Paloma Panchranga World Paloma Day Celebration At Blue Bar At Taj West End, Bengaluru

The Blue Bar at Taj West End, Bengaluru presents Paloma Panchranga, a week-long celebration marking World Paloma Day through a refined reinterpretation of the iconic cocktail inspired by Indian citrus traditions.

The curated experience reimagines the classic Paloma using regional citrus varieties such as Nagpur orange, Kinnow, Gondhoraj lebu, Mosambi, and Indian pink grapefruit, layered with subtle Indian spice and aromatic accents including pink peppercorn, star anise, and curry leaf notes. Designed as a contemporary cocktail showcase, the experience offers vibrant, citrus-forward creations that balance freshness, craft, and flavour.

Set within the elegant ambience of The Blue Bar, the experience promises an immersive and flavour-led evening, making it a strong addition to your dining and experiential features.

Venue: The Blue Bar, Taj West End, Bengaluru

Dates: 22nd - 28th May 2026

Time: 7:00 PM - 11:00 PM     

Nike Campaign - First Look! Cristiano Ronaldo, Erling Haaland & Kim Kardashian Unite

Nike Is Offering The First Sneak Peek At The Cast Of Characters That Will Come Together To Celebrate Nike Football This Summer

Including the likes of football stars Cristiano Ronaldo and Erling Haaland, artists such as Young Miko, and Kim Kardashian as the ultimate soccer mom, Nike will debut unexpected collabs and cultural expressions over the coming weeks — bringing the culture of the game to fans in a new way. Each has an authentic connection to football — previewed in exclusive Polaroid photos shared here for the first time. 

Sonata Launches ‘Grow, Together’ Wedding Campaign, Capturing The Evolution In Modern Indian Marriages

The latest wedding collection is thoughtfully curated for couples who grow through love, ambition and every moment in between two individuals growing together through shared dreams, everyday moments and support for each other’s ambitions. Reflecting this evolving spirit of relationships, Sonata, India’s largest-selling watch brand, unveils its new wedding campaign, ‘Grow, Together’, alongside a thoughtfully curated new wedding watch collection. Moving beyond conventional portrayals of marriage, the campaign captures the spirit of modern relationships where couples grow alongside each other — personally, professionally and emotionally. It is a fresh and contemporary take on modern relationships and wedding gifting.

Building on the emotional equity of Sonata Wedding’s earlier ‘Dream, Together’ narrative, the new campaign expands the conversation beyond the wedding day, celebrating couples who support each other’s journeys and personal growth. At the heart of the campaign is the story of celebrated photographer Joseph Radhik and wedding designer Devika Narain — two individuals who have built distinct identities and successful careers while growing together as partners. Through multi-episodic digital storytelling series, the campaign captures real moments of companionship, resilience and evolution, reflecting how today’s marriages are less about ‘becoming one’ and more about ‘building together.’

“India's wedding market is a dynamic space, constantly evolving with the aspirations of modern couples," says Pulak Narain – Brand Head, Sonata. "With 'Grow, together,' we aim to speak to this new generation who view marriage as a journey of continuous development, where partners empower each other to achieve individual and shared dreams. Our new wedding collection beautifully reflects this ethos, offering timepieces that are not just timekeepers but cherished symbols of a journey built on growth and togetherness."

Complementing the campaign is Sonata’s new wedding collection that brings together coordinated pair watches and festive-inspired design sensibilities for modern wedding celebrations. The collection prominently features elegant gold-toned silhouettes, multifunction dials, refined metallic straps, and creating versatile festive aesthetics.

Designed with a balance of statement styling and versatility, the watches feature multifunction dials, textured metallic bracelets, sleek round cases and contemporary dial detailing that transition seamlessly from wedding ceremonies to everyday wear. While the men’s range leans into bold festive styling with multifunction green and blue dials, gold finishes and sharp metallic constructions, the women’s collection brings softer elegance through minimalist white and champagne dials, slim bracelets and jewellery-inspired silhouettes.

The coordinated pair watches further extend the idea of togetherness through complementary designs that mirror each other without being identical — reflecting the spirit of modern relationships where individuality and partnership coexist. Crafted as meaningful keepsakes, the collection seamlessly balances aspiration and accessibility — making it an ideal gifting choice for couples, families and loved ones during the wedding season.

The Sonata Wedding Collection is priced between INR 1,495 and INR 4,495, offering elevated wedding gifting options across price points. It is available across Sonata stores, Titan World outlets and leading retail channels across India, as well as online at Sonata Watches.

