Archives 2025

Mumbai / Bengaluru, 28th February 2025: Bengaluru GAFX 2025, India’s largest and most influential Bengaluru GAFX 2025 Conference, commenced today at The Lalit Ashok, Bengaluru, and will run from February 27th to March 1st, 2025. Organized by the Department of Electronics, IT & BT, Government of Karnataka, in collaboration with ABAI, the event reinforces Bengaluru’s position as the world’s leading hub for AVGC-XR and a key driver of India’s global leadership in immersive media and entertainment.

The grand inauguration witnessed the esteemed presence of Shri Priyank Kharge, Hon’ble Minister for Rural Development, Panchayat Raj, and IT & BT, Government of Karnataka, alongside key industry leaders and policymakers driving the future of immersive storytelling. The event had the privilege of welcoming Mr. Sanjay Jaju, Secretary, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Government of India, as the Special Guest of Honour.

Among the distinguished attendees were Dr. Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Executive Chairperson & Founder, Biocon Limited; Shri Rizwan Arshad, Member of Karnataka Legislative Assembly; Shri Sharath Bachegowda, MLA & Chairman, KEONICS; Mr. Marc Lamy, Consul General of France, Bengaluru; Ms. Hilary McGeachy, Consul General of Australia, Bengaluru; Mr. Alfonso Tagliaferri, Consul General of Italy, Bengaluru; Mr. Nitish Mittersain, CEO & MD, Nazara Technologies; Mr. Ashish Kulkarni, Founder & CEO, Punnaryug Artvision Pvt. Ltd.; Dr. Ekroop Caur, IAS, Secretary, Department of Electronics, IT, BT & S&T, Government of Karnataka; Mr. Sai Srinivas Kiran Garimella, Co-founder, MPL; Shri Rahul Sharanappa Sankanur, IAS, Director, Department of Electronics, IT & BT, Government of Karnataka; Shri Daljeet Kumar, IAS, Deputy Secretary, Department of Electronics, IT, BT & S&T, Government of Karnataka; and Mr. Biren Ghose, Chairman, Bengaluru GAFX & President, ABAI.

 With the theme “Future of Immersion: EXPERIENCE. EXPLORE. DISRUPT.”, GAFX 2025, champions its commitment to furthering the frontiers of creativity and technology. Attendees will experience the power of immersive technologies in storytelling, from real-time rendering breakthroughs to the transformative potential of virtual and augmented reality. As a premier platform, GAFX 2025 will bring together global thought leaders, visionary creatives, and cutting-edge innovations, fostering collaboration and shaping the future of the industry.

A patron of Bengaluru GAFX 2025, Shri Priyank Kharge, Hon’ble Minister for Information Technology & Biotechnology and Rural Development & Panchayat Raj, Govt. of Karnataka said “This event holds significance not just for the government of Karnataka but for the entire nation. Our professionals are not just contributing to global projects—they are leading them, bringing unique perspectives and unmatched expertise to the forefront. In animation and visual effects, Indian artists are instrumental in delivering cutting-edge visuals for domestic and international productions. Our contributions have garnered global acclaim, positioning India as a hub of high-quality animation and VFX services.

Despite the central government’s 28% GST, we remain the fastest-growing market in the gaming sector, achieving an impressive 23% year-on-year growth. By the end of the 2024 financial year, we are set to reach $3.8 billion. Looking ahead, I hope to see Karnataka host its own national e-sports festival this year, with the vision of creating the country’s—and possibly Asia’s—largest e-sports event.”

“Karnataka has always been at the forefront of technology and digital innovation, and our leadership in AVGC-XR continues to shape the industry. Home to over 300 AVGC studios and 15,000+ professionals, Karnataka contributes significantly to India’s digital content revolution. We were the first state to introduce an AVGC-XR policy in 2012, and our third five-year policy, announced last year, strengthened this sector with production grants, tax incentives, and skill development initiatives. With India’s 500 million gamers, Karnataka leads with the highest number of gaming startups, positioning Bengaluru as the hub for next-gen game development. Our AVGC-XR fund, the first of its kind in India, supports startups and SMEs with investments up to ₹2 crore. Additionally, we are setting up India’s first AVGC-XR Park, offering production studios, incubation spaces, and research facilities. By 2029, we aim for a 30% increase in operational efficiency, a 20% boost in creative output, and a 25% expansion in digital marketing reach. GAFX 2025 reflects this vision, bringing together industry leaders, professionals, and students. Let’s collaborate, innovate, and strengthen Karnataka’s position as the global capital for AVGC-XR excellence.” – said Dr. Ekroop Caur, Secretary, Department of Electronics, IT, Bt, Science & Technology, Government of Karnataka.

