Archives 2025

New Delhi, Dec 22: – Clove Dental, Asia’s largest dental chain, extended its support to the Everest Expedition of Resilience, a women-led journey to Everest Base Camp featuring Gina Atkinson, along with Carly Jennifer Hudson, Michelle O’Dwyer, Thea Davies, and expedition lead Leela Bassi.

The expedition was much more than the physical challenge of reaching Base Camp. For the team, the journey stood as a profound reflection of emotional endurance, healing, and rediscovery. Each step through the Himalayas symbolised resilience forged through grief, burnout, trauma, hope, and the determination to rise despite personal battles.

Commenting on this, Sumit Saxena, Vice President, Marketing and PR, Clove Dental, said;

“When we first learned about the expedition led by Leela Bassi and her team, we immediately recognised the depth of purpose behind their journey. Their resilience, courage, and emotional strength reflected the very values we champion at Clove Dental, restoring confidence, supporting healing, and standing beside individuals in their moments of vulnerability.”

“At Clove Dental, our vision has always revolved around dignity, confidence, and compassionate care. When Leela and her team embarked on this mission, we saw a reflection of the same courage and resilience that our women-led workforce demonstrates every day. To support this expedition was to stand with every woman who chooses healing, strength, and purpose in the face of adversity. Their journey to Everest Base Camp captured the essence of what we believe health truly means: the courage to keep going, even when the path is uncertain. We are proud to have been a part of this extraordinary mission,” said Amarinder Singh, CEO, Clove Dental.

Clove Dental’s involvement aligned with its mission to uphold dignity, confidence, and holistic well-being. With nearly 75% of its workforce comprising women, the organisation has consistently championed initiatives rooted in courage, empowerment, and the transformative impact of care.

Mumbai, Dec 22: Plum, one of India’s most admired new-age beauty and personal care brands, has introduced Plum TrueSPF™, a proprietary assurance system aimed at raising the bar on sunscreen transparency, testing, and trust for Indian consumers. Over the past year, sunscreens have faced increased scrutiny, with independent tests and online conversations prompting questions around the reliability of SPF claims. At Plum, sun protection is considered one of the most essential steps in any skincare routine, making clarity and consistency in SPF claims critical. TrueSPF™ reinforces the brand’s commitment to honest, science-led sun protection.

Plum TrueSPF™ is a rigorous verification framework designed to validate real SPF performance beyond basic regulatory compliance. Built as a seal of proven protection, it combines multiple layers of testing, quality control, and transparent reporting to ensure sunscreens perform as promised in real-world conditions.

Speaking about the launch, Shankar Prasad, Founder & CEO, Plum, said, “Sun protection is an essential part of any skincare routine, and it’s important that consumers feel confident about the protection they are using. Over time, we noticed increasing conversations and questions around SPF claims, which prompted us to look more closely at how we test and communicate our sunscreens. With TrueSPF™, we are reinforcing our focus on science-led formulation, robust testing, and greater transparency. Our aim is simple: when we say SPF 50, consumers should feel assured about the protection they are choosing.”

At the core of TrueSPF™ are five stringent checks, including in-vivo testing on human volunteers and in-vitro laboratory testing to validate real-world SPF performance. For its hero product, the Plum Rice Water & 2% Niacinamide Sunscreen SPF 50 PA++++, the brand also conducts batch-level testing to ensure consistent SPF 50 protection. TrueSPF formulations use globally accepted, high-performance UV filters selected for safety, photostability, and suitability for Indian skin and climate, alongside 360-degree quality checks covering SPF and UVA consistency and formula stability.

Transparency remains central to TrueSPF™. Plum will publish test reports verifying SPF 50 PA++++ performance for its Rice Water & 2% Niacinamide Sunscreen, accessible via a QR code on the packaging. While the TrueSPF™ assurance currently applies to this product, the TrueSPF™ logo will begin appearing on the front of pack across Plum’s sunscreen portfolio. With TrueSPF™, Plum reaffirms its belief that trust in sun protection is built through science and openness. By publishing test reports and strengthening quality checks, the brand ensures consumers can rely on what’s stated on the label. Plum brings together chemistry and transparency to back every protection claim it makes.

Tech Trends in 2025

2025 marked a defining moment for enterprise technology as AI moved decisively from experimentation to mainstream, measurable value creation. Across BFSI, telecom, retail and public services, organisations embraced agentic AI to unify customer engagement across voice, digital and back-office ecosystems. What truly accelerated adoption this year was the shift toward open, modular AI platforms that work seamlessly with complex legacy infrastructure—enabling organisations to scale automation without disruption. Verint specialized bots are quick and easy to deploy and drive immediate AI outcomes through CX automation — making your customer engagements smarter and faster. Powered by Verint Da Vinci AI, each bot performs one specific task, and is injected directly into your workflows, putting AI at your fingertips. We also saw strong enterprise uptake of Agent Copilot Bots, which have demonstrated the ability to double agent capacity by automating research, summarisation and post-interaction workflows. This year also brought a fundamental change in enterprise expectations—from cost efficiency to outcome-driven AI deployments. Leaders increasingly demanded faster resolutions, unified digital experiences and AI solutions that deliver accuracy, compliance, and scale. 2025 proved that AI is no longer a standalone initiative—it is the core layer powering operational resilience and customer experience excellence.

Rise of Agentic AI and Changing Employee Experience 

2025 was a transformative year for employee experience, especially in service-heavy sectors where the complexity and volume of customer interactions continue to rise. The shift to agentic AI fundamentally redefined how organisations support frontline teams. Instead of manually navigating knowledge systems, documenting calls or searching for customer history, employees are now assisted by AI copilots that work alongside them in real time. At Verint, our Agent Copilot and Quality Bots automated repetitive, high-effort tasks across 100% of customer interactions, helping employees focus on high-value problem-solving and relationship-building.  These capabilities—combined with the ability of Agent Copilot Bots to double agent capacity have helped enterprises boost morale, reduce burnout, and create more fulfilling, growth-oriented roles. CX leaders increasingly view AI as an enabler of talent growth, supporting agents with real-time guidance, personalised coaching and intelligent knowledge retrieval. In 2025, we saw the workforce evolve into a human + AI partnership, delivering better outcomes for both employees and customers.

Predictions for 2026

2026 will be the year when AI scales from siloed adoption to enterprise-wide orchestration. As customer expectations continue to rise—especially with 73% now preferring digital channels and 86% recognising the value of AI-powered service—organisations will accelerate the shift toward autonomous CX operations. We anticipate strong demand for secure, domain-specific AI models across sectors like banking, insurance and telecom, where accuracy and regulatory compliance are paramount. The next phase will be defined by AI-ready enterprises: operating models that scale, data that enables outcomes, talent that can work side-by-side with agents, and leadership that can close the AI velocity gap thereby —delivering consistent, proactive service across every touchpoint.

At Verint, we expect AI to become the connective fabric between digital channels, assisted service and back-office processes. Enterprises will increasingly measure success not just through efficiency metrics but through business outcomes.. Our own AI deployments—spanning 50+ specialised bots, Agent Copilot and Quality Bots—show how quickly automation can deliver tangible results without reengineering legacy systems.

In 2026, the organisations that lead will be those that orchestrate human + AI collaboration at scale, creating intelligent, outcome-driven customer experiences that are fast, personalised and deeply trusted.

Hyderabad, Dec 22: Buddy Mobility Care, a venture by BeSure Buddy Pvt. Ltd. and India’s leading inclusive mobility service provider, has achieved a historic milestone by securing a social impact driven partnership with GMR Hyderabad International Airport. This marks the launch of the nation’s first dedicated wheelchair-accessible transportation service at any Indian airport.

This groundbreaking initiative establishes Hyderabad Airport as a pioneer in truly inclusive travel. Redefining Accessible Travel, Buddy Mobility Care provides a complete, end-to-end assisted travel solution, which includes:

1. Accessible Vehicles: Custom-designed, wheelchair-accessible transportation.
2. Trained Mobility Caregivers: Professional personnel who provide dedicated assistance.
3. Dignified Travel: Safe, dependable, and supportive mobility for all passengers.

This service is specifically designed for persons with reduced mobility (PRM), senior citizens, and travelers requiring special support, ensuring their journey begins and ends with comfort and dignity. Mrs. Sartaj Lamba, Founder & CEO of Buddy Mobility Care (tradename of BeSure Buddy Pvt. Ltd.), said:

“GMR Hyderabad International Airport has set a new benchmark for inclusive travel in India with this vital social impact initiative. Buddy Mobility Care exists to ensure that every traveler regardless of their mobility needs—can move with dignity and independence. This permanent partnership is a major leap forward in our mission to revolutionize accessible transportation across the country. This achievement was made possible with the invaluable guidance of Mrs. Ratna Prabha, former IAS officer founder of Ubuntu consortium and the entire GMR team.

With this significant milestone, Buddy Mobility Care reaffirms its commitment to expanding this crucial ecosystem and setting the standard for accessible transportation throughout India.

New Delhi,  Dec 22:- TagHive Inc., a Samsung company, hosted the Class Saathi Impact Summit 2025 in New Delhi on 19th December, bringing together senior government representatives, education leaders, school principals, and teachers to reflect on the impact of its flagship AI powered learning and assessment solution Class Saathi across government schools in two districts of Uttar Pradesh.

The summit was graced by Shri Jayant Chaudhary, Union Minister of State Skill Development & Entrepreneurship and Union Minister of State for Education, and H.E. Mr. Lee Seong Ho, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to India, underscoring the growing importance of international collaboration and technology-led innovation in public education.

The event highlighted outcomes from the Class Saathi implementation in the districts of Baghpat and Bulandshahr, where the solution was launched earlier this year. The impact assessment of which, is being done by Pratham. Through real-time classroom assessment, teacher-friendly technology, and sustained academic support, Class Saathi has enabled schools to strengthen daily teaching practices, improve student engagement, and establish a continuous learning feedback loop between teachers and students

During the summit, the Pratham team shared insights from their observations of teacher training programmes, regular school support visits, and classroom usage data collected over the past months. Teachers also shared how the solution is being used for daily revision, concept checks, and formative assessments.

A key highlight of the summit was the announcement of the expansion of Class Saathi to 75 additional government schools, including 50 schools in Mathura and 25 schools in Noida, marking the next phase of scale-up in Uttar Pradesh. This expansion reflects growing confidence in the solution’s ability to deliver measurable learning outcomes in public school settings.

Shri Jayant Chaudhary,  Union Minister of State Skill Development & Entrepreneurship and Union Minister of State for Education, said:

“The focus of education reform must remain on what happens inside the classroom. Approaches that enable regular feedback, support teachers, and help schools track student progress are essential for building more responsive and outcome-oriented education systems.”

The summit featured recognition of teachers and schools for exemplary and consistent usage, and a live quiz for students. Pratham also shared next steps on the implementation of technology enabled assessment driven learning and a plan for the months ahead.

Speaking at the event, Pankaj Agarwal, CEO and Founder of TagHive emphasised that Class Saathi is designed as a low-resource, modular, and scalable solution, purpose-built for public schools. By prioritising ease of use for teachers and actionable insights for administrators, the solution enables outcome-driven learning without increasing classroom complexity.

H.E. Mr. Lee Seong Ho, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to India, said;

“Improving learning outcomes depends on empowering teachers and strengthening feedback within classrooms. Well-designed technology can play a supporting role in making this process more effective and inclusive.”

The Class Saathi Impact Summit 2025 reaffirmed the role of thoughtfully implemented education technology in supporting teachers, engaging students, and enabling education systems to move beyond infrastructure adoption towards measurable learning impact.

By:– Mr. Mukundan Menon, Managing Director, Voltas Ltd

“India is at the cusp of a sustained growth journey, with our economy being one of the fastest growing major economies of the world. India’s economic growth, combined with low residential AC penetration (below 8%) and ongoing infrastructure development like metro rail, airports, manufacturing facilities, offices, healthcare, and hospitality, presents significant opportunities for our industry. Tier II & Tier III cities in India are also driving growth due to rapid urbanization & rising middle class incomes. Indian HVAC market is expected to reach $30 billion by 2030 with a CAGR of 15-16%.

The Government of India’s Atmanirbhar Bharat Initiative & PLI schemes are also driving, India’s HVAC equipment manufacturing story. This, in turn will create a pathway for us to export these products to a larger global audience and is a step towards our eventual global leadership in this space. India is also leading its way in terms of Standards for energy efficiency and sustainability which are the important themes when it comes to the Global stage.”

Gurugram,  Dec 22:CARS24, India’s leading autotech platform, today announced the elevation of Divanshu Saxena as Chief Business Officer  of CARS24 Financial Services Private Limited, the company’s NBFC arm.

In his new role, Divanshu will lead the strategy, growth, and execution of CARS24’s financial services business. His mandate includes scaling lending operations while strengthening profitability, risk discipline, and institutional robustness, as CARS24 continues to build a resilient and sustainable financial services platform.

Divanshu currently heads the consumer financing business for LOANS24 by CARS24 and has played a key role in building one of the company’s strongest and most profitable verticals. Under his leadership, the lending business has recorded strong growth in finance penetration, healthy returns, and an increasing contribution from non-retail lending, while maintaining disciplined unit economics and portfolio quality.

Known for his first-principles approach to problem-solving, Divanshu brings a rare combination of strategic clarity and execution rigour. His ability to simplify complexity, challenge assumptions, and build scalable systems has helped position CFSPL  as a fast-growing, profitable, and resilient financial services business, competing effectively with established banks and NBFCs.

Commenting on the elevation, Ruchit Agarwal, Co-Founder & Group CFO, CARS24, said;
“Divanshu has played a pivotal role in building CARS24 Financial Services into a strong and institutionally sound business. His disciplined approach to growth, deep understanding of lending economics, and consistent execution have laid a solid foundation for scale. We are proud to elevate leaders from within, and as CBO, Divanshu will be central to shaping the next phase of growth for LOANS24.”

Sharing his thoughts, Divanshu Saxena said;
“Building LOANS24 has been about creating a lending business that balances speed with discipline and growth with resilience. As CBO, my focus will be on scaling responsibly, strengthening our fundamentals, and continuing to build a financial services platform that earns long-term trust from customers and partners.”

Prior to joining CARS24, Divanshu worked as a Project Leader at Boston Consulting Group  where he was part of the Financial Services and Industrial Goods practice. He is an alumnus of IIM Calcutta, where he graduated with Institute Rank 3 and a Silver Medal, and Shri Ram College of Commerce University of Delhi, where he completed his Bachelor’s degree in Commerce with merit.

With this elevation, Divanshu further strengthens CARS24’s leadership bench as the company continues to scale its financial services platform and deepen its presence across vehicle financing in India.

Gurgaon, Dec 22:- MDI Gurgaon has been awarded the EQUIS  accreditation, placing it among the rare group of global business schools that hold the Triple Crown, accreditation by AACSB, AMBA, and now EQUIS. Fewer than 1% of the world’s management schools carry this distinction, making it one of the most respected markers of quality in business education.

Accreditation by EQUIS represents the highest quality in five areas: teaching, research, internationalisation, Ethics & Governance, and its strong tie with business and society. The EQUIS Accreditation awarded to MDI Gurgaon is proof that MDI Gurgaon has established an academic integrity that has been consistently upheld over time, continues to maintain a high level of research capabilities, and has made many connections around the world through numerous International Academic Partnerships so that students may view management from many different perspectives.

In recent years, the institute has enhanced its global presence through partnerships with top universities, international learning experiences, and collaborative research projects. In addition, EQUIS also focuses heavily on corporate social responsibility and creating a positive impact on society, where MDI Gurgaon has taken a leadership role in expanding its commitment to responsibility, through the development of curriculum that emphasize sustainability, conduct research that enhances understanding of how we can use corporate power and influence to benefit society, and develop partnerships with other businesses and organizations for mutual benefit.

Commenting on the achievement, Prof. Arvind Sahay, Director, MDI Gurgaon, said: 

“EQUIS accreditation is a testimony to MDI Gurgaon’s academic strength, global vision, and commitment to shaping responsible leaders. Earning the Triple Crown places us in a highly selective global league and reinforces our aspiration to be a management institution that is internationally benchmarked yet deeply connected to Indian business realities.”

The accreditation process recognises institutions that demonstrate coherence between strategy, mission, and measurable outcomes, an area where MDI Gurgaon has made substantial progress through curriculum redesign, experiential learning, and stronger industry interfaces across all programmes.

Sharing his perspective, Prof. Avanish Kumar, Dean added: “Triple Crown accreditation symbolises institutionalisation and internalisation of global standard in our teachings, research and training. More importantly it bestows a seamless confluence of our policies-practices. For our students, it improves scope and scale of their sphere of influence with this global acknowledgement. It also reinforces their choice of opting MDI as a student and builds confidence in their roots, which have global standards.

With its recent successes, MDI Gurgaon continues to position itself among the most well-respected business schools in India and will continue to develop global partnerships, build research output, and provide learning experiences that equip students to lead in a globalized society. MDI Gurgaon has expanded its global reach through collaboration with leading universities worldwide, offering global immersions, and developing joint research projects with universities. As a result, MDI has created more extensive initiatives for impact-driven research, sustainability-based coursework, and a greater degree of engagement with industry.