Archives 2025

PHDCCI welcomes India-New Zealand Free Trade deal

By:– Mr. Rajeev Juneja, President, PHDCCI.

“We welcome the conclusion of the India–New Zealand Free Trade deal as a partnership aligned with India’s vision of Viksit Bharat 2047. The deal delivers 100% zero-duty market access for Indian exports, and a framework that supports students, professionals, MSMEs, and labour-intensive sectors. Commitments on investment, regulatory cooperation, and duty-free inputs will enhance competitiveness, integrate Indian industry into global value chains across all sectors,”

By:– Dr. Ranjeet Mehta, CEO & Secretary General, PHDCCI

India–New Zealand Free Trade Agreement represents a next-generation deal combining trade liberalisation with talent mobility, investment, and productivity-led cooperation. This comes with well-standardized agricultural safeguards and technology-focused partnerships protecting farmer interests while raising productivity. The Agreement provides policy certainty and lowers input costs for manufacturing, creating a vision for long-term economic resilience.”

New Delhi, Dec 22: As fitness culture continues to gain momentum across India, orthopaedic specialists are raising concerns over a parallel and worrying trend a noticeable rise in gym-related injuries, particularly among young adults. Hospitals across the country report an increasing number of young professionals and students seeking treatment for musculoskeletal injuries linked to excessive or improper workout practices.

Orthopaedic observations in 2025 indicate a clear surge in injuries involving muscles, ligaments, and joints, with patients under 35 years accounting for a significant proportion of cases. Doctors attribute this trend to high-intensity training, poor exercise form, lack of professional supervision, and insufficient recovery time, which result in injuries that were earlier more commonly seen in older age groups.

Commenting on the trend, Dr. Simon Thomas, Senior Director  Robotics & Orthopaedics, Max Hospital Shalimar Bagh, said,

“We’ve seen a significant rise in gym-related injuries among young Indians, with almost half of our orthopaedic patients being under 35. What’s striking is that these are motivated young professionals and students who are genuinely trying to stay healthy. In their quest for quick results, many push their bodies too hard without giving themselves enough rest, without supervision, and without paying proper attention to their form. As a result, we’re seeing more ligament sprains, shoulder and knee injuries, back pain, and even early cartilage damage, issues we earlier associated with older patients. The good news is that most of this is preventable. Slowing down, focusing on correct technique, allowing the body time to recover, and seeking proper supervision can go a long way. Fitness should support you for life, not break you down in your youth.”

Echoing this concern, Dr. Vivek Logani, Senior Director  Orthopaedics, Paras Health, said,

“In 2025, we have observed a 25–30 per cent increase in gym-related musculoskeletal injuries compared to last year. Nearly one in three patients presenting with sports or fitness injuries report excessive or improper gym training as the primary cause. Common injuries include muscle tears, ligament and tendon damage, shoulder and knee sprains, stress fractures, and occasional bone injuries. While the growing focus on fitness is encouraging, overtraining, lifting heavy weights without supervision, and skipping warm-up or recovery phases are leading to preventable long-term damage.

Experts emphasise that while the increased interest in fitness is a positive shift, it must be supported by awareness and safe training practices. They advise gym-goers to focus on correct technique, gradual progression, adequate rest, and professional supervision to reduce injury risk. As more young Indians embrace fitness as a lifestyle, orthopaedic specialists stress that sustainable training is key to protecting long-term musculoskeletal health.

Delhi,  Dec 22: NICMAR, India’s premier and dedicated institution for Construction, Real Estate, Infrastructure and Project Management education  has announced extending its admission deadline to December 30 for its 2026 academic year, across its campuses in Pune, Delhi-NCR and Hyderabad. Due to an overwhelming response, nearly twice the number of applications compared to last year, NICMAR has witnessed exceptionally high interest in its programmes. To accommodate this surge and ensure that all eligible candidates receive a fair opportunity to apply, the institution has revised its application deadline.

Commenting on the deadline extension, Dr. Tapash Kumar Ganguli, Director General NICMAR, said,

 “India’s infrastructure growth requires professionals who understand both engineering realities and management decision-making. The continued interest in our specialised programmes reflects this need. Extending the application deadline allows serious aspirants additional time to make an informed decision and prepare for careers that directly contribute to nation-building.”

Amidst NICMAR’s diverse portfolio of postgraduate programmes, a set of courses is witnessing strong and growing interest from applicants, reflecting the evolving needs of India’s infrastructure and construction ecosystem.

As the country accelerates investments in transportation networks, urban development, industrial corridors and large-scale infrastructure projects, these programmes align closely with the skills required on-ground, where engineering knowledge, project execution capability and managerial decision-making converge.