Speaking at the inaugural ceremony, Mr. Biren Ghose, Chairman, Bengaluru GAFX & President, ABAI said, “Storytelling is evolving beyond screens into immersive experiences that redefine how we engage with content. Just as astronomers explore the cosmos, we are visionaries shaping the visual language of tomorrow. Disruption isn’t an obstacle—it’s a catalyst, much like black holes and supernovae giving birth to new creations in the universe. Bengaluru stands at the heart of this transformation, where technology, artistry, and innovation unite to take India to the world and bring the world to India. From animation and gaming to AR, VR, and beyond, we are forging global alliances, building billion-dollar franchises, and nurturing the talent that will drive the next era of entertainment. This isn’t just ambition—it’s a roadmap. The seeds are sown, and the wave of change is here. Welcome to the future of immersion.”

Bengaluru GAFX is a premier event in the AVGC industry, serving as a vital platform for collaboration between Indian and global talent. The event brings together leading international and domestic studios, along with industry veterans, to showcase some of the most acclaimed and high-profile titles. By fostering cross-industry synergy, GAFX continues to drive innovation and excellence in the animation, visual effects, gaming, and comics landscape.

Key Highlights of Bengaluru GAFX 2025

• Unveiling a Landmark Collaboration: Cine star Rana Daggubati, known for his role in Baahubali and a strong advocate for Indian storytelling, will unveil an exciting partnership between Zebu Animation and Tinkle, bringing India’s iconic comics to life through cutting-edge animation.
• India Pavilion: A first-of-its-kind showcase of AVGC talent from across Karnataka, Rajasthan, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Goa, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and Assam, fostering regional co-production and collaboration.
• Esports National Championship: India’s top 4 esports teams from different zones will battle it out in the Counter-Strike 2 grand finale, bringing high-energy gaming action to GAFX 2025.
• Investor Connect: Over 25 leading investors will engage with 50 AVGC-XR startups, offering exclusive opportunities for funding and mentorship.
• Spotlight on Indian Comics: Tinkle, Amar Chitra Katha, Raj Comics, and Pran Studios will discuss the future of Indian comics, their potential to generate original IPs, and their influence on the media industry.
• AI & AVGC-XR Convergence: Experts from Deloitte, Autodesk, AMD, Nvidia, Myelin Foundry, and Adobe will explore the impact of AI in content creation, virtual production, and immersive experiences.
• Startups Innovation Zone: AVGC startups from Karnataka’s Centre of Excellence (CoE) will showcase groundbreaking work, offering a glimpse into the future of the AVGC-XR industry.
• Strengthening International Alliances: The Karnataka Government will establish a Global Innovation Alliance (GIA), bringing together France, Australia, the UK, Scotland, Uzbekistan, and Italy to foster global collaborations in AVGC-XR.

The latest enhancements extend the reach of ‘Team Mode’ – which already provides security management across multiple physical locations – to buses, taxis, trucks, and other vehicles. Other improvements include the addition of Motion Detection 2.0, which brings deep learning intelligence to the system, better alarm video backup, and more.

Here’s a brief overview of some key enhancements:

• Motion Detection 2.0 delivers intelligent person and vehicle search
In response to requests from the user community, Hik-Connect Team Mode now connects directly with Hikvision cameras equipped with the Motion Detection 2.0 to enable this feature. It combines the widely applied motion detection function with deep-learning algorithms that differentiate people and vehicles from other moving objects. With Team Mode, you can rapidly search through multi-channel recordings to locate the events that matter. This functionality is also available to users of Q/K Series NVRs (with firmware version 4.74.000 or later) with stream encryption activated.

