Air India Express Adds Twelve New Routes Across Indian Market

* The airline adds direct connectivity from three metro cities – Delhi, Mumbai & Kolkata, enhancing connectivity to destinations including Ahmedabad, Bagdogra, Chandigarh, Dehradun, Kochi and Patna

Air India Express, India’s first international value carrier, introduces eleven new routes in its summer schedule, reinforcing the dominance of its network from major metros to state capitals, economic hubs and popular leisure destinations. Bookings for these flights are now open on the airline’s award-winning website, airindiaexpress.com, its mobile app, through travel partners and other booking platforms.

The new routes connect Mumbai and Ahmedabad, while also linking both cities with both Chandigarh and Dehradun, along with expanding the airline’s network from Mumbai with direct connectivity to Patna. As part of this network expansion, the airline will offer direct connectivity connecting Pune and Chennai with Bagdogra, a key leisure destination and Gateway to the Eastern Himalayas. Pune-Bagdogra is a route served exclusively by Air India Express, with flights operating five days a week.

 

New Air India Express Routes Schedule effective from May 01, 2026 (all timings are local)
Departure Airport	Arrival Airport	Departure Time	Arrival Time	Frequency
Ahmedabad	Chandigarh	11:05	13:00	Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat
Chandigarh	Ahmedabad	13:30	15:25	Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat
Ahmedabad	Dehradun	06:25	08:15	Daily
Dehradun	Ahmedabad	08:45	10:35	Daily
Ahmedabad	Mumbai	15:55	17:15	Daily
Mumbai	Ahmedabad	22:05	23:35	Daily
Mumbai	Chandigarh	16:25	18:45	Daily
Chandigarh	Mumbai	19:15	21:35	Daily
Mumbai	Dehradun	10:25	12:45	Daily
Dehradun	Mumbai	13:15	15:35	Daily
Mumbai	Patna	12:00	14:35	Daily
Patna	Mumbai	15:05	17:25	Daily
Bagdogra	Pune	09:35	12:25	Mon, Wed, Thurs, Fri, Sun
Pune	Bagdogra	13:15	16:05	Mon, Wed, Thurs, Fri, Sun
Bagdogra	Chennai	09:45	12:45	Sun, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat
Chennai	Bagdogra	15:45	18:20	Sun, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat
Hyderabad	Ranchi	12:40	14:30	Daily
Ranchi	Hyderabad	21:30	23:40	Daily
Bagdogra	Chennai	09:45	12:45	Sun, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat
Chennai	Bagdogra	15:45	18:20	Sun, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat
Kochi	Delhi	05:30	08:40	Daily
Delhi	Kochi	21:30	01:00	Daily
Hyderabad	Ranchi	12:40	14:30	Daily
Ranchi	Hyderabad	21:30	23:40	Daily

With the introduction of these services from 1st May 2026, Air India Express now operates 40 weekly flights from Ahmedabad, 108 from Bagdogra, 27 from Chandigarh, 393 from Delhi, 28 from Dehradun, 62 from Kochi, 86 from Kolkata, 174 from Mumbai, 42 from Patna, and 96 from Pune.

The airline has reinstated previously operated routes, including Bagdogra–Chennai, Delhi-Kochi and Hyderabad–Ranchi in response to seasonal demand.

About Air India Express

Air India Express is A Tata enterprise, operating over 500 daily flights that connect 45 domestic and 17 international destinations across South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Gulf region. The airline has a fleet of over 100 Boeing 737s and Airbus A320s. As India’s most vibrant and inclusive airline, Air India Express embodies the spirit and confidence of India - warm, expressive, and proudly authentic. Encouraging travellers to ‘Xplore More, Xpress More’, the airline transforms flying into an experience that is personal and memorable.

With thoughtfully curated touches – from ‘Gourmair’ hot meals, comfortable seats, and refreshed interiors to exclusive loyalty benefits and seamless digital journeys – Air India Express blends smart technology with heartfelt Indian hospitality, helping guests travel their way and feel at home wherever they go. 

Athulya Senior Care Inks Landmark MoU With SingHealth To Advance Senior Care, Training, And Research Collaboration

Athulya Senior Care, India’s largest assisted living provider, has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with SingHealth, Singapore’s largest public healthcare cluster, to explore collaboration across medical services, professional training, research, and knowledge exchange.

SingHealth brings together an extensive network of institutions spanning acute hospitals, specialist centres, polyclinics, and community hospitals. These include Singapore General Hospital, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Changi General Hospital, and Sengkang General Hospital, alongside national specialty centres, the National Cancer Centre Singapore, National Dental Centre Singapore, National Heart Centre Singapore, National Neuroscience Institute, Singapore National Eye Centre, and National Skin Centre, as well as SingHealth Polyclinics and SingHealth Community Hospitals.

The MoU partnership reflects a shared commitment to advancing the quality and accessibility of senior care amid growing demand driven by ageing populations. Bringing together Athulya's expertise in senior living and continuum care with SingHealth's internationally recognised clinical and academic capabilities, the partnership aims to strengthen care delivery and build institutional capacity across both organisations.

Under the MoU, both organisations will explore structured training programmes for doctors, nurses, and allied healthcare professionals, aiming to train capable professionals annually, focused on strengthening clinical competencies and caregiving standards. The collaboration will also facilitate the exchange of scientific, academic, and technical information, including relevant materials protected by intellectual property rights in accordance with agreed protocols, while enabling the identification of opportunities for joint research and development, co-authored publications, and participation in academic and scientific forums such as seminars and conferences.

In addition, the partnership will support the organisation of and participation in medical conferences, courses, workshops, exhibitions, and other forums of mutual interest, with plans to conduct joint programmes annually. It will further promote the operation of joint medical training and education programmes to raise competency levels. It will also enable the exchange of information relating to medicine, subject to confidentiality obligations, and promote ongoing engagement between the two organisations through knowledge-sharing platforms and regular interactions, including periodic bilateral meetings to review progress and expand areas of cooperation.

Speaking on the collaboration, Mr. Srinivasan G, CEO & Founder, Athulya Senior Care, said, “This collaboration with SingHealth represents an important milestone in our journey to enhance senior care in India. By integrating Athulya’s care delivery experience with SingHealth’s clinical expertise, we aim to further strengthen our capabilities across medical services, training, and research. This partnership will support the adoption of global best practices while contributing to the development of a more robust and responsive senior care ecosystem.”

Ms. Vijaya Rao, Director, International Collaboration Office, SingHealth, said “We are pleased to collaborate with Athulya Senior Care in exploring opportunities to advance medical services, education, and research. This partnership underscores our commitment to international collaboration and knowledge exchange. Through this engagement, we look forward to supporting capability building, sharing clinical expertise, and contributing to improved care outcomes, particularly in the area of senior and community care.”

Adding to this, Mr. London Lucien Ooi, Group Director, International Collaboration Office, SingHealth, said, “This collaboration reflects SingHealth’s ongoing commitment to building meaningful international partnerships that drive the exchange of knowledge, clinical expertise, and best practices. By working closely with Athulya Senior Care, we see strong potential to support capability development in senior care, while fostering shared learning and innovation across healthcare systems.”

The collaboration is expected to lay the foundation for sustained engagement between the two organisations, with a focus on improving care standards, advancing professional development, and enabling research-led innovation in senior care.

About Athulya Senior Care:

Athulya Senior Care, India’s Largest Assisted Living Provider, headquartered in Chennai, India, with 1,500+ beds across 12+ locations in five cities Chennai, Bengaluru, Kochi, Hyderabad, and Coimbatore, has proudly served over 45,000+ seniors. Athulya delivers a comprehensive senior care ecosystem encompassing Assisted Living, Mind & Memory Care, Transition Care, Rehabilitation, and Palliative Care. Designed to meet international safety & quality standards, Athulya is transforming eldercare in India by prioritizing dignity, comfort, and compassionate support. To know more, log onto: www.athulyaseniorcare.com

New Faces, New Flair: Style Social 3.0 Fashion Show Lights Up Bengaluru’s Fashion Scene

In a dazzling celebration of style, individuality, and show-stopping moments, Bhartiya Mall of Bengaluru brought the city’s fashion scene alive with The Style Social 3.0 fashion show held on 25th April. Curated by renowned former model, fashionista & show director Sheetal Sharma, the mall was transformed into a vibrant runway, where emerging talent and trendy fashion took centre stage amid an atmosphere of excitement and applause.

50 shoppers were handpicked as finalists across multiple categories from a pool of over 250 participants who auditioned earlier this month, earning the opportunity to walk the ramp alongside professional models. The showcase also featured leading names, including the reigning Mr.India Universe Bishan Madappa; The Reigning Rubaru, Mr.India Manhunt International Nipun Singh, and Supermodel Mitali Rannorey.