The courses witnessing strong interest in this admission cycle include;

• MBA / PGDM in Advanced Construction Management

This programme is for engineering graduates aspiring to take on leadership roles in construction and EPC environments, where execution excellence, site management and delivery timelines are critical to project success.

• MBA / PGDM in Advanced Project Management

With project management becoming a core requisite across infrastructure, manufacturing and urban development, this course appeals to candidates seeking cross-sector project leadership roles.

• PGDM in Quantity Surveying & Contract Management

As infrastructure projects grow in scale and complexity, commercial, contracts and cost-management expertise has emerged as a critical function. This course is particularly relevant for graduates seeking specialised commercial roles within the sector.

NICMAR offers engineering graduates a clear pathway to transition into high-growth techno-managerial roles. By blending their technical foundation with specialised management education, NICMAR prepares students for leadership opportunities across the CRIP sector. This integrated approach – merging engineering expertise with industry-focused managerial skills  has become a key differentiator for NICMAR graduates.

Students are encouraged to apply early to secure their preferred specialisation, prepare for personal interview, and join the early academic orientation. Extended deadline:

Hyderabad, Dec 22: The Administrative Staff College of India  proudly hosted its annual Alumni Meet 2025 for the ASCI School of Management, bringing together graduates from its flagship Post Graduate Diploma in Management  program spanning 2019 to 2025. Launched in 2019 under the leadership of Dean Dr. Nirmalya Bagchi, the PGDM program has rapidly emerged as a powerhouse, producing batches of high-caliber professionals who now thrive in top organizations like Anand Rathi Share and Stock Brokers Ltd., Deloitte, and SBI Mutual Funds Limited.

The vibrant event served as a dynamic platform for networking, knowledge exchange, and reconnection with faculty and peers, underscoring ASCI’s unwavering commitment to nurturing a robust alumni ecosystem. With enthusiastic participation from alumni across all six batches, the meet highlighted the program’s growing impact and the institute’s role in shaping future business leaders.

“This Alumni Meet is a testament to the enduring bonds we’ve built since 2019. Our alumni are not just graduates they are ambassadors driving change in India’s corporate landscape,” said Dr. Nirmalya Bagchi, Dean, ASCI School of Management. “Events like this fuel our vision of sustained engagement, mentorship, and collective success.”

ASCI continues to solidify its reputation as a premier management institute, fostering innovation and leadership through programs that deliver real-world results.

Mumbai, Dec 22: API Holdings, India’s largest digital healthcare platform, has appointed Shashi Tiwari as its Chief Human Resource Officer (CHRO), further strengthening its leadership team as the group continues to scale its healthcare businesses.

In his new role, Shashi will lead the people strategy for API Holdings, with a focus on strengthening organisational capability, elevating people practices, and building a future-ready organization.

With two decades of cross-industry HR leadership experience across global organisations like Infosys Ltd and Glenmark Pharmaceuticals, Shashi brings deep expertise in talent strategy, HR transformation, and fostering inclusive culture that drive business success. Over the course of his career, Shashi has led large-scale transformation initiatives and supported business expansion across multiple geographies.

An alumnus of SCMHRD (Symbiosis Centre for Management and Human Resource Development), Shashi holds a postgraduate diploma in management and a Bachelor of Engineering from the University of Mumbai.

Expressing his enthusiasm for the new role, Shashi Tiwari, Chief Human Resource Officer of API Holdings, stated:

“API Holdings is at a very exciting phase of its growth journey and its mission of simplifying healthcare deeply resonates with me. I look forward to partnering with the leadership team to build a strong, people-first organisation where talent can grow, teams can do their best work and business continues to create meaningful impact in healthcare.”

Rahul Guha, Managing Director and CEO of API Holdings, said:

“As we continue to build and scale our healthcare ecosystem, having strong people leadership is critical. Shashi brings a thoughtful and experienced approach to building high-performing organisations. His understanding of talent, culture, and transformation will be an important enabler as we strengthen our teams across API Holdings’ portfolio of businesses.”

API Holdings’ portfolio includes PharmEasy, Thyrocare, Ascent, and Aknamed. With his appointment, the company reinforces its focus on building robust people capabilities to support its long-term growth and continue delivering exceptional value to customers, partners, and stakeholders alike.

India,  Dec 22:- Jajabor Brand Consultancy, an integrated communications agency, today released its year-end wrap report titled “The Jajabor Marketing Report: How India Inc Communicated in 2025” a comprehensive, sector-wise analysis capturing the defining shifts that shaped India’s business, technology, media, and communications ecosystem in 2025, and the implications for 2026.