• Integration with Hikvision’s mobile onboard security system
By connecting to Hikvision’s mobile onboard security system, Hik-Connect Team Mode can now be used to provide remote security management of buses, taxis, trucks, and other types of vehicles. The interior of vehicles, as well as their surroundings and precise location, can now be remotely monitored in real-time. You can view vehicle status updates, manage driver permissions, link vehicles to drivers, create driver groups, and more. You can also generate and export reports from Hik-Connect 6 for further analysis and decision-making.

• Simplified self-service license activation
With this update, activating licenses in Hik-Connect Team Mode is now a more straightforward, self-managed process, eliminating the need for installer assistance and delivering a much better user experience.

• Cloud-based backup and sharing of alarm videos
You can now access and share your alarm event videos effortlessly via a web portal, using URLs. Recipients can view these videos without needing to log into a Hik-Connect account. And the best part? This service is now provided free of charge.

Bengaluru, India, 28th February 2025 – Henkel today announced the launch of a state-of-the-art Application Engineering Center in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, further strengthening the leadership of its Adhesive Technologies business in the electronics sector. The company will also be setting up an adhesive materials manufacturing plant for the electronics sector at its multi-technology manufacturing site in Kurkumbh, near Pune. These investments underscore Henkel’s commitment to localization, innovation, and accelerated product development to meet the rapidly evolving demands of the region’s electronics industry. As India’s electronics industry is projected to grow exponentially in the next few years, fuelled by government initiatives such as Make in India and PLI (Production-Linked Incentive) schemes, Henkel’s expanded footprint positions it to strongly support this rapid growth.

“As the country solidifies its position as a global electronics manufacturing hub, Henkel is proud to reinforce its ‘Make in India’ commitment, and be a key partner in this journey,” said S Sunil Kumar, Country President – India, Henkel. “These new facilities in Chennai and Kurkumbh align with this growth, strengthening regional self-sufficiency and supply chain resilience. This marks an exciting milestone in our journey to better serve our global customer base while expanding our footprint in the region. It demonstrates our commitment to fostering long-term partnerships, driving innovation, and creating value for our customers.”

Located in Tamil Nadu—a key hub for global electronics manufacturing—the 17,000 sq. ft. Chennai facility is designed to accelerate new product introductions (NPIs) and reduce time-to-market for customers. The center houses five specialized labs dedicated to advanced adhesive solutions and thermal management materials, essential for enhancing the reliability, durability, and sleek designs of smartphones, wearables, and other consumer electronics. Equipped with state-of-the-art dispensing systems, vacuum impregnation technologies for device waterproofing, and high-precision material analysis tools, the center enables rapid prototyping, proof-of-concept testing, and product validation. This center will enhance Henkel’s global innovation footprint, complementing its existing sites in Germany, the US, China, Singapore, Japan, Korea and Vietnam. With these investments, Henkel further strengthens its role as a key innovation partner for electronics manufacturers worldwide.

Wen Zhou, Corporate Vice President – Electronics, Henkel Adhesive Technologies, shared that these investments are a natural progression of the company’s growth in India and the electronic market’s supply chain diversification. “Henkel meets our customers where they are,” said Wen. “We have had established Indian operations for a long time, and with customers intensifying their operations in the region, we are investing in additional local capabilities to deliver collaborative NPI and product validation expertise with more immediacy.”
The new plant in Kurkumbh will enhance Henkel’s capabilities in high-performance adhesive and coating solutions, reinforcing its commitment to localization and meeting the evolving demands of India’s electronics sector. The plant will benefit from the industry 4.0 based smart factory system deployed at the Kurkumbh manufacturing site, which enhances operational efficiency and product quality while minimizing downtime.

New Delhi, February 28, 2025 – Baby & Mom Retail, a House of Brands and a prominent player in India’s baby care, skin care, pet care, and bedding solutions industries, announces that their products are now live on Blinkit and Zepto. Their products are available on Blinkit in cities like Ajmer, Alwar, Amritsar, Bahadurgarh, Bathinda, Bhopal, Bokaro, Chandigarh, Chennai, Coimbatore, Dehradun, Dharwad, Durgapur, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Goa, Gurgaon, Haridwar, Hisar, Hyderabad, Jabalpur, Jaipur, Jalandhar, Jamshedpur, Jodhpur, Kanpur, Karnal, Kharagpur, Kochi, Kolkata, Kota, Lonavala, Lucknow, Ludhiana, Mysore, Nagpur, Navsari, Panchkