Archives 2025

By- K. Paul Thomas, MD & CEO, ESAF Small Finance Bank

The key takeaway from today’s MPC decision is the RBI’s continued commitment to price stability while supporting growth. With inflation easing to a 77-month low and domestic growth showing resilience, the central bank has rightly chosen to pause and assess the full impact of the rate cuts delivered earlier this year. The forward-looking approach, coupled with encouraging signs such as a good monsoon, healthy Kharif sowing, and steady consumption demand, provides optimism for sustained macroeconomic stability. The RBI’s emphasis on coordinated monetary, fiscal, and regulatory actions reaffirms confidence in India’s growth trajectory.

Bengaluru, 9th Aug 2025: Aukera, India’s leading lab-grown diamond jewelry brand, launches its much-awaited Bridal ring collection 2025, anchored in the powerful belief: Love is a Choice crafted for couples of today, who see marriage not as a tradition to follow, but a choice to make. Each ring is a reflection of intention, emotion, and the evolving narrative of commitment.

In a world where love is often assumed, arranged, or expected, Aukera’s new collection celebrates a new kind of journey, one where love is consciously chosen by two people, together. Love is a Choice is dedicated to couples who value authenticity over tradition, intimacy over spectacle, and shared decisions over inherited rituals. At its heart are the empowered couple partners who equally choose each other, their future, and rings that become meaningful symbols of their unique story.

Speaking at the launch, Lisa Mukhedkar, Founder & CEO of Aukera, shared “Aukera believes that love is a choice—and so is the ring that represents it. As a brand, we celebrate progressive, equal relationships through jewelry that reflects the same values. From pioneering comfort-fit rings in India to designing globally inspired, intricate settings, every detail is intentional. We use Hearts & Arrows solitaires – diamonds of rare precision and complete each piece of our bridal rings with our signature 1 cent blue diamond, discreetly placed on the shank. We refer to it as the Eternal Compass – a symbol of emotional direction.”

Redefining the Modern Bridal Ring

The new collection features an elegant range of engagement rings, proposal rings, couple bands, and men’s rings, each designed to celebrate the unique stories and values that define today’s relationships. Every ring is engineered for comfort and durability, featuring comfort-fit typically reserved for high-jewelry pieces, enhanced by added gold for lasting support. These make everyday luxury truly attainable, without compromising on the wearability required for lifelong memories.

Signature Craftsmanship and Unmatched Brilliance

Aukera elevates classic design with hallmark craftsmanship:

• Hearts & Arrows-cut diamonds: Renowned as the world’s most precisely cut diamonds, offering exceptional fire, brilliance, and symmetry.
• Advanced settings: Stronger prongs, double-prong mounts, hidden halos, and surprise diamonds ensure each piece is as robust as it is radiant.

Quality remains paramount only the finest materials and techniques are employed, ensuring each ring is a symbol of enduring beauty and meaning.

The Eternal Compass: A Hidden Blue Diamond

At the heart of every Aukera bridal ring is its latest design signature: the Eternal Compass, a secret 1 cent full-cut blue diamond, set discreetly on the band. Drawing inspiration from ancient legends where blue stones guided those at sea safely home, this stone is more than a design flourish. It signifies inner direction, loyalty, and a soulful connection known only to the couple. For those who choose each other, and shape their own journey, it is a private reminder that while the world may see a ring, the soul of the promise lies within.

Quiet Luxury, Designed for a Lifetime

Each piece in the collection is an invitation to celebrate personal stories, shared milestones, and the beauty of conscious choice. With flexible men’s designs, the range caters to individual tastes, making every ring as unique as the love it represents.

The 2025 Bridal Collection is now available at Aukera stores and online. Discover rings crafted to be cherished for a lifetime, where every detail is intentional, every material responsibly sourced, and every story worth celebrating.

New Delhi, August 8, 2025: On the occasion of the birthday of Shri B.L. Verma, Minister of State in the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution and the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Dr. Bhargav Mallappa, National Deputy Chairman of the People Forum of India (NBSS), visited the Minister at his residence to extend warm wishes and discuss collaborative efforts for Viksit Bharat.

During the meeting, Dr. Mallappa commended the Union Government’s focus on inclusive growth, social justice, and transparent governance under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership. “Shri B.L. Verma ji’s commitment to empowering marginalised communities and ensuring equitable access to resources is truly commendable. The People Forum of India is eager to complement these efforts by mobilising grassroots participation and fostering citizen-led development,” he said.

Shri B.L. Verma welcomed the initiative and said, “The People Forum of India’s dedication to nation-building through civic empowerment and social responsibility aligns closely with our government’s priorities. Building a developed India requires collective action, and I extend my full support to the Forum’s mission.”

Dr. Mallappa extended a formal invitation to Shri Verma to visit Bengaluru and interact with the Forum’s state-level coordinators and volunteer teams actively working on the ground.

Speaking to the media after the meeting, Dr. Mallappa added, “Our objective is to create a nationwide framework that combines service, transparency, and people’s participation. Collaborations with visionary leaders like Shri B.L. Verma strengthen our resolve to make Viksit Bharat a reality.”

Pune, August 08, 2025: Garware Technical Fibres Ltd., a leading manufacturer of technical textiles for the Indian and global markets, today announced its unaudited financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2025.

Consolidated: Q1 FY26 Highlights:

• Net Sales increased by 9% to Rs. 367.2 Cr in Q1FY26 as compared to Rs. 336.2 Cr in Q1FY25
• Profit before tax increased by 13.4% to Rs. 70.4 Cr in Q1FY26 as compared to Rs. 62.1 Cr in the same period last year
• Net profit after tax has increased by 13.5% to Rs. 53.1 Cr in Q1FY26 as against Rs. 46.8 Cr in the corresponding period of FY25
• EPS for Q1 FY26 is at Rs. 5.35 this is a growth of 13.6% over Q1 FY25

In a statement, Mr. Vayu Garware, CMD, Garware Technical Fibres Ltd. said,

We have witnessed a top line growth of 9% during the first quarter driven primarily by the Geosynthetics business which continues to grow exponentially. International Fisheries segment has also performed very well with key breakthroughs in new markets and customers. Domestically, the industrial product sales have grown well. Profit before tax increased by 13.4% in Q1FY26 over Q1FY25.

There are some concerns on the horizon with the significant imposition of tariffs by the USA and ongoing geopolitical tension. Though GTFL exports to the USA are only approximately 10% of our topline and we do believe that these issues will be resolved in the medium term, we are working hard to find ways to ensure our customers and partners in the USA continue to be supported and we are able to manage these temporary disruptions.

Mumbai, August 8, 2025: Equirus Group, a leading full-service financial powerhouse, today announced it has received the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) approval to launch its non-deposit taking Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC) — Equirus Finance. This pivotal expansion is designed to create a powerful symbiotic relationship between its established Wealth Management, Investment Banking & Institutional Equities businesses, offering a seamless continuum of capital solutions for its entire client ecosystem.

The launch of Equirus Finance marks a strategic shift for the Group and will add value for its clients. The company aims to provide bespoke lending products like Loan Against Securities, ESOP financing, MLD’s, Structed Finance and other customised secured finance products to its wealth clients & Investment banking clients which include High-Net-Worth Individuals (HNIs), family offices, and corporate promoters. With an AUM of over USD 2.2 billion, Equirus Wealth has a deep understanding of evolving client needs, allowing for sharper integration of funding and advisory services.

Equirus Finance plans to enable financially astute liquidity solutions for its clients thus enhancing the value of their long-term strategic investments. This strategic fitment creates a virtuous cycle: the Wealth Management team identifies client needs, and the NBFC provides tailored capital solutions, thereby deepening the overall client relationship and creating a more holistic service platform.

As a wealth-focused NBFC, Equirus Finance wants to create a powerful, integrated ecosystem that can seamlessly offer high-value credit products alongside their core investment advisory and portfolio management services. This provides a holistic, one-stop solution for a client’s entire financial lifecycle, from wealth creation to liquidity management. Unburdened by the vast retail banking machinery, NBFCs can foster a more client-centric and entrepreneurial culture. The focus remains on building deep, advisory-led relationships, which is the cornerstone of the modern wealth management industry.

Equirus Finance will adhere to stringent RBI guidelines, ensuring transparency, robust risk management, and ethical lending practices. The company aims to build a diversified loan book exceeding ₹3,000 crore in the near future, reinforcing its commitment to becoming a fully integrated financial services provider.

Speaking on the development, Mr. Amit Arora. COO & Managing Director, Equirus Wealth said, “The application review and approval process clearly articulated the rigorous diligence, constructive engagement and professionalism from the team at Reserve Bank of India. We are happy for the trust & responsibility reposed on our 18-year track record in granting us this license”.

“We have built our reputation on providing insightful advice to our clients; now, with Equirus Finance, we can complement that advice with fund-based services. This integration aligns perfectly with our vision of creating a unified “One Equirus” experience for our clients whereby the platform provides capability of expert advisory insights backed by funding capabilities. We align thus move ahead on our Equirus 2.0 strategy of becoming Indias most trusted financial partner for entrepreneurs, corporates, and HNI families in India.“, he further added.

8th August 2025: In today’s dynamic business landscape, companies are moving away from traditional, rigid office setups and embracing workspace solutions that offer flexibility, scalability, and operational ease. Managed office providers are at the forefront of this shift, delivering fully serviced, tech-enabled, and customizable environments that cater to the evolving needs of businesses, whether they are fast-growing startups or established global enterprises. These workspaces go far beyond providing a desk; they offer an integrated ecosystem designed to inspire productivity, foster collaboration, and support innovation.

By combining strategic locations, modern infrastructure, and tailored services, they take the hassle out of setting up and managing offices. Everything from design and fit-outs to daily operations is handled seamlessly, allowing companies to focus entirely on growth without locking up capital in real estate. Many also integrate smart technologies, ergonomic designs, and sustainability practices to create environments that are efficient, adaptable, and future-ready.

As the demand for agile workspace solutions continues to rise, managed offices are emerging as the go-to choice for businesses looking to scale without compromise—delivering spaces that evolve with the teams they house and setting new benchmarks for how the modern workplace should look and function.

Here are the top three firms disrupting the managed office space industry:-

Onward Workspaces

Onward Workspaces is a premium workspace provider that empowers businesses by delivering modern, flexible office environments designed to inspire productivity and collaboration. With locations strategically situated in major business hubs, Onward Workspaces is committed to creating dynamic, accessible, and resourceful environments tailored to the evolving needs of today’s businesses.

Synq.Work

Founded in 2018, Synq.work is one of the fastest-growing managed office space providers, utilizing technology, culture, and strategic management for a competitive edge. They focus on functionality and ergonomics to create immersive work environments that boost productivity and collaboration through advanced tech-enabled services. Synq.work offers highly customizable office spaces, providing tailored enterprise solutions for businesses of all sizes. Their facilities, designed for medium and large teams, use smart office technologies like IoT sensors and automation systems to optimize workforce utilization, reduce energy consumption, and enhance the overall experience. Additionally, Synq.work features a state-of-the-art app that allows members to book meeting rooms, connect with colleagues, and access exclusive events and discounts. High-speed internet and advanced IT infrastructure ensure seamless, secure connectivity with no dead zones and N+1 redundancy.

Skootr (Managed office spaces)

Skootr is India’s foremost ‘Premium Managed Office Space’ provider, where we co-create world-class workspaces & experiences for enterprises. With Grade A assets & best-in-class services, Skootr has become India’s go-to brand for bespoke offices amongst top international clients. Skootr offers ‘Space as a service’ wherein enterprises get the benefits of a hassle-free, fully customized, flexible office space without locking up growth capital in CapEx.

Mumbai, 8th August 2025: Chalet Hotels Limited, a leading owner, developer, and asset manager of high-end hotels in India, has announced the launch of ‘Lakshya – Aim. Lead. Achieve.’, a 15-month Management Trainee Program that aims at creating a strong leadership pipeline for the evolving hospitality sector. It is designed to attract and groom high-potential talent, offering a rigorous, multi-stage development experience that combines cross-functional learning, leadership exposure, and operational training across Chalet’s premium hotel and corporate portfolio.

Structured around a four-stage journey—Uday (Fresh Start), Anubhav (Experience), Pankh (Advanced Learning), and Shikhar (Live It)—the program takes trainees through progressively challenging roles to build both strategic thinking and hands-on expertise. From department rotations and shadowing executives to live project assignments and corporate office immersion, participants will undergo a holistic training process that emphasizes leadership readiness and business acumen.

The program allows for specializations in two departments—one major and one minor—designed to build a cross-functional workforce. Each phase is designed to be conducted at a different Chalet hotel or brand, further diversifying the learning experience. It is also the first program to offer cross-hotel and brand exposure, enabling participants to gain varied perspectives and operational insights across properties.

Commenting on the initiative Gaurav Singh, Chief Operating Officer, Chalet Hotels Limited said, “With Lakshya, we are not just building a training program — we are investing in the next generation of hospitality leaders. This initiative reflects Chalet Hotels’ commitment to talent development and aims to equip future leaders with the strategic and operational skills needed to thrive in a dynamic industry.“

Mugdha Mahambrey, General Manager, Human Resources, Chalet Hotels Limited said, “At Chalet, we are deeply committed to investing in our people by providing structured pathways for growth through learning and leadership development. Lakshya reflects this commitment—born from our belief that nurturing talent is central to building an organisation that is future-ready, resilient, and grounded in strong values. An organisation that supports the flourishing of its people while working toward a shared purpose.”

With its unique mix of real-world exposure, leadership development, and strategic insights, Lakshya sets a new industry benchmark in hospitality training. It reaffirms Chalet Hotels’ vision of cultivating agile, forward-thinking professionals who are prepared to lead in an ever-changing, service-centric environment.

Austin, Texas , August 8, 2025 : Oracle today announced the general availability of Oracle Globally Distributed Exadata Database on Exascale Infrastructure, designed to simplify the deployment of distributed mission-critical applications across Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) regions worldwide. This new service automatically distributes, stores, and synchronizes data across multiple locations, enabling applications to remain online even during regional outages and helping businesses meet data residency requirements.

With a flexible, serverless architecture, the service can dynamically scale up or down to meet the needs of changing workloads—without complex setup or management. Customers with real-time analytics, high-volume transaction processing, and variable agentic AI workloads gain the benefits of an always-on architecture, lower costs, simplified operations, and the ability to expand globally with confidence.

“Providing exceptional customer satisfaction is important to PayPal, so we’ve been using Oracle Exadata for many years to provide lightning-fast response times and mission-critical availability,” said Akash Guha, director of database engineering, PayPal. “As our global business grows, we plan to provide even faster responses by using distributed solutions that are integrated with our core systems of record to provide extreme availability and performance. We look forward to using Oracle Globally Distributed Exadata Database on Exascale Infrastructure’s always-on, serverless architecture with built-in Raft replication to accelerate responses, enable greater application resilience, and lower costs with scalable resources.”

• Globally Distributed Exadata Database on Exascale Infrastructure helps customers meet the demanding requirements for agentic AI workloads, including:
• High performance: Allows customers to handle high-volume workloads and vector search across massive data sets by extending Exascale’s elastic scalability.
• Mission-critical availability: Enables customers to maintain always-on operations and fast zero data loss failover across data centers and regional outages by leveraging Raft replication and Exascale’s fault-tolerant architecture.
• Data residency: Helps customers address data residency concerns for storing, accessing, and processing AI vectors and business data with easy-to-use automated data distribution methods.
• Cost-efficiency: Helps customers cost-effectively meet fluctuating demands from agentic AI workloads driven by end-user interactions with a hyperscale, serverless architecture that can be dynamically scaled up and down, as required.

“Customers often struggle to deploy and manage distributed databases due to the high cost and complexity involved in operating large numbers of servers across multiple data centers and regions,” said Wei Hu, senior vice president, High Availability Technologies, Oracle. “Oracle Globally Distributed Exadata Database on Exascale Infrastructure’s serverless architecture enables customers of all sizes to meet their diverse requirements at a low cost. Today, we are providing a mission-critical distributed database to the masses.”

This service delivers a consistent and efficient database experience globally, making it ideal for customers that operate across multiple geographies. Furthermore, because this service supports the full capabilities of Oracle Database and SQL, customers can distribute their databases across multiple locations without major application rewrites.

Customers benefit from a unique data architecture designed to support demanding workloads requiring:

• Always-on databases: Enables customers to meet their needs for extreme availability by implementing an Active/Active/Active architecture across multiple data centers using Raft replication to support mission-critical use cases such as payment processing, e-commerce, and stock trading.
• Data residency: Enables customers to address data residency concerns by leveraging automated data distribution policies to appropriately place data across OCI data centers worldwide—critical in highly regulated industries such as financial services and healthcare.
• User proximity: Enables customers to improve responsiveness and user satisfaction by storing data in OCI data centers closest to users, which is essential for applications in entertainment, retail, healthcare, and telecommunications.
• Petabyte-scale AI and analytics: Enables customers to run long-duration AI and analytics workloads on real-time streaming data by horizontally scaling to ingest and process millions of records per second. This is crucial for data-intensive industries such as manufacturing and utilities.
• Hyperscale OLTP: Enables customers to scale databases to support millions of transactions per second with petabyte-scale data, elastic capacity, and near-instant response times. This level of performance is critical for agentic AI, real-time image recognition, hyperscale analytics, and online marketing.

“In the age of AI, especially agentic AI, customers need a new approach to allow for vector processing across distributed global applications,” said Holger Mueller, vice president and principal analyst, Constellation Research. “Oracle Globally Distributed Exadata Database on Exascale Infrastructure incorporates Exadata’s extreme performance for AI processing and availability for the core back-end systems that implement agent-initiated tasks, while Exascale’s hyper-elastic and pay-per-use capabilities makes it very cost-effective. With this service from Oracle, CIOs can confidently deploy agentic AI and mission-critical applications globally and meet local data residency requirements.”

Commenting on the association, Sahibjeet Singh Sawhney, Marketing Head, Zomato said, “Shah Rukh Khan’s journey, from humble beginnings to global icon, mirrors the grit and persistence we believe in. No shortcuts, just relentless progress. We’re excited to welcome him as our brand ambassador, inspiring millions to keep showing up and fuelling their ambition. His influence transcends generations and borders and is a reminder for India to keep at it.”

Shah Rukh Khan added, “Zomato’s story is one of hustle, innovation and a love for bringing people closer to what they cherish most—great food. It’s a journey that resonates with me deeply, and I am thrilled to be part of a brand that has become a household name across India.”

Mumbai, 8th August 2025: In an evening filled with heartfelt emotions and inspiring dialogue, spiritual icon and global motivational voice Jaya Kishori unveiled her highly anticipated new book, ‘It’s Okay’, at Crossword Bookstores, Mumbai. The event drew a full house of spiritual seekers, youth leaders, and changemakers, all drawn by Kishori’s profound ability to connect across generations with messages of compassion, courage, and emotional resilience.

Renowned for her soulful discourses, devotional bhajans, and uplifting presence, Jaya Kishori has long been a beacon of hope and clarity in a noisy world. With ‘It’s Okay’, she offers her most personal and practical work yet, a deeply honest and soothing companion for anyone navigating emotional stress, grief, illness, or life’s many uncertainties.

Sharing her thoughts on the book, Jaya Kishori said, “It’s a self-help book! I think in today’s time, you face so many obstacles, so many situations, often the opposite of what you really want. I think you need someone to just pat your shoulder and say, ‘It’s okay.’ The book is simply telling you that it’s okay! It’s okay to feel what you’re feeling right now, and I hope people like this book and find some peace and calmness while reading it.”

The evening was further enriched by the presence of Seema Singh, Founder of Meghashrey NGO, who joined as Guest of Honor. In conversation with Darasing Khurana — youth icon, philanthropist, and Mr. India International, the dialogue touched upon themes of self-worth, strength, and the quiet power of vulnerability. The candid exchange left the audience visibly moved.

Nidhi Gupta, Director at Crossword Bookstores, added: “We’re thrilled to launch It’s Okay by Jaya Kishori, a book that brings people together in the way only truly heartfelt writing can, and one that reflects the depth and inspiration of the person behind it. At Crossword, we’ve seen how the right book, and the right author, can open conversations, comfort a stranger, or spark a quiet shift within. It’s Okay does all of that, with honesty, warmth, and grace.