Positioned as a forward-looking decode rather than a retrospective, the report highlights how 2025 became a reset year where visibility gave way to credibility, announcements were replaced by evidence, and communications evolved into a strategic growth and risk management function.

Drawing on data, media behaviour, policy developments, and on-ground industry signals, the report provides deep insights across technology, venture capital, fintech, creator economy, direct-to-consumer brands, policy communication, crisis and reputation management, and social and digital platforms.

Key insights from the report include:

• AI adoption matures: AI moved from hype to hard infrastructure, reshaping productivity, information delivery, and misinformation management.

• PR drives revenue and trust: Earned media, thought leadership, and data-led storytelling now directly influence credibility, search, and conversions.

• Creator economy evolves: Narratives shift from follower counts to sustainable monetisation, ownership, and compliance-led professionalism.

• Founder-Influencers rise: Founders increasingly leverage personal brands to enhance transparency and customer engagement.

• Policy communication becomes essential: Advocacy evolved from confrontational to collaborative, evidence-based engagement, especially amid regulatory developments like DPDPA and online gaming.

• Crisis response compresses: Brands must prioritise preparedness, speed, and proof as response windows shorten.

• Digital fragmentation: Platform-specific strategies are now critical, replacing one-size-fits-all approaches.

Upasna Dash, Founder & CEO, Jajabor Brand Consultancy, commented;
“2025 has been a truly defining and dynamic year for communications, shaped by multiple forces creating a seismic shift in the industry. AI is no longer at the cusp of adoption it is actively reshaping how information is delivered and how productivity and responses are optimised. At the same time, audiences are sharper, making trust and credibility the true differentiators for brands. As we enter 2026, brands must not just adopt change but operationalise it with clarity, credibility, and purpose in an increasingly AI-driven environment.”

The report also offers a 2026 outlook, highlighting the need for brands to prepare for AI-first communications, tighter regulatory scrutiny, creator accountability, zero-click discovery, and rising expectations around transparency and trust.

Designed for business leaders, founders, communication heads, policymakers, and investors, “The Jajabor Marketing Report: How India Inc Communicated in 2025” serves as both a strategic reference for understanding 2025 and a practical guide for navigating the next phase of India’s rapidly evolving media and business landscape.

New Delhi, Dec 22: Arur Footwear Limited  backed by Bazel International, has formally adopted a new corporate identity as part of a structural shift to operate as a pure-play footwear company, marking a clear departure from its earlier, multi-sector positioning. 

The name change reflects a strategic decision to concentrate capital, leadership bandwidth and operating metrics exclusively on footwear manufacturing, and Brand and product development, rather than pursue diversification under a broader “Industries” umbrella. The company has aligned its organisational structure, investment priorities and reporting framework around footwear as a single core business.

Over the last 12 months, Arur has undertaken internal changes aimed at supporting this transition, including launching their own D2C brand, reorganisation of its manufacturing and design teams, forming industry connections and tighter performance tracking linked to footwear-specific outcomes such as throughput, quality consistency and development lead times.

“Dropping ‘Industries’ from our name is not cosmetic. It reflects how we are now allocating capital, measuring performance and holding leadership accountable,” said Pankaj Dawar, Managing Director, Arur Footwear Limited. “For decades, we operated largely as a behind-the-scenes manufacturer for established brands. The transition to Arur Footwear signals our intent to operate as a focused, transparent footwear business with clearer governance and sharper execution.” 

Arur Footwear Limited plans to report progress against these metrics more consistently to investors, lenders and partners as it builds a more modern, design-aware manufacturing platform in India’s footwear value chain.

Mumbai, Dec 22:  Mswipe Technologies, a leading Indian digital payments solutions provider, today announced that it has received the final Payment Aggregator (PA) licence from the RBI covering both online and physical payment acceptance modes. This regulatory milestone enables Mswipe to operate as a fully regulated payment aggregator, further expanding its omni-channel payments ecosystem for merchants of all sizes across India. 

The RBI’s PA licence authorises Mswipe to onboard merchants and aggregate customer payment instruments across digital and in-person channels – bringing its extensive suite of digital acceptance capabilities under a unified regulatory framework. Mswipe joins a select group of fintech innovators that have secured full PA authorisation, reflecting the company’s deep commitment to compliance, security, and innovation in the digital payments landscape. 

Speaking on the development, Ketan Patel, Co-founder & CEO, Mswipe Technologies, said:

“Securing the Payment Aggregator licence is a landmark inflection point in Mswipe’s journey. This authorisation reinforces our vision to build a trusted, secure, and inclusive digital payments ecosystem that seamlessly serves merchants across India – whether they operate online, at physical storefronts, or in hybrid models. The licence empowers us to accelerate innovation, deepen our service portfolio, and deliver value-driven solutions that address the evolving needs of India’s MSMEs and enterprise partners alike. We remain committed to driving financial inclusion and enabling next-generation commerce with cutting-edge technology and strong regulatory alignment.”

This licence marks a pivotal step in Mswipe’s evolution from a predominant point-of-sale device provider to a full-stack payments infrastructure and technology company. Mswipe’s platform already serves hundreds of thousands of merchants across India with MPOS and Smart PoS terminals, QR soundboxes, payment gateways, and embedded digital payment services that simplify transaction flows in both offline and online environments.

In the recent financial year, Mswipe’s payments business turned adjusted profitable, recording over Rs 275 crore in revenue in FY24, with Total Payment Volume (TPV) more than doubling year-on-year, underscoring strong adoption of its omni-channel offerings. 

By:- Ms. Aditi Prasad Apte, Senior  Clinical Nutritionist, Aster RV Hospital.

When the weather gets extremely cold, our body works extra hard to stay warm. This means we burn more calories, use more energy and even lose moisture without realising it. To handle all this, the body needs the right kind of food  not just for warmth, but also for immunity, energy and overall well-being. Here are some foods that genuinely help the body cope with harsh cold weather and why they are so beneficial.

1. Ghee and Other Healthy Fats

Ghee is one of the best foods for extreme cold. It gives slow and steady energy, keeps the body warm from within, and supports digestion even in winter when metabolism becomes sluggish. Healthy fats like ghee, nuts, seeds and cold-pressed oils provide insulation  they act like a protective layer inside the body. These fats also support the skin, which tends to get dry and flaky in winter.

2. Millets and Whole Grains

Ragi, bajra, jowar and whole wheat are excellent winter grains. They take longer to digest, which means they release energy slowly and keep the body warm for hours. Ragi is rich in calcium and iron; bajra naturally heats the body and improves blood circulation. Eating millet rotis, porridge or dosas during cold weather helps maintain body temperature and prevents fatigue.

3. Root Vegetables 

Root vegetables grow underground, so they naturally carry warmth-producing properties. Sweet potatoes are especially helpful because they are packed with complex carbs, fibre and antioxidants. Carrots and beetroot boost immunity, improve blood flow (which helps keep hands and feet warm), and provide essential minerals like potassium and folate.

4. Seasonal Fruits: Oranges, Guava, Apples

Cold weather often brings more infections, so fruits rich in Vitamin C become crucial. Oranges and guava strengthen immunity and support lung health, which is very important during winter flu season. Apples provide natural energy and fibre, helping the digestive system function well. These fruits also prevent dryness because they contain a lot of natural water.

5. Nuts and Seeds

Almonds, walnuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds are like tiny winter powerhouses. They are rich in healthy fats, protein, magnesium and Vitamin E. Sesame (til) is especially warming and helps keep bones strong. Nuts also stabilise blood sugar, which tends to fluctuate more in cold climates because the body uses energy faster.

6. Herbal Teas and Spices

Ginger tea, tulsi tea, cinnamon water and black pepper water are excellent in extremely cold weather. They warm the body instantly and boost immunity. Ginger reduces inflammation and helps keep the throat clear. Cinnamon supports blood sugar control and digestion. Turmeric milk is another winter staple  it improves immunity, supports joint health and fights infections.

7. Hot Soups and Broths

Hot vegetable soups, chicken broth, and dal soups give warmth, hydration and essential nutrients in one go. Soups keep the body moist from the inside, which is important because we don’t feel thirsty in cold weather and end up drinking less water. Warm liquids support circulation and keep the body comfortable.

8. Eggs and Lean Meat

Eggs are a complete source of protein and also contain Vitamin D, which becomes very important in winter when sunlight is limited. Lean meats provide iron and B vitamins that help maintain energy levels. These foods also help build muscle strength, which the body needs more in cold climates to stay active and warm.

9. Jaggery 

Jaggery is a natural warming agent. It helps with digestion, improves blood flow and is rich in minerals like iron and magnesium. In many cultures, eating a small piece of jaggery during winter is an age-old practice for maintaining warmth and boosting immunity.

In extreme cold, the body needs warmth, energy, hydration and immune support  all at the same time. Choosing foods that are rich in healthy fats, complex carbs, proteins, and essential vitamins can help you stay active, warm and healthy even in harsh weather. A simple combination of ghee, whole grains, soups, nuts, fruits and warm beverages can make a huge difference in how your body handles winter.