Intertek Announces Purchase Of Mitsui Chemicals Solar Laboratory Assets In India

* Acquisition marks key milestone for Intertek India, enhancing its commitment to excellence in Quality Assurance

Intertek Group plc (“Intertek” and “Group”), a leading Total Quality Assurance provider to industries worldwide, is pleased to announce the acquisition of the assets of a state-of-the-art solar PV laboratory in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, from Mitsui Chemicals India Pvt. Ltd., a leading global chemical manufacturer.

Solar PV is the fastest growing form of renewable energy worldwide and India is among the countries at the heart of this transition. With the Government of India committing to a target of 500 GW of non-fossil fuel power capacity by 2030 – including 280 GW of solar – demand for trusted, independent Quality Assurance solutions has never been greater.

This new Intertek solar PV lab will provide comprehensive ISO 17025 accredited testing services for solar PV installations, materials and components, offering BIS and IECEE CB Scheme accreditations. Its services will support Indian solar PV manufacturers and international companies looking to enter the country by driving efficiencies through harmonised testing and faster, more reliable global market access.

The acquisition of these assets is highly complementary to Intertek's Risk-based Quality Assurance offering for the solar PV industry, expanding its growing footprint in the Western India corridor and reinforcing its leadership in renewable energy assurance. Notably, the new capability builds on Intertek CEA’s world-leading end-to-end solutions for the solar industry, including aerial drone inspections and solar plant inspections for manufacturers, developers and other market stakeholders.

Ajay Kapoor, Regional Managing Director South Asia at Intertek, said: “Solar energy is at the heart of India's extraordinary energy transition, and the pace of that transition is driving demand for a Quality Assurance partner with the credentials to match. The addition of this new capability reflects our enduring commitment to playing a meaningful role in India's electrification journey.”

Sunny Rai, President Electrical, Connected World, Transportation Technologies and CEA at Intertek, added: “This will not only support Indian manufacturers to access the global market but also enables Intertek to provide global players with access solutions for the Indian market. With these capabilities, Intertek enhances its position as a Total Quality Assurance partner offering end-to-end solutions for the solar PV segment in India.”

As AI Projected To Add $1.7T To Economy, Industry Leaders At Avaali Roundtable Call For Enterprise Prioritisation & Governance

* The panel highlighted a stark execution paradox- while 88% of CEOs claim to be implementing AI and 70% have integrated it into systems, a mere 7% have successfully adopted it for real business outcomes

Avaali, a leading technology solutions company specializing in cost optimization and margin improvement for upper mid and large-sized enterprises, hosted an exclusive roundtable in Bangalore to deliberate on the urgent theme: "India’s AI Moment: The Enterprise Prioritisation Challenge Behind Scalable Impact." Led by Ms Srividya Kannan, Founder and CEO of Avaali, the session brought together distinguished industry leaders, including Mr Sanjeev Kumar Gupta, CEO of the Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM), and Ms Ohmna Sinha, Global Head of Data & Analytics Governance at Nielsen.

The roundtable took place at a definitive inflection point. Backed by the government’s landmark ₹10,300-crore IndiaAI Mission and the broader economic roadmap of Viksit Bharat @ 2047, AI is projected to potentially add $1.7 trillion to India’s economy by 2035. However, recent data from the Nasscom AI Adoption Index reveals that 87% of Indian enterprises are actively deploying AI solutions. But a critical gap remains between widespread adoption and deep operational readiness.

In her opening address, Ms Srividya Kannan, Founder and CEO of Avaali, underscored that the national AI conversation has rapidly shifted from ambition to execution, leaving enterprises with an operational "absorption gap":

"India AI story will be written within enterprises. AI adoption is no longer the difficult conversation in most boardrooms; the harder question is readiness. Do enterprises know which processes are worth transforming first, do they have the data and governance to support AI, and can they convert experimentation into measurable outcomes?

The next digital divide will not be between companies that use AI and those that do not. It will be between enterprises that can absorb AI into the way they work, decide, and govern, and those that remain AI-curious but operationally unprepared. AI pilots create excitement. AI readiness creates economic value."

The panel highlighted a stark execution paradox, and to translate this into enterprise productivity, the leaders outlined a strategic framework focused on thorough data readiness, building hybrid talent that pairs domain expertise with AI skills, and elevating AI from isolated IT tasks to absolute boardroom accountability.

Addressing regional execution, Mr Sanjeev Kumar Gupta, CEO of KDEM, highlighted that Karnataka commands over 40% of India’s overall tech capabilities, housing the largest concentration of Global Capability Centres (GCCs) and nearly a third of the country's AI startups. Driven by Bengaluru's tech ecosystem, which accounts for an 40% share of all AI job postings nationwide – demand being 300,000 per year currently, the state serves as the primary engine behind India's march toward a $1 trillion digital economy.

Mr Gupta emphasized that while India has built an exceptional supply side, including the injection of 38,000 GPUs, robust public data sources, and the IndiaAI Datasets Platform (AI Kosh), the true test lies in enterprise commitment. He noted that while 88% of CEOs claim to be implementing AI and 70% have integrated it into systems, maybe a mere 7% have successfully adopted it for real business outcomes.

"To bridge the gap and achieve real business value, enterprises must overcome three core operational barriers: real data availability, hybrid skills that blend domain expertise with AI, and bridging the boardroom understanding gap so directors can actively steer investments.

Large enterprises must move away from isolated pilots and start publishing concrete case studies on how AI has optimized internal processes. Every technology shift presents friction, but by focusing on execution, we transform challenges into sustained economic leadership."

The panel also addressed how India is proactively tackling the environmental and sustainability challenges of massive AI computation. Mr Gupta highlighted strategic shifts toward renewable energy sourcing, stating, "There is a huge policy push that we have. We are working to come out with a sustainable data center policy. For the first time, we will introduce a very thoughtful process on how we can make data centres structurally sustainable. As more states and country-level discussions come forward, we will look ahead to embedding more of these sustainability parameters into our foundational frameworks." He also pointed to breakthrough domestic eco-innovations alongside these policy steps, such as room-temperature servers from Vigyan Labs and advanced hypercooling infrastructure. Karnataka is leading as a role model on these initiatives. While we talk about the growth factors our Beyond Bengaluru emerging tech clusters – Mysuru, Hubballil-Dharwad-Belagavi, Mangaluru, Kalaburgi, Shivamoga & Tumakuru, are also scaling fast and are becoming the new powerhouse of Viksit Bharat for the globe.

Addressing the foundational requirement of trust, Ms Ohmna Sinha, Global Head of Data & Analytics Governance at Nielsen, warned against a corporate mindset of speed over substance, citing that around 85% of AI pilots ultimately fail to make it to production (Source: Gartner)

"Enterprises are no longer asking whether AI matters; they are asking how to operationalize it meaningfully. However, leaders must critically ask: Do we really need AI for every single process? The ultimate metric should not merely be speed; it must be AI Quality First and AI Faster.

As organizations mature, success will depend on clean data, clear governance, compliance readiness, and practical use cases that solve real problems rather than chasing hype. India’s evolving digital regulatory landscape is making this journey even more critical, encouraging organizations to build with accountability and transparency from the outset."

Key Recommendations from the Roundtable:

· Move AI to the Boardroom: AI must become a board-level strategic priority with defined productivity, operational, and customer impact goals tied to investments.

· Build a prioritization discipline: Enterprises should build an objective prioritization discipline around AI. Rather than asking “where do we use AI’ they should ask Where should we apply AI first to create measurable business impact?

· Adopt a ‘Data Quality First’ Mindset: Scalable adoption begins with clean, governed, and compliant data foundations equipped with responsible AI guardrails.

· Strengthen Domain-Led AI Skilling: Future success depends on combining technical AI capabilities with deep, industry and functional specific expertise (Manufacturing, BFSI, Retail, Energy, Finance, Procurement, Supply Chain etc.).

· Enable MSME Inclusion: Large enterprises must bring their supplier and partner ecosystems into the digital transformation journey to ensure inclusive growth.

· Promote Sustainable Infrastructure: Commercialize green data center initiatives and domestic hardware innovations to scale computing sustainably.

Concluding the session, the panel emphasized that India’s AI moment is real. The ambition is real. The opportunity is real. But the next milestone will not be defined by how many AI pilots we launch. It will be defined by how effectively enterprises convert AI into productivity, resilience, governance, and measurable business outcomes and all this starts with the right prioritization.

About Avaali Solutions

Avaali Solutions is the creator of innovative platforms such as Velocious and Avagama AI, designed to drive cost optimization and margin improvement for upper mid to large enterprises. Since its founding in 2013, Avaali has advanced digital transformation for clients across Asia, the Middle East, and Europe, delivering significant reductions in process cycle times and operational costs. Headquartered in Bangalore, Avaali empowers organizations to realize tangible business value through advanced, scalable intelligent automation. Avaali recently launched Avaali Al Saudia, a wholly owned subsidiary incorporated in Saudi Arabia to manage its regional operations.

Dr. Agarwal’s Health Care Limited Reports Strong Results In Q4 FY2026

Dr. Agarwal’s Health Care Limited India’s largest eye care service chain operating a network of 288 Facilities across 10 countries, today announced its audited consolidated financial results for the quarter and twelve months ended March 31, 2026.

Highlights of the Quarter Ended March 31, 2026 (Q4 FY2026)

As of March 31, 2026, our network stands at 288 facilities, with 19 new centers added during the quarter comprising of 7 secondary and 12 primary facilities

Performed 84,962 surgeries in Q4 FY2026, growth of 23.6% YoY

Total Income of INR 577 Crores; growth of 21.2% YoY

Revenue from Operations of INR 564 Cr; growth of 22.6% YoY

Revenue from Operations – India of INR 505 Cr, growth of 22.1% YoY

Revenue from Mature Facilities of INR 420 Cr, growth of 30.5% YoY

Sale of Services contributed 77.5% and Sale of Products contributed 22.5% to revenue from operations

EBITDA of INR 174 Cr, growth of 18.9% YoY with EBITDA margins of 30.2%

Profit after Tax of INR 50 Cr, growth of 17.4% YoY with profit after tax margins of 8.7%

Highlights for the Twelve Months Ended March 31, 2026 (12M’FY2026)

As of March 31, 2026, our network stands at 288 facilities, with 57 new centers added during the year comprising of 1 tertiary, 29 secondary and 27 primary facilities

Performed 323,245 surgeries in 12M’FY2026, growth of 14.5% YoY

Total Income of INR 2,125 Crores; growth of 20.9% YoY

Revenue from Operations of INR 2,080 Cr; growth of 21.6% YoY

Revenue from Operations – India of INR 1,871 Cr, growth of 21.7% YoY

Revenue from Mature Facilities of INR 1,632 Cr, growth of 35.3% YoY

Sale of Services contributed 78.4% and Sale of Products contributed 21.6% to revenue from operations

EBITDA of INR 614 Cr, growth of 22.2% YoY with EBITDA margins of 28.9%

Profit after Tax of INR 168 Cr, growth of 52.4% YoY with profit after tax margins of 7.9%.

Travel Passions And Local Behaviors Are Reshaping Hotel Loyalty Across Asia Pacific Excluding China: New Marriott Bonvoy Report

New Loyalty Trends Report 2026 by Marriott Bonvoy shows loyalty engagement is increasingly driven by travel priorities, everyday value and market-specific behaviors.

Loyalty engagement across Asia Pacific excluding China (APEC) is entering a more complex and mature phase. The new Loyalty Trends Report 2026 by Marriott Bonvoy finds that while 89% of travelers across APEC participate in at least one loyalty program, how they engage is no longer uniform. Instead, engagement is shaped by a combination of travel priorities, everyday value expectations, and distinct local market dynamics, signaling a clear shift away from one-size-fits-all loyalty models.

Travel Passions Shape Loyalty Engagement

Findings from the trend report indicate that travel passions are the strongest indicator of loyalty engagement. How travelers earn, redeem and value loyalty benefits varies most by what they travel for, indicating that successful loyalty design needs more breadth and depth to serve different interests across diverse markets.

The report identified the top five travel priorities across APEC: Food & Dining, Nature/ Sightseeing, Shopping, Cultural Immersion and Recharge & Disconnect.

Food & Dining emerges as the most powerful driver of travel and hotel loyalty, with 63% of APEC travelers prioritizing culinary experiences when planning their trips. Food & Dining travelers show especially clear loyalty behavior: they are more likely to earn through food-related activity and redeem for F&B indulgences, making food one of the most powerful and scalable levers for hotel loyalty engagement.

Recharge & Disconnect travelers are the largest opportunity group for hotel loyalty growth. While less likely than some other traveler groups to be enrolled in hotel loyalty programs, they are highly engaged once they are past property doors. They are more likely to stay at hotels, resorts and villas with a partner, and earn hotel loyalty points through stays, F&B and spas, indicating that for Recharge & Disconnect travelers, properties are the destinations.

Hotel Loyalty Sits at the Heart of Travel Loyalty

Hotel loyalty programs are the most widely participated loyalty category across APEC, engaging 66% of travelers – ahead of airlines, retail and dining programs. Membership retention is strong, with most travelers staying enrolled for more than two years – signaling that hotel loyalty continues to anchor travelers’ relationship with brands.

Immediate, Everyday Value Matters Most

A clear baseline expectation cuts across APEC: everyday earning is non-negotiable. The ability to earn points from everyday spend is the most important feature of a good loyalty program. Unlocking value through point redemptions vary: 77% of travelers use points for small rewards they can access right away, 61% for big-ticket items and 37% for exclusive experiences. These patterns suggest that loyalty success requires balancing aspirational rewards with practical value.

Partnerships Power Hotel Loyalty

Hotel loyalty programs plugged into a broader partnership ecosystem are more relevant. APEC travelers want more ways to earn and redeem points, with half calling for easier earning and spending options and more partner choices for redemptions. This suggests that hotel loyalty is strongest when it extends beyond stays into a broader, everyday ecosystem.

Hotel loyalty earning across APEC is driven primarily by stays at properties (57%) and co-branded credit card spends (53%), followed by food delivery and dining (48%) and retail and e-commerce partners (45%). This suggests that hotel loyalty grows best when programs align with travel and everyday spend.

On the redemption side, travelers most often use hotel loyalty points for property upgrades (58%), small F&B indulgences (57%) and practical travel perks (51%), indicating members value rewards that enhance travel experience.

Three Distinct Loyalty Mindsets In APEC

While loyalty participation is widespread across APEC, the meaning, mechanics and motivations of loyalty vary significantly by market. The report identifies three distinct loyalty mindsets in APEC markets, each with different expectations of hotel loyalty programs.

Loyalty Strategists: Japan and South Korea

In these mature markets, loyalty behaviors are highly deliberate, rational, and optimized. Travelers in these markets engage with loyalty programs as strategic tools—maximizing value through disciplined earning, frequent use of co‑branded cards or stay‑based accrual, and practical redemptions such as F&B or cost offsets. For these travelers, consistency of loyalty programs build trust, and engagement with various programs is deliberately curated.

Value Optimizers: Singapore, Australia and Thailand

Value Optimizers sit at the pragmatic center of the loyalty spectrum. Travelers in these markets are active but selective, engaging with loyalty when it clearly improves trip value, flexibility or efficiency. They respond strongly to direct booking incentives, milestone bonuses, upgrades, and practical perks such as late checkout or room enhancements. They are more attracted to hotel loyalty programs that provide tangible enhancements to their travel experience or deliver visible savings.

Experience Seekers: India, Indonesia and Vietnam

These high-growth markets engage with loyalty both emotionally and transactionally, with travelers showing stronger interest in partnership ecosystems, exclusivity, status and memorable experiences. In these markets, loyalty serves not only as a savings mechanism but also as a gateway to aspiration and discovery. These markets also show rising affluence and represent the region’s strongest growth engine.

Together, the emergence of these loyalty types reinforces a central finding of the report: loyalty growth in APEC will not be driven by a single regional playbook. “Hotel loyalty programs must evolve into adaptive ecosystems that grow with travelers, rather than simply around them. In a region as diverse and fast-moving as APEC, brands that deeply understand local behaviors and cultural nuances will move beyond scale to earn lasting relevance and advocacy. At Marriott Bonvoy, we are bringing this to life through the strength of our extensive portfolio, hyperlocal partnerships, and curated experiences such as Marriott Bonvoy Moments,” says John Toomey, Chief Commercial Officer, Asia Pacific excluding China, Marriott International.

Loyalty Trends in India

Most likely to travel for Shopping

93% participate in loyalty programs (#2 in APEC)

69% redeem points for big ticket items – highest in APEC

More likely to earn points through bank transfers compared to the rest of APEC (43% vs 36% APEC average)

41% stay active in loyalty programs because they give access to exclusive experiences

Find out more about the profiles of travelers from India markets what sets them apart from others in APEC, and how they are engaging with hotel loyalty programs is attached.

Download the full Loyalty Trends Report 2026 by Marriott Bonvoy here, and APEC Market reports here.

About the Report

The Loyalty Trend Report 2026 by Marriott Bonvoy is based on a quantitative survey of 1,731 travelers across Australia, India, Indonesia, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam. The sample includes middle-, high- and affluent-income travelers who have traveled at least once in the past year for leisure or business. The research was conducted by Kantar and supplemented by desktop research from publicly available trusted sources.

About Marriott Bonvoy®

Marriott Bonvoy, Marriott International's award-winning travel platform, connects travelers to the people, places, and passions they love through an extraordinary collection of hotels and experiences worldwide. The platform features over 30 hotel brands and 10,000 destinations, including the largest collection of luxury offerings, distinctive boutique properties, premium home rentals, and more, providing renowned hospitality across the globe. With unrivaled access to the best in entertainment, culinary, sports, outdoor adventure, arts, culture, and more, Marriott Bonvoy offers transformative travel experiences that leave a lasting impression.

Marriott Bonvoy membership is free and unlocks unique benefits including the ability to earn points through travel and everyday activities, like purchases with co-branded credit cards. Members can redeem their points for free stays, experiences and more. Visit marriottbonvoy.com for more information and download the Marriott Bonvoy app here. Travelers can connect with Marriott Bonvoy on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook.