Archives June 2025

One of India’s most cherished names in luxury jewellery, Badalia Diamond Jewellers, has rebranded as Golubhai Badalia Diamond. This new identity marks not just a name change but a homage to the legacy that spans generations, now carried forward with renewed passion and vision.

With a reputation for exquisite craftsmanship and bespoke design, the brand now enters a new chapter under the leadership of Golubhai Badalia, whose deep-rooted connection to the brand’s lineage lends both authenticity and aspiration.

Golubhai Badalia, the namesake and Managing Director, said, “This isn’t just about rebranding, it’s about honouring where we come from while shaping where we’re going. My family’s legacy has always been rooted in integrity, artistry and trust. With this new identity, we’re reasserting our commitment to excellence while preparing the brand for a global stage.”

Ishmita Badalia, Co-owner and Director, added, “At its heart, this brand is a family. Every piece we create is infused with emotion, purpose and precision. As we transition into Golubhai Badalia Diamond, our soul remains the same, but our voice becomes even more personal, more resonant.”

With this rebrand, the house strengthens its legacy as a multi-generational brand, where heritage meets haute joaillerie, and where every creation is designed to outlive time. GB Diamond is not just a destination for fine jewellery; it is a symbol of tradition, vision, and enduring luxury.

Covestro has launched production of its new Desmopan® Rx medical-grade Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) at its Changhua site in Taiwan, which has recently been qualified for medical–grade TPU manufacturing. As Covestro’s second facility worldwide—after New Martinsville in North America—qualified to produce medical–grade TPU, the Changhua site localized production of these high-standard materials in Asia Pacific, enabling more flexible and efficient regional supply to meet growing demand.

“With rising healthcare standards worldwide and an aging population, we’re seeing accelerated demand for medical–grade TPU solutions. With our Changhua site, we can now serve customers with such materials at shorter lead times and with enhanced supply security,” says Kevin Ho, Head of Sales and Market Development TPU Asia Pacific at Covestro. “By leveraging our Zhuhai production site and the new application development center in Guangzhou, we are enhancing regional synergies to support our customers with high-performance, globally compliant TPU solutions.”

Local production, global standards

Produced at the Changhua site in accordance with Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) principles, the new Desmopan® Rx grades are engineered to meet stringent international requirements for medical applications and minimize contamination risks. The materials are verified for biocompatibility in accordance with ISO 10993 and China’s YY/T 1557 standards for TPU used in infusion, transfusion and injection equipment. They are free from added plasticizers, exhibit low extractables and are compatible with multiple sterilization.

“Our Desmopan® Rx grades meet established industry requirements for medical applications,” explains Dr. Frank Yang, Head of Asia-Pacific Innovation TPU at Covestro. “We’re committed to ensuring product safety and regulatory compliance while helping customers across Asia Pacific unlock greater value in regulated medical markets.”

Enabling advanced healthcare solutions

Desmopan® Rx grades are specifically developed for medical device components such as thin-walled flexible tubing, catheters, connectors, component housings, endoscopes, healthcare devices and wearables. Tubing made with Desmopan® Rx can be effectively used in a wide range of clinical applications, including surgical procedures, hemodialysis, drug delivery systems and wound care.

In addition, Desmopan® Rx grades are well-suited for medical nonwoven applications due to their compatibility with melt-blown processes. Nonwovens made from these grades combine functional performance with compliance to medical waste regulations, making them ideal for surgical drapes, wound dressings, gowns, sterile packaging and protective equipment.

Key material benefits include:

• Biocompatible formulation suitable for direct patient contact applications

• High clarity for medical observation

• Excellent kink resistance to reduce tubing blockage risk

• Superior flexibility and dimensional stability

• Strong chemical resistance against oils, cleaning agents and disinfectants

• Outstanding abrasion resistance for demanding applications

Covestro is presenting the new Desmopan® Rx TPU grades at Booth N5E24 at CPHI & PMEC China, Asia’s premier pharmaceutical event, running through June 26 at the Shanghai New International Expo Center.

Mumbai, June 25, 2025 – Rashi Peripherals Limited (NSE: RPTECH) (BSE: 544119), one of the leading national distribution partners for global technology brands in India, successfully organized the Partner Bootcamp 2025 in Mumbai, Delhi, and Bangalore. The event, themed “AI Sovereignty in Enterprises: AI Factory,” aimed at equipping partner leaders and their sales/pre-sales teams with the knowledge and tools to master the concept of AI Sovereignty and building AI Factory solutions that give businesses a competitive edge.

Attended by over 450 participants, the bootcamp served as a dynamic platform to delve into the evolution of AI—from Perception AI to Generative AI, Agentic AI, and the emerging realm of Physical AI.

Key Highlights of the Bootcamp:

• In-depth exploration of the AI Factory architecture and business roadmap through interactive sessions
• Hands-on demos and real-world deployment strategies for sales/pre-sales teams of enterprise partners
• Expert-led discussions on AI sovereignty implementation strategies
• Interactive workshops on cutting-edge AI technologies and applications

Rashi Peripherals is at the forefront in empowering enterprises with the right set of AI technology solutions. Through this initiative, Rashi Peripherals enabled enterprise partners to deepen their enablement capacity and market readiness to capitalise on immense AI Factory opportunities.

Alok Choudhary, Deputy General Manager, Rashi Peripherals, said, “As the largest ICT solutions provider in India, we are committed to bringing AI Factory architecture to our enterprise partner ecosystem. India is well placed for the next wave of AI, from Gen AI to agentic and physical AI. These bootcamps set the stage to deploy India-centric AI infrastructure and solutions across sectors, accelerating our journey towards AI sovereignty.”

The bootcamp provided a comprehensive and immersive platform for partners to learn about the AI Factory architecture in depth and explore real-world deployment strategies. Leveraging a mix of thought leadership sessions, hands-on demos, and interactive discussions, attendees gained actionable insights into building AI-ready infrastructure tailored to the needs of Indian enterprises.

Sharing his experience, Venkat Ramana, Director-HPC & AI, Micropoint Computers said, “The event was well organized with professional speakers who articulated their ideas and suggestions clearly. For enterprises like Micropoint Computers, which is one of India’s leading IT Infrastructure Solutions and Services companies with over 3 decades of presence and 700+ skilled personnel, there are several opportunities to capitalize on this AI wave. Micropoint management is fully committed to be a significant player in this market and is proactively taking necessary steps to get there.”

The bootcamp served not just to inform, but to enable partners to translate AI potential into scalable enterprise outcomes, reinforcing RP Tech’s position as a trusted technology enabler in India’s rapidly evolving AI landscape.

Mumbai, June 25, 2025: Remsons Industries Limited, a leading automotive components manufacturer, has been honoured as one of India’s Top 100 Great Mid-size Workplaces 2025. It has been ranked 30^th by the Great Place to Work® Institute.

Remsons Group CEO Amit Srivastava honoured by the Great Place to WorkR Institute

Commenting on the prestigious recognition, Amit Srivastava, Remsons Group CEO said, “We are thrilled to receive this honour that reflects our commitment to people-first approach rooted in trust, transparency and ownership by empowering teams, nurturing talent, and creating a culture of growth and collaboration.  Our belief in empowering others to lead attracts the right talent and creates an environment that delivers a great workplace experience for all our employees.” 

This esteemed recognition follows a stringent assessment process, which includes an independent survey by Great Place to Work®. The survey assessed various aspects of Remsons Industries Limited’s work environment, such as employee pride in the organization, the level of trust between employees and management, opportunities for personal and professional growth, and the overall sense of camaraderie among the team.

Mumbai, 25 June 2025 : Leading financial services powerhouse Equirus Group has appointed Vimal Chauhan as its new Chief Financial Officer (CFO). A Chartered Accountant with over 17 years of experience across finance leadership, strategy, and financial planning, Vimal has held senior roles at Home First Finance, VKL group, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and Staples India, among others.

In his new role, Vimal will oversee Finance, Treasury, Accounts, Secretarial, Legal, Risk, and Control functions across the Equirus Group which comprises businesses with leading positions in investment banking, institutional equities, wealth management and insurance broking amongst others.

“We are glad to have Vimal join us as CFO for the Equirus Group overseeing Finance, Treasury, Accounts, Secretarial, Legal, Risk and control. His appointment is part of our strategy to strengthen our leadership team as Equirus 2 evolves to ensure we continue to Champion the India investment case to play our small role in powering our nation’s march to a Viksit Bharat,” said Ajit Deshmukh, Vice Chairman & Managing Director, Equirus Group.

With a sharpened leadership team, Equirus is poised to further its mission of delivering innovation-led, client-first financial solutions. The recent appointments mark another important step in building a future-ready organization that can accelerate India’s growth story and empower entrepreneurs and investors alike.

25 June, 2025, Bengaluru: The Economics area at IIM Bangalore will host the second edition of the Symposium on Evidence of Economic Development (SEED) on 28 and 29 June, 2025, in Classroom P-22 at IIMB. The two-day event will bring together a distinguished group of researchers from across the world to share empirical research work spanning behavioural economics, firm dynamics, and developmental outcomes.

The event is jointly curated by Prof. Pavel Chakraborty, University of Lancaster, Prof. Anindya Chakrabarti, IIM Ahmedabad, and Prof. Ritwik Banerjee, Chairperson of the Economics Area at IIMB. The first edition of the symposium was held at IIM Ahmedabad.

Agenda for the two-day event

Prof. U. Dinesh Kumar, Dean of Faculty and Chairperson of the Data Centre and Analytics Lab (DCAL) at IIMB, will deliver the inaugural address.

Session 1 on Behaviour will open with “When Science Feels Like Math: The Role of Quantitative Framing in Science Gender Gaps” by Prof. Tarun Jain, IIM Ahmedabad, who investigates the impact of math-intensive evaluation on gender disparities in science. This will be followed by Prof. Shilpa Aggarwal, ISB, presenting ‘A Road for all Seasons: Market Access and Inter-temporal Arbitrage in Rural India’, a study examining how a large-scale rural road infrastructure programme, connecting previously unlinked villages to market centres, affects inter-temporal price volatility in Indian agricultural markets.

Session 2 on Behaviour will begin with ‘Achieving Peace in Conflicts with Spillovers’ by Prof. Moumita Roy, Ahmedabad University. Her talk will explore strategic behaviour in conflicts where individual efforts have positive or negative spillover effects on rivals’ payoffs. This will be followed by ‘Bureaucrat Assignment Mechanisms: Theory and Evidence’ by Prof. Jeevant Rampal, IIM Ahmedabad, which analyses the mechanisms used to assign senior Indian bureaucrats to administrative cadres across the country.

Session 3 on Firms will feature ‘Spillover Effects in Complementary Markets: A Study of the Indian Cellphone and Wireless Service Markets’ by Prof. Debi Prasad Mohapatra, UMass Amherst. The session will continue with ‘Identity, Market Access, and Demand-led Diversification’ by Prof. Akhil Ilango, Young Faculty Research Chair, IIMB, which examines the intersection of social identity, access to markets, and diversification strategies.

The final sessions for Day 1 will begin with ‘Credit Supply Shocks, Firm Performance, and Aggregate Productivity Growth’ by Dr. Vidhya Soundararajan, Centre for Advanced Financial Research and Learning (CAFRAL). The study evaluates India’s Prompt Corrective Action (PCA) framework and its effect on bank health and firm-level outcomes. The day will conclude with an assessment on ‘Trade Costs and Industrialization’ by Prof. Kunal Dasgupta, Chairperson, Admissions & Financial Aid, IIMB, offering insight into how internal and external trade costs influence industrialization using data from India’s organised manufacturing sector.

On Day 2, the focus will shift to Development. Prof. Tanika Chakraborty, IIM Calcutta, will present ‘The Roads to Hospital and Healthcare Access’, which explores the complementarity between public goods and its implications for the low uptake of social insurance schemes in India, despite high out-of-pocket medical expenditure. This will be followed by a presentation on ‘Green Spaces for Saffron Growth’ delivered by Prof. Yatish Arya, Ashoka University.

The second half of Day 2 will begin with ‘Consumption and Borrowing: Land-holding Inequality and the Effects of Cash Transfers’, by Prof. Abhishek Shaw, Azim Premji University. The paper explores whether land inequality alters the impact of cash transfers on household borrowing and consumption. The symposium will close with a presentation on ‘Attitudes and Norms about Intimate Partner Violence: What Makes Women More Impressionable?’ by Prof. Manini Ojha, Jindal Global University, which evaluates the causal effect of neighbourhood-level attitudes on individual acceptance of intimate partner violence, drawing on nationally representative data from the fifth wave of the National Family Health Survey of India.

Mumbai, June 25, 2025: The digital backbone of Bharat’s economy is strengthening. The third edition of the MSME Digital Index Report, released today by PayNearby, India’s leading branchless banking and digital network, reveals that over 73% of small businesses across semi-urban and rural India have seen increased income or improved operational efficiency as a result of adopting digital tools. With smartphones becoming the dominant mode of business management and UPI emerging as the most preferred transaction method, the findings indicate a deeper, more confident shift towards digital enablement at the last mile.

The third edition of the MSME Digital Index 2025 showcases digital consumption, tech awareness, behavioural patterns, and business transformation among micro-entrepreneurs, with a focus on gender representation. The insights were gathered through a nationwide survey conducted among 10,000 individuals and MSMEs in retail-focused segments such as kirana stores, mobile recharge outlets, medical shops, customer service points (CSPs), and travel agencies.

Smartphone usage remains central to their operations, with 71% of respondents citing it as their primary business device. Among women entrepreneurs, this number is significantly higher at 84%, indicating rising comfort with mobile-led infrastructure in driving customer engagement. Daily internet usage continues to rise, with 69% respondents consuming between 2GB to 5GB of data, largely supported by mobile hotspots, with 86% spending around ₹500–₹1,000 per month on internet usage.

Digital payments continue to gain strong acceptance among MSMEs, with UPI emerging as the most preferred mode of transaction at 48%, followed by Aadhaar-enabled banking at 39%. Among women entrepreneurs, Aadhaar banking saw even higher preference at 42%, reflecting increasing trust in secure, tech-enabled services such as fingerprint and face authentication. These channels offer transaction efficiency and payment convenience, while also helping them build digital credibility for improved access to formal credit in the future.

The impact of going digital is becoming more tangible for small businesses. Of those reporting benefits from digital adoption, 33% cited improved operational efficiency. These insights point to a growing realisation among MSMEs that digital tools are not just convenient but critical for scaling businesses sustainably in a competitive market.

As digital tools become more embedded in daily business, the role of language and ease of use becomes increasingly important. 56% of respondents prefer English for understanding and navigating platforms, followed by Hindi at 25%. Among women entrepreneurs, 38% expressed a preference for vernacular interfaces, highlighting the continued need for regionally localised, intuitive tech platforms that better reflect how Bharat operates.

A small but notable 7% of respondents have begun exploring automated or AI-powered tools, including inventory apps, automated billing systems, and customer engagement platforms, mostly through third-party solutions. This emerging trend is reflected in the growing use of structured digital workflows such as transaction reports, WhatsApp-based follow-ups, and service-wise earnings tracking. It marks a shift toward more efficient, process-driven ways of working. These early signals point to rising curiosity and readiness among small businesses to explore advanced tools, as solutions become simpler to understand and use.

25th June, 2025: Only Much Louder (OML), a market-leading, full-service creative and entertainment business network, has partnered with Ultraviolette Automotive to produce the high-octane documentary, ‘The Fastest Indian’ to capture the remarkable story of the Ultraviolette F99, India’s fastest on road vehicle. The film spotlights the F99’s record-breaking quarter-mile sprint of just 10.7 seconds, shattering the previous benchmark of 11.6 seconds. Creatively produced and directed by OML, the documentary offers an immersive look into Ultraviolette’s bold vision, one that is reshaping the future of the Indian auto sector.

The three-part documentary-series chronicles the bold journey of developing the Ultraviolette F99, while celebrating the spirit of a homegrown brand that is redefining boundaries and challenging conventions with cutting-edge technology. More than lauding the F99’s speed, the documentary dives deep into the relentless pursuit of excellence through a story of innovation, fearless engineering, and a vision that challenges what’s possible in the Indian automotive space. From the drawing board to the drag strip, the series highlights the development of the superbike and the monumental challenges that Ultraviolette overcame. All three episodes of The Fastest Indian are currently available to stream on YouTube, giving viewers a front-row seat to the design, innovation, and ambition that brought this landmark achievement to life.

Tusharr Kumar, CEO, Only Much Louder, said, “We are proud to have partnered with Ultraviolette Automotive for a documentary that is more than a showcase of performance; it is in fact a reassuring statement on the future of mobility-where cutting-edge technology, sustainability and high-performance racing merge. It is a reflection of how a homegrown brand is not only shaping narratives around electric vehicles in India but also placing Indian engineering on the global map.”

Abhinav Sharma, VP- Marketing, Ultraviolette, said, “This journey wasn’t just about building a really fast motorcycle, it was about jumpstarting the ‘innovation’ conversation through one outrageous idea. The story of ‘The Fastest Indian’ aims to capture the reality of what we set out to do – One shot, one machine, and no room for second guesses. For the first time ever, we’re letting viewers go behind closed doors and discover the untold story of the Ultraviolette F99 in a documentary that is not only creatively charged but also matched our engineering endeavour.”

Only Much Louder has consistently pushed boundaries of storytelling through innovative collaborators by developing resonating content that effectively captures the essence of pop culture, whether it’s motorsports, tech, gaming, music and more. The company has been an instrumental force in shaping how brand stories are captured and communicated. With the Ultraviolette F99 documentary, OML’s creative team has developed a documentary series that is as visually stunning as it is inspiring. With an eye for detail and an instinct for storytelling, OML brings the Ultraviolette F99 story to life — not just as the making of a machine, but as the rise of a movement.

Bengaluru, June 2025 – In a game-changing partnership, Grundfos — a world leader in advanced pump solutions and water technology — has joined hands with cricketing icon Rahul Dravid to bring the spotlight to SCALA2, its smart pressure booster for homes. This dynamic collaboration marks the beginning of a smarter, quieter, and more sustainable era in home water systems across India.

Known for his calm under fire and unwavering reliability, Dravid is the perfect face for a product that promises whisper-quiet strength and effortless consistency — even in the most demanding household conditions.

Expressing his enthusiasm for the association, Rahul Dravid said, “I am delighted to partner with Grundfos SCALA2, a product that stands for not only reliability and excellence in water solutions, but also sustainability, a topic very close to my heart. In cricket, consistency and performing under pressure are paramount, and I see a strong resonance with what SCALA2 offers.”

SCALA2 is engineered to handle the fluctuating water pressure often experienced in urban and semi-urban homes. It uses cutting-edge tech to adjust performance based on usage, helping deliver balanced pressure across all outlets with minimal noise and up to 40% reduced energy consumption…

“We’re excited to tell the story of SCALA2 with Rahul Dravid, he’s helping lead a movement towards smarter and sustainable homes in India.” said Hasan Avci, Spokesperson – Grundfos IMEA. “Together, we’re taking smart water solutions mainstream and redefining what comfort means at home.”

The SCALA2 campaign isn’t just about innovation — it’s about impact. In 2024 alone, Grundfos solutions helped save more than 1.5 billion cubic meters of water and slashed global carbon emissions by 10.5%. This collaboration fuels a larger vision: to equip every home with the tools to make greener, better-informed choices — without compromise.

Shubhodip Pal, CEO, ITW – Integrated Marketing Services, added, “This isn’t just about teaming up with a sports legend. It’s about values — trust, consistency, quiet excellence — and SCALA2 embodies all of that as a smart pressure booster for homes. Our approach was insight-driven, and Rahul was the clear choice to bring this vision to life. We are excited to be a part of this journey with Grundfos.”

June 25, 2025: As Indian students continue to fuel global education aspirations, Niyo, India’s leading travel banking platform, has reported a 30% year-on-year growth in the adoption of its zero-forex markup cards among study-abroad aspirants, significantly outpacing the 17.67% growth rate in the Indian study-abroad segment. According to Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) data, 1.8 million Indian students are pursuing higher education abroad in 2025, up from 1.3 million in 2023. This means Niyo is growing nearly 1.7 times faster than the overall study-abroad segment – a clear indication of growing trust in its student-centric financial solutions.

The student cohort now makes up 25% of Niyo’s total customer base, up from 20% in 2024. This steady increase indicates the platform’s growing significance within the education-focused travel banking ecosystem. A key contributor to this growth is Niyo’s strong presence in Tier-II and Tier-III cities, which now contribute 25% of all new card applications – a sign of rising student mobility and financial awareness beyond metros.

Student usage patterns are also evolving. Increasingly, students are opting to use Niyo’s zero-forex markup card well before departure for payments related to college/university application fees, admission deposits, SEVIS/IHS charges, visa fees, accommodation bookings, and more. On average, each student transacts approximately USD 5,000 prior to travelling abroad, highlighting the card’s critical role in the pre-departure financial journey.

Beyond the prominent metro cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Pune, etc., in the last one year, Niyo saw an uptick in demand from students in Jalandhar, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Surat, Ernakulam, Guntur, and more.

Vinay Bagri, Co-founder and CEO, Niyo, said, “We have always believed that international education requires international banking preparedness. Today’s students are financially astute and proactive – they seek seamless, global-ready financial solutions even before their journey begins. From our zero-forex card and instant remittance tools to 24-hour card delivery and 15+ in-app services, Niyo is helping make global ambitions financially viable for Indian families.”

To further support this evolving behaviour, Niyo recently launched a zero-fee international money transfer service, allowing families to remit tuition fees, blocked accounts (averaging ₹12 lakh), rent, and living expenses – all without Forex, SWIFT or platform charges. This enables savings of up to ₹25,000 per ₹10 lakh transfer, offering meaningful value in a traditionally high-cost remittance space.

Currently, 60% of Niyo’s student cardholders are headed to traditional destinations such as the USA, UK, Canada, Germany, and Australia. However, there is also a noticeable rise in adoption across emerging destinations, including Ireland, Georgia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Italy – particularly among MBBS aspirants and students pursuing alternative education pathways across Europe.

With its student-first approach, expanding product suite, and growing adoption across India, Niyo is well-positioned to become the default travel banking choice for Indian students. The company aims to capture a 50% market share in the student travel banking space within the next two years.