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.