Under the expert direction of Sheetal Sharma, the finalists brought confidence, individuality, and distinctive style to the runway, delivering a polished and high-energy showcase.

The energy carried forward into a vibrant runway showcase featuring the latest Spring–Summer collections from leading brands at the mall, including Lifestyle, Max, Pantaloons, The Bear House, Snitch, The Souled Store, Jack & Jones, Peachmode, American Eagle, Mango, ONLY, Vero Moda, Kazo, Rareism, Rare Rabbit, Libas, Peter England, Van Heusen, Levis, MyDesignation, Indyvarna, Louis Phillipe, Biba, Rangriti, Shobitam, Biglilpeople among others. The showcase brought together an inclusive fashion narrative, spotlighting styles for kids, individuals, couples, and families.

“Fashion is a core pillar of our retail mix, and the Spring–Summer season is the perfect moment to showcase the depth and diversity our brands bring to the mall. By inviting our shoppers to take part in the showcase, we create a strong engagement platform that they look forward to year after year. At the same time, it’s equally valuable for our retailers — giving them a dynamic platform to present their collections, connect directly with customers, and deepen relationships. It’s a truly two-fold opportunity, strengthening both customer experience and brand partnerships,” said Jermina Menon, Brand & Marketing Strategist, Bhartiya Urban.

A defining highlight of the evening was the unmistakable spirit of celebration that resonated across the venue, from the confident strides of first-time models to the enthusiastic applause of families and fashion enthusiasts. The Style Social 3.0 fashion show at Bhartiya Mall of Bengaluru went beyond the runway, capturing the essence of community, aspiration, and creativity, and transforming the evening into a memorable lifestyle spectacle for the city.  

The Wizard’s Quiz Returns To Bhartiya Mall Of Bengaluru With A Magical 2nd Edition For Fans Of All Ages

After the success of last year, Bhartiya Mall of Bengaluru is set to host the second edition of The Wizard’s Quiz, an immersive trivia experience inspired by Harry Potter books and movies in association with event agency Nexus. The quiz scheduled to be held on 3rd May is designed to bring together Potter heads of all ages and promises to be an engaging evening of trivia, fun, and friendly competition, led by renowned quizmaster Venky Srinivasan. Last year had 100 participants compete, and this year promises to be bigger with 120+ participants competing for the top position.

The Wizard’s Quiz invites participants to compete in teams of two. It will feature two categories: Kids (5–15 years) and Adults (16 years and above), ensuring an inclusive platform for both young enthusiasts and seasoned fans to test their knowledge of spells, characters, and magical moments. Attendees are also encouraged to dress up as their favourite characters from the wizarding world for a chance to win exciting prizes* (T&C Apply*), adding a creative and community-driven dimension to the experience.

As a leading shopping and lifestyle destination, Bhartiya Mall of Bengaluru continues to curate immersive experiences that go beyond retail. The Wizard’s Quiz reflects the mall’s commitment to creating memorable engagements for families, students, and pop-culture enthusiasts alike.

Event Details

What: The Wizard’s Quiz

When: 3rd May 2026; 4PM onwards

Where: Bhartiya Mall of Bengaluru

How to Book: Link

PhonePe Reaches 50 Million Registered Merchants Across India

● Transitions from solving merchants’ payment needs to offering them with full-stack financial solutions.

● Deepens presence across 98%+ of India’s postal codes to drive last-mile financial inclusion.

PhonePe, today announced it has surpassed 50 million lifetime registered merchants as of 28th April, 2026 on its platform, a milestone that underscores its role in the ongoing digitization of India’s economy. With a merchant network covering more than 98% of the country’s postal codes, this achievement reflects PhonePe’s expansion from payment acceptance solutions to a broader suite of merchant solutions required by businesses to compete in an evolving digital economy.

The company attributed this milestone to its sustained, multi-year effort to simplify digital entry points for small-scale businesses. Starting with the deployment of QR codes, PhonePe focused on eliminating the high costs associated with adoption of digital payments. The PhonePe Business app made it seamless for merchants to manage their payments and operations and over time helped them opt in for other business solutions such as loans, SmartSpeakers and POS devices. Over the years, this approach, supported by a feet-on-street sales network & channel-partner agents and a focus on local language support allowed the platform to scale into the heart of Bharat. This consistent expansion has enabled millions of small shopkeepers and kirana stores to move away from cash-only operations and enter the formal digital economy.

