold in the value segment. As a key strategic initiative, Paragon is driving its expansion through a franchise-led model, supported by a hybrid business framework that reduces partner risk through shared investments and operational support. The model is designed to uphold brand standards and customer experience, while enabling faster scale-up and sustainable market expansion.

The retail expansion comes at a time when Paragon’s outlets continue to gain strong traction, with Stimulus emerging as the top retail contributor at 28%, followed by Eeken at 22% and Carmicci at 12%, demonstrating growing demand across Gen Z fashion, everyday comfort, and premium leather footwear categories.

India’s footwear market is projected to reach $15 billion by 2028, fueled by rising urban consumption and a growing demand for affordable premium products. Paragon’s new retail model is designed as a strategic growth lever to capture this opportunity by accelerating direct-to-consumer revenue contribution, enhancing brand experience parity with global and digital-first competitors, driving higher per-store productivity through curated merchandising, and expanding its footprint in Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities with high-growth potential.

The first set of new-format stores will open across key metros and Tier 1 cities in mid-December 2025, with a wider expansion planned through 2026. These stores will blend physical and digital experiences, serving as a core pillar in Paragon’s omnichannel retail strategy.

About Paragon

Paragon was founded in 1975 and since then it has emerged as a marquee brand in the footwear industry, for its steadfast dedication to excellence, durability, and fashion. The brand offers a wide range of footwear products, including shoes, sandals, flip-flops, and slippers. Their product line caters to various age groups and demographics, from children to adults, making it a complete family brand. Paragon's products are accessible through a vast network of multi-brand stores, both online and offline, making quality footwear available to all. Paragon’s distribution network spans 12 strategically located depots across India, facilitating efficient supply chain management.

Young Innovators Emerge Victorious At Smart India Hackathon – “Hardware Edition Grand Finale At VNR VJIET”

~The winning teams received prize money of Rs 75000 each with the winning prototypes addressed critical challenges in energy, water, infrastructure and public safety~

The 8th edition of the Smart India Hackathon (SIH) 2025 – Hardware Edition successfully concluded at VNR Vignana Jyothi Institute of Engineering & Technology (VNR VJIET), Hyderabad, with a grand Valedictory Ceremony. Hosted as a Ministry of Education–designated Nodal Centre, the event brought together 25 finalist teams comprising 150 students from 22 premier institutions across 10 states, making it one of the most significant national student innovation gatherings of the year.

Organised by the Ministry of Education’s Innovation Cell (MIC) in collaboration with AICTE, SIH 2025 focused on developing technology-driven solutions to critical national challenges. At the VNR VJIET nodal centre, 10 teams – MACGYVER (Chengalapattu, Tamil Nadu), Team Jayastra (Bhimavaram, Andhra Pradesh), Circuit Sentinels (Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu), 818_Dhruva (Indore, Madhya Pradesh), CtrlAltDefeat.. (Bengaluru, Karnataka), Tech Mates 2025 (Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu), ECO GRID INNOVATORS (Bhimavaram, Andhra Pradesh), Team Innoventors (Jaipur, Rajasthan), AkashPankh (Pune, Maharashtra), and Sky Sentinels (Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu) were declared Joint Winners across five problem statements. Each winning team received a cash award of ₹75,000. The solutions addressed key areas such as river water quality monitoring, renewable energy integration, power distribution safety, UAV-based surveillance systems and smart infrastructure, demonstrating strong potential for scalability, patenting and real-world deployment.

Engineer Peeyush Gupta, Information Specialist, NMCG, Ministry of Jal Shakti said, “The solutions presented here by students have direct applicability on the ground, and the Ministry will explore collaboration with the winning teams to take these ideas forward. I do not want the students to let this journey end here.”

Dr. B Chennakesava Rao, Director, VNR Vignana Jyothi Institute of Engineering & Technology, said “Smart India Hackathon teaches students the true value of teamwork, time management and resilience under pressure. Hosting this national finale reflects our commitment to enabling young innovators to build solutions of real societal impact.”

The event received widespread appreciation for its scale, seamless execution and mentoring ecosystem, reinforcing VNR VJIET’s standing as a trusted national innovation host. The winning solutions are now expected to move into the post-hackathon development phase, with concerned ministries facilitating mentorship, refinement and potential pilot implementation. By successfully hosting the Hardware Edition Grand Finale, VNR VJIET reaffirmed its role in advancing youth-led innovation, entrepreneurship and nation-building.

Cleartrip Unpacked 2025 - A PeekABoo Into How India Flew, Stayed And Planned Chutti

Gen Z travellers grew by 650% — bussin’ spots were Dubai, Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok

UPI payments increased by 6% and Credit Cards by 8%; 66% bookings made on the phone

UP was the most visited State — stay searches grew significantly for Prayagraj (3x) and Bareilly (4x).

Vietnam emerged as the breakout international destination

Delhi & Bengaluru emerged as the top solo travel destinations.

Calmcation, Workation, Digital Detox and Adventure travel were some emerging trends

Two people booked stays almost a year in advance; the longest stay booked was for a month

3 lakh people booked flights between 3 & 4 AM

Cheapest flight @₹0, and cheapest hotel @₹48; costliest flight booked @4.3 lakhs and costliest stay @4.34lakhs

38 lakh flight bookings were made within 48 hours of departure

Cleartrip, a Flipkart company and one of India’s fastest-growing online travel platforms, today released Cleartrip Unpacked 2025* - A recap of ‘How India flew, stayed, and searched for chutti’ in 2025. The flavour of the year has been the multifold growth in ‘Gen Z travellers’, and ‘Value & Affordability’ as the hero offering, resonating with millions of Indians.

1. Flavour of the Year: Affordability, Value and GenZ!

Due to the convenience of UPI payments and partnerships with multiple banks, there was a ~6% increase in UPI transactions and an 8% increase in credit card payments.

Over 65% of the bookings were made for a wide range of budget and mid-range hotels on Cleartrip.

65% of all bookings were made on the phone on Cleartrip’s mobile app.

Gen Z travellers increased by 650% in 2025 They just vibed at multiple spots this year. Most ‘Bussin’ were Dubai, Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok - #GenZApproved!

2. A Dive into How India Travelled

Vietnam emerged as the breakout international destination of 2025, recording a 133% jump in traffic.

A major driver of international confidence was Cleartrip’s Visa Rejection Cover.

Traffic to Varanasi and the Andaman Islands grew by 20% on average,

Uttar Pradesh** was the most visited in 2025. Stay searches grew significantly for Prayagraj (3x) and Bareilly (4x).

Delhi and Bengaluru were the top two solo travel destinations this year — Delhi saw the highest movement to and from Himachal Pradesh, Jaipur and Agra. Similarly, Bengaluru saw Coorg, Ooty and Kodaikanal - Leisure, or IT/Tech parks? Or both!

Phuket, Kuala Lumpur, and Bangkok emerged as the most popular destinations of 2025.

2025 saw the emergence of mini trends:

When travellers preferred Calm over Kaam, they took a ‘Calmcation’ to Rishikesh, Coorg and Allepey.

Workaholics or working remotely? Goa, Pondicherry, and Darjeeling were the top ‘Workation’ spots.

Spiti, Andaman and Ladakh were the top choices for a ‘Digital Detox.’

All of India’s ‘Adventure Junkies’ flocked to Bir Billing, Lakshadweep and Auli this year.

Quirky, Unhinged Travellers and the Chaos they packed along the way

Someone booked 361 days in advance for a stay in Chikkamagaluru, Karnataka. Another booked a stay 350 days in advance in Ribandar, Goa.

3,00,000 people booked tickets between 3 AND 4AM. This is enough people to fill a 353 Airbus-380, the largest commercial plane in the world!

A traveller in Bengaluru stayed 30 days straight in one property. Another in Kolkata stayed for 29 days straight.

The cheapest flight booked on Cleartrip cost ₹0 (fully redeemed through offers and wallet credits). The cheapest stay was priced at ₹48. These people are now case studies!

A traveller spent ₹2,40,000 on a Delhi–Guwahati flight, and another shelled out ₹4,43,000 for a Paris–Mumbai flight.

The costliest hotel stay booked this year touched ₹4,41,000 in the Maldives. We think it’s a forgotten anniversary situation…

Someone spent ₹65,000 solely on excess baggage on a Ghaziabad–Bengaluru flight.

38,00,000 flight bookings were made within 48 hours of departure, signalling India’s growing comfort with impulsive, last-minute travel.

About Cleartrip:

Launched in July 2006, Cleartrip Pvt Ltd., a Flipkart company, has emerged as India’s fastest-growing online travel technology company. In April 2021, Flipkart acquired a majority stake in Cleartrip. Cleartrip recently emerged as the no. 2 OTA player as per a study by VIDEC. With an aggressive plan to emerge as a leading innovator in the industry, Cleartrip is on its way to building a differentiated value proposition for its customers looking for end-to-end travel solutions. With industry-first offerings including ClearChoice Plus and ClearChoice Max, Cleartrip has a clear vision to provide innovative solutions in the OTA segment. Combining intuitive products with a customer-centric approach and a wide selection of flights, hotels, and buses, Cleartrip brings a unique selling point to the market, offering its customers convenience, choice, competitive prices, and premium content.

Celebrating India’s Historic Triumph At ICC Women’s World Cup 2025

Photo Caption: Celebrating India’s historic triumph at the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025! The Champion team pictured with N. Chandrasekaran, Chairman, Tata Sons & Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles Ltd.(TMPVL), Shailesh Chandra, MD & CEO, TMPVL, alongside the newly launched Tata Sierra—an icon reimagined. Tata Motors is presenting each team member a Tata Sierra of their choice.

ServiceNow Has Completed Its Acquisition Of AI Platform Moveworks

Combined strengths in agentic AI, intelligent workflows, and enterprise search deliver the world’s most advanced AI platform for work and create an AI-native front door for employee engagement

ServiceNow (NYSE: NOW), the AI control tower for business reinvention, today announced it has completed its acquisition of Moveworks. The acquisition advances ServiceNow’s vision to put AI to work for people, combining ServiceNow’s trusted agentic AI and intelligent workflows with Moveworks’ intuitive front-end AI assistant, enterprise search, and agentic Reasoning Engine. Together, the companies will expand the capabilities of the ServiceNow AI platform to redefine how employees engage with work, drive faster outcomes, scale AI adoption, and create AI experiences people love to use.

“Moveworks accelerates ServiceNow’s vision to put AI to work for people across every corner of every business,” said Amit Zavery, president, chief operating officer, and chief product officer at ServiceNow. “With two decades of workflow intelligence built into a single architecture, we’re powering the agentic AI operating system for the enterprise. Moveworks’ AI Assistant plus ServiceNow’s agentic platform will create an AI-native front door that turns conversations into completed work, allowing customers to resolve issues autonomously, trigger intelligent workflows, and get results – securely, responsibly, and at scale.”

“Moveworks was founded to make work effortless, building a powerful AI assistant platform that gets work done,” said Bhavin Shah, CEO of Moveworks. “By joining ServiceNow, we can now scale this agentic strategy for any organization by connecting our AI Assistant and enterprise search, powered by our Reasoning Engine, with ServiceNow’s trusted workflow automation and AI governance. Together, we’ll deliver secure, fast, end-to-end resolution for employees everywhere.”

Uniting employee experiences on a single intelligent platform

The ServiceNow AI Platform delivers natively integrated AI that automates work at scale with trust and transparency. With its seamless integration into ServiceNow, Moveworks brings a powerful complement: an intuitive front-end that lets employees ask, search, and take action naturally, wherever they work. Together, ServiceNow and Moveworks create intelligent experiences that connect every request with autonomous fulfillment – for employees, customers, developers, IT teams, and admins – breaking down silos, accelerating time to value, and driving productivity across the enterprise.

Agentic AI is already transforming work at scale for thousands of ServiceNow customers, accelerating response times and delivering measurable productivity gains. Inside ServiceNow itself, AI agents now resolve 90% of IT and 89% of customer support requests autonomously, cutting resolution times nearly sevenfold.

Moveworks deepens this foundation. ServiceNow is already one of Moveworks’ more than 100 technology integrations, and its front-end AI assistant, enterprise search, and agentic Reasoning Engine are trusted by leading global enterprises such as Siemens, Toyota, Unilever, and others. With 5.5 million employee users and approximately 250 mutual customers already using both technologies, ServiceNow and Moveworks are building on a proven approach to bring agentic AI to every employee that makes workflow across every corner of a business. Nearly 90% of Moveworks customers have deployed the technology to 100% of their employees, reflecting real, enterprise-wide adoption and usage.

Additionally, with hundreds of AI experts joining ServiceNow, Moveworks brings deep expertise that will further fuel innovation and accelerate ServiceNow’s ability to scale its AI roadmap. Overall, this acquisition strengthens the ServiceNow AI Platform with the ability to deliver even more transformational experiences that understand every employee request through prompts, connect to the right enterprise data, AI agent, or workflow, and further accelerate end-to-end digital workflows across IT, HR, and more – on one flexible, scalable platform.

About ServiceNow

ServiceNow (NYSE: NOW) is the AI control tower for business reinvention. The ServiceNow AI Platform integrates with any cloud, any model, and any data source to orchestrate how work flows across the enterprise. By unifying legacy systems, departmental tools, cloud applications, and AI agents, ServiceNow provides a single pane of glass that connects intelligence to execution across every corner of business. With more than 75 billion workflows running on the platform each year, ServiceNow helps organizations turn fragmented operations into coordinated, autonomous workflows that deliver measurable results. Learn how ServiceNow puts AI to work for people at www.servicenow.com.

Lam Research Announces Winners Of Annual Collegiate Challenge

The challenge, in its second year, attracted close to 7000 students from 474 colleges across 24 states in the country.

Lam Research Corp. (Nasdaq: LRCX) today announced the winners of its annual Lam Research Challenge 2025, one of India’s first exclusive systems engineering competitions in the semiconductor equipment manufacturing industry.

The first prize was awarded to Ashish Negi, Shivam Kumar Jha, Swayam Bansal, and Sai Tejaswi from Maharaja Agrasen Institute of Technology, while Anubhav Anand, Anumula Bharath Kumar, Daksh Sambhare, and Smit Kadu from Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati stood second, and Harshan J, Mohammed Rehan Tadpatri, Thareesh Prabakaran, and Thiruchalvan Thiyagarajan from National Institute of Technology, Calicut secured third place.

The challenge, in its second year, attracted close to 7000 students from 474 colleges across 24 states in the country, all of whom demonstrated a passion for tackling complex engineering problems using technology, innovation, and teamwork. The Lam Research Challenge is one of the country’s only systems engineering competitions that requires participants to integrate hardware, software, systems thinking, along with agility and project management skills to solve real world engineering problems for the semiconductor industry. Students from across the country participate for a chance to win a total of 10 lakh INR in cash prizes, and a select few are offered exclusive internships at Lam India.

“The Lam Research Challenge has evolved into more than a systems engineering competition. Through problem-solving and transformative learning, we strive to inspire the spirit of innovation and help foster future talent for the semiconductor industry. Congratulations to this year’s winners and all the bright students who made the competition a success,” said Rangesh Raghavan, corporate vice president and general manager, Lam Research India.

Part of the company’s broader initiative to build a pipeline of technical talent to address the needs of the growing semiconductor industry in India, the Lam Research Challenge gives students hands-on experience in systems engineering, bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and real-world applications.

The Lam Research Challenge is the latest in a series of progressive developments from the company to support innovation, collaboration and a pipeline of engineering talent to meet the future needs of the semiconductor industry. Through the broad deployment of its Semiverse® Solutions courseware that offers a virtual nanofabrication environment, Lam aims to upskill engineers across Indian universities.

About Lam Research

Lam Research Corporation is a global supplier of innovative wafer fabrication equipment and services to the semiconductor industry. Lam’s equipment and services allow customers to build smaller and better performing devices. In fact, today nearly every advanced chip is built with Lam technology. We combine superior systems engineering, technology leadership, and a strong values-based culture, with an unwavering commitment to our customers. Lam Research (Nasdaq: LRCX) is a FORTUNE 500® company headquartered in Fremont, Calif., with operations around the globe. Learn more at www.lamresearch.com.

Dr Batra’s® Launches XODerma – India’s First Non-Injectable Exosome-Based Skin Rejuvenation Treatment

Dr Batra's®, a pioneer of modern homeopathy in India, has introduced Dr Batra’s® XODerma, a breakthrough in skin rejuvenation and the first treatment of its kind in India that brings together homeopathy and skin exosome technology for advanced anti-ageing and anti-pigmentation care. This non-injectable, non-invasive and painless treatment is designed to help people achieve ageless, spotless skin in a safe and comfortable way, with visible improvements in just three sessions.

Dr Batra’s® XODerma is powered by the science of exosomes, highly targeted biological messengers that work at a deep cellular level. These nano-sized particles penetrate into the deeper layers of the skin and activate natural repair and regeneration processes, helping deliver longer-lasting results rather than surface-level cosmetic improvement. By working at the cellular level, the treatment improves skin texture, tone, firmness and clarity over time.

Commenting on the launch, Dr. Akshay Batra, Trichologist, Fellowship in Homeopathic Cosmetology & Aesthetics and Managing Director, Dr Batra’s® Healthcare said, “At Dr Batra’s®, innovation that genuinely benefits patients is at the core of our work. After successfully introducing exosome-based hair treatments in India, we are delighted to bring XODerma, a globally recognised skin rejuvenation therapy to our patients. With rising skin concerns linked to pollution, stress, ageing, and demanding lifestyles, people today want treatments that are quick, effective, and above all, safe. XODerma delivers visible improvements in texture, tone, and firmness in just three sessions. By combining cutting-edge exosome science with our promise of natural, side-effect–free care, we aim to offer healthier, youthful, glowing skin in the most comfortable way possible.”

What makes XODerma unique is its integrative approach, where advanced exosome technology works alongside personalised homeopathy. While exosomes target skin repair from the outside, homeopathic medicines help address the root causes of pigmentation and skin ageing, including hormonal imbalance, nutritional deficiencies, stress and lifestyle-related skin issues. This dual-action approach supports both internal balance and external skin renewal for more sustainable and holistic results.

The treatment is enriched with a powerful blend of scientifically backed skin actives. Peptides help smooth fine lines and improve skin firmness, hyaluronic acid deeply hydrates and plumps the skin, PDRN stimulates collagen production and supports DNA repair, and adenosine accelerates skin renewal and improves overall skin quality. Together, these ingredients work to enhance radiance, reduce pigmentation, improve firmness and refine skin texture.

Each XODerma session begins with an AI-based skin analysis, where advanced technology assesses pigmentation, fine lines, pore size, texture and hydration levels. Based on this assessment, doctors create a personalised treatment plan tailored to each individual’s skin needs. The procedure then includes deep cleansing to prepare the skin, followed by micro-channel creation using a derma pen to enable precise, non-injectable delivery of exosomes and active ingredients into the deeper skin layers. Targeted exosome release ensures optimal absorption and effectiveness, while keeping the procedure comfortable and safe.

At the end of the treatment cycle, patients receive a detailed outcome report, generated through AI-based skin reassessment. This report provides a clear comparison of before-and-after skin health, highlighting reduction in pigmentation, improved skin tone, enhanced firmness and visible refinement of skin texture, offering transparency and scientific validation of results.

A ₹1.5 Crore Tribute To Loyalty” - Mourya Concepts Rewards 6 Senior Leaders With Mahindra BE.06 EVs For Outstanding Performance

In an unprecedented gesture of employee appreciation, Mourya Concepts has honoured six of its most dedicated senior leaders with brand-new Mahindra BE.06 electric cars, each valued at ₹25 lakh—a collective reward worth ₹1.5 crore. This milestone announcement reflects the company’s deep commitment to recognising loyalty, dedication, and leadership excellence.

Mourya Concepts, headquartered in Bengaluru, is a leading organisation specialising in real estate valuation and high-value assessment projects. The firm handles valuations for major Banks, NBFCs, Housing Finance Companies, Judicial Courts, and Income Tax Departments. They are experts in assessing the value of malls, star hotels, resorts, clubs, and large commercial establishments for determining Capital Values and for taxation purposes.

A Rapidly Expanding National & International Network

Mourya Concepts has become one of India’s fastest-growing valuation companies with 45 branches across India and an international presence in Dubai, in the name and style of KRA Global Real Estate Valuers. Mourya Concepts is a team of 330 professionals that operates across 7 states, including Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Chandigarh, Haryana, Gujarat, with 24 centres in Karnataka alone.

Founded 20 years ago, Mourya Concepts has witnessed accelerated growth over the past eight years and now aims to expand to 100 branches within India and 100 global centres in the next five years.

Leadership Philosophy Inspired by Ratan Tata

Speaking at the announcement, Mr. Venugopal K V, Director of Mourya Concepts and Founder of KRA Global Real Estate Valuation Services LLC, stated that this extraordinary gesture draws inspiration from the leadership values of Shri Ratan Tata, known for honouring and uplifting employees who form the backbone of an organisation’s success.

Recognising the Pillars of the Organisation

The six senior leaders—each associated with the company for over five years and independently managing regions were recognised for their unwavering commitment and exceptional contribution:

Rohit Vaidya– CEO

Santosh Patil – Vice President

Tameezulla Khan – Vice President

Pramod Belgaonkar – Vice President

Yogesh Naik– Vice President

Akash Tambi – Vice President

The awardees represent key regional hubs such as Pune, Hubli, Belagavi, and Mysuru, demonstrating the organisation’s strong leadership base across India.

A Trusted Partner to India’s Leading Financial Institutions

Mourya Concepts continues to serve as a preferred valuation partner for several major banks and financial institutions, including IDBI Bank, Canara Bank, BOB, Union Bank, UCO Bank, IndusInd Bank, South Indian Bank, Muthoot Finance, Manappuram Finance, and other leading NBFCs.

Ceremonial Key Handover in Bengaluru

The official key handover ceremony was held on 14 December 2025 at the Mahindra Showroom on Kanakapura Road, Bengaluru, in the presence of senior management, distinguished guests, employees, and well-wishers.

Concluding the announcement, Mr. Venugopal K V said, “Our people are our greatest strength. Their loyalty and dedication have built the foundation on which Mourya Concepts stands today. This gesture is a heartfelt recognition of their invaluable contribution.”

GigaOm Radar Recognizes Hitachi Vantara As A Leader And Outperformer In Primary Storage For Second Consecutive Year

Industry recognition highlights Hitachi Vantara’s ability to drive innovation in primary storage, spotlighting elite cyber resilience and data protection capabilities, as well as unified management via VSP 360, AI enablement and cloud integration

Hitachi Vantara, the data storage, infrastructure and hybrid cloud management subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd. (TSE: 6501), announced today that it has been recognized as a Leader and Outperformer in the latest GigaOm Radar report for Primary Storage for its Virtual Storage Platform One (VSP One) hybrid cloud data platform. This marks the second consecutive year that Hitachi Vantara has been recognized as a Leader and Outperformer for VSP One. The report evaluated 19 vendors and their capabilities to address the evolving demands of primary storage across traditional applications, hybrid cloud environments, AI/ML workloads and edge computing.

For more information about the GigaOm Radar for Primary Storage, visit: www.hitachivantara.com/en-us/gated-forms/gigaom-radar-for-primary-storage-2025.

The GigaOm Radar report for Primary Storage is a comprehensive evaluation of primary storage solutions, providing insights into the leading vendors and solutions. This year’s report takes on outsized importance as AI is not only driving rapid growth in data creation and straining storage systems but also enabling more advanced cyberattacks. Research has found that the number of reported AI-enabled cyberattacks has risen 47% globally in 2025, and 68% of cyber threat analysts reported that AI-generated phishing attempts are harder to detect in 2025 than ever before. As GigaOm notes, from a C-suite perspective, modernizing primary storage is no longer just an infrastructure refresh, it is a core business decision. The right platform mitigates significant risk by providing the last line of defense against cyberattacks with features like immutable snapshots and rapid recovery. It also acts as a catalyst for innovation, providing the scalable, low-latency performance needed for data-intensive analytics and AI model training.

Featured in the Innovation/Platform Play quadrant, VSP One was singled out for its robust performance, cloud integration and data protection capabilities, notably:

Ransomware Protection: Delivering robust, data storage-level defenses, including storage immutability, as well as 100% data availability and cyber resilience guarantees, VSP One enables clean data recovery in seconds for companies victimized by a ransomware attack. This provides customers with robust protection and faster, more reliable recovery capabilities compared to traditional backup methodologies.

Advanced API and Automation Tools: Built with a comprehensive API-first approach, VSP One enables full automation of management functions through the VSP 360 unified management solution. VSP 360 features AIOps-powered analytics and observability, as well as simple installation, guided workflows and mobile access.

Kubernetes Integration: Utilizing a suite of tools, Hitachi Vantara offers seamless integration with Kubernetes, allowing DevOps teams to manage storage as a native part of their application deployment process. This enables the full automation of persistent volume provisioning and data management tasks, accelerating cloud-native deployment.

“The primary storage market has rapidly evolved as organizations work to support a wide range of traditional and modern workloads,” said Whit Walters, field CTO at GigaOm. “Hitachi Vantara’s VSP One platform exemplifies this strategy by delivering a single, resilient platform that can span edge, core and cloud deployments to support workloads from traditional mainframe and business applications to modern, AI-driven use cases. At the same time, the company is maintaining an emphasis on innovation, with an aggressive roadmap focused on expanding data services, enhancing hybrid cloud integration and preparing for the future demands of AI-driven workloads.”

Meeting Enterprise Storage Demands

This year's GigaOm report reflects a new approach to vendor evaluation. While previous reports were separated for large enterprises and mid-size businesses, this year’s report consolidates those into a single, comprehensive evaluation, given that today’s solutions must be able to scale to meet a broad range of enterprise needs. The GigaOm report highlights how VSP One stands out for its strong data protection and its ability to support diverse workloads, including its efforts to provide its SDS offering across the AWS, Google Cloud and Microsoft Azure marketplaces.

“This recognition from GigaOm validates our efforts to build modern data infrastructure that delivers the performance, scalability and cybersecurity protection capabilities that the AI era demands," said Octavian Tanase, chief product officer at Hitachi Vantara. "Cyberattacks are a constantly evolving threat. By providing eight nines of availability, coupled with Hitachi’s Cyber Resilience Guarantee, we can offer near-zero data loss and rapid recovery, giving customers greater resilience in their IT operations."

With flexible licensing models, non-disruptive upgrades and a strong roadmap for innovation –including the recent launch of VSP One Block High End, a next-generation, all-flash NVMe block storage solution designed to address the demands of most mission-critical business and growing AI workloads – VSP One represents a forward-thinking data platform for enterprises prioritizing sustainability, cost efficiency and data security. And, as AI drives increased data growth, VSP One’s value is further enhanced by Hitachi EverFlex, a flexible consumption model that offers pay-as-you-go and subscription options for greater financial agility.

This latest placement adds to Hitachi Vantara’s growing lineup of industry-validated recognition for leadership in infrastructure, data management, security and sustainability. CRN recently named VSP One as the 2025 Storage Product of the Year in the Cloud-Storage category. The company also won the Sustainable Technology Award at the 2025 Global Tech and AI Awards for VSP One Block, based on its ability to deliver a 30% to 40% reduction in CO₂ emissions compared to traditional systems. VSP One was also recognized by ENERGY STAR®, which ranked the data platform as the top storage solution for performance in energy efficiency in its category.

For more information about Virtual Storage Platform One and its suite of solutions, visit https://www.hitachivantara.com/en-us/products/storage-platforms/data-platform.

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About Hitachi Vantara

Hitachi Vantara is transforming the way data fuels innovation. A wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi Ltd., Hitachi Vantara provides the data foundation the world's leading innovators rely on. Through data storage, infrastructure systems, cloud management and digital expertise, the company helps customers build the foundation for sustainable business growth. To learn more, visit www.hitachivantara.com.

About Hitachi, Ltd.

Hitachi drives Social Innovation Business, creating a sustainable society through the use of data and technology. We solve customers' and society's challenges with Lumada solutions leveraging IT, OT (Operational Technology) and products. Hitachi operates under the 3 business sectors of “Digital Systems & Services” – supporting our customers’ digital transformation; “Green Energy & Mobility” – contributing to a decarbonized society through energy and railway systems, and “Connective Industries” – connecting products through digital technology to provide solutions in various industries. Driven by Digital, Green, and Innovation, we aim for growth through co-creation with our customers. The company’s revenues as 3 sectors for fiscal year 2023 (ended March 31, 2024) totaled 8,564.3 billion yen, with 573 consolidated subsidiaries and approximately 270,000 employees worldwide. For more information on Hitachi, please visit the company's website at https://www.hitachi.com.

HITACHI is a trademark or registered trademark of Hitachi, Ltd. All other trademarks, service marks, and company names are properties of their respective owners.

Ignite Your Senses At Feuer & Bier Grill At The Taj MG Road Bengaluru

7 Rivers at Taj MG Road, Bengaluru, presents Feuer & Bier Grill: The Art of Flame & Fermentation, an immersive dining experience that brings together refined German grill traditions and contemporary craft brewing. Running from 14th to 21st December 2025, the festival celebrates the elemental harmony of fire and beer through bold flavours and thoughtfully curated pairings.

Set against a warm, industrial-rustic backdrop, the à la carte menu features standout grill signatures such as Citrus-Hops Fish Steak with orange and dill emulsion, Mutton Feuer Saga with hops-infused jus, and Cologne Pork Meat Loaf, slow-cooked in bier and served with truffle potato mash. Complementing the grills is a selection of artisanal beer styles — from crisp Wit-Biers and Pilsners to robust Pale Ales and Fruit Biers — crafted to mirror the depth of smoke and char on the plate.

Designed as a sensorial fire-to-glass journey, Feuer & Bier Grill promises smoky indulgence, nuanced brewing, and understated luxury in every course.

Dates: December 14–21, 2025
Venue: 7 Rivers, Taj MG Road, Bengaluru
Timings: 12:00 PM – 12:45 AM
Pricing: À la carte
For reservations, please contact: +91 99589 61120 | g.gaurav@tajhotels.com

Ignite your senses this December with Feuer & Bier Grill — where flame, fermentation, and flavour come together in perfect balance.