Commenting on the milestone, Yuvraj Singh Shekhawat, Chief Business Officer, Merchant Business, PhonePe said, “Reaching 50 million merchants is a significant milestone in our effort to make financial services more accessible to merchants across India. For many of our partners, the journey began with a simple QR code, but that relationship has since matured. Today, digital payments serve as a gateway to a wider range of formal services, including credit. We remain committed to building the necessary infrastructure to ensure that we can achieve financial inclusion for the smallest of merchants and they can participate in the nation’s digital growth.”

The growth of its merchant network is further supported by a range of merchant solutions, including SmartSpeakers, Point-of-Sale (POS) terminals and loans. These solutions solve the payments and working capital needs of merchants by lowering the friction of digital payments adoption and aiding their business growth.

About PhonePe

PhonePe Limited (Formerly PhonePe Private Limited) is a technology company that builds digital platforms for Payments, Digital Distribution Services and Financial Services. Headquartered in India, the PhonePe digital payments app was launched in 2016. As of April 2026, PhonePe has over 65 Crore registered users and a digital payments acceptance network spread across over 5 Crore merchants.

PhonePe’s products and services include Consumer Payments (including Digital Distribution Services), Merchant Payments, Lending and Insurance Distribution services, and New Platforms, which comprise Share.Market (stock broking and mutual funds distribution platform), and Indus Appstore (Android-based mobile app marketplace).

MTR's Annual Cultural And Culinary Fest- MTR Karunadu Swada Was Held On April 25–26 At Jayamahal Palace, Bengaluru

MTR’s flagship festival blends regional flavours, cultural experiences, and celebrates the iconic sambar with a Sambar Song in collaboration with Vasu Dixit

MTR successfully concluded the latest edition of its flagship food festival, MTR Karunadu Swada, held from April 25–26, 2026 at Jayamahal Palace, Bengaluru. The three-day celebration was inaugurated by Shri Maheshwar Rao M, I.A.S., Chief Commissioner GBA and Administrator- All Bengaluru City Corporations. It brought together food enthusiasts, cultural connoisseurs, and culinary experts to rediscover the depth and diversity of Karnataka’s rich food heritage.

Centred around the theme of ‘the story before the recipe’ this year, MTR Karunadu Swada celebrated indigenous ingredients of Karnataka. This year’s festival showcased an immersive culinary journey across six regions of Karnataka—Uttara Karnataka, Kalyana Karnataka, Kodagu, Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, and Hale Mysuru. With a showcase of 75+ dishes, the spread stood out as a rich culinary archive bringing together both well-loved classics and lesser-known, almost-forgotten flavours under one roof.

Curated by MTR’s culinary experts along with home-cooks, the festival placed a strong emphasis on hyper-local, seasonal ingredients, celebrating the authenticity, sustainability, and regional identity of Karnataka’s cuisine. A distinctive highlight was the concept of “One Region. One Unique Ingredient. One Forgotten Recipe.,” with each region also featuring a traditional summer cooler, rooted in local wisdom and climate-responsive food practices.

MTR also unveiled the second edition of its coffee table book at the festival, an ode to Karnataka’s culinary legacy. The book titled “The story before the recipe” celebrates ingredients that grow in the 6 regions of Karnataka and have shaped its rich culinary tradition. Adding a memorable cultural layer to the celebration was acclaimed musician Vasu Dixit, who took centre stage with the launch of a specially composed Sambar song, performed live at the festival. The composition stood out as a heartfelt tribute to Sambar, celebrating the everyday rituals, warmth, and nostalgia that celebrates the dish, elevating the beloved Sambar into a symbol of shared memories and togetherness.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Sunay Bhasin, CEO, MTR, said: “For over a century, MTR has been deeply rooted in Karnataka’s culinary heritage, steadfast in its commitment to preserving and celebrating the authenticity of regional cuisine. MTR Karunadu Swada has now become an annual fixture on every food enthusiast’s calendar, serving as a platform that celebrates Karnataka’s local ingredients, revives forgotten recipes and spotlights the state’s regional diversity, and bringing people closer to Karnataka’s food traditions.”

Beyond the food, the festival offered a vibrant cultural showcase with folk and classical performances, bringing alive the spirit of Karnataka through music, dance, and art, making it a truly immersive cultural experience.

The festival witnessed an enthusiastic response over three days, further strengthening its position as one of Bengaluru’s most anticipated culinary and cultural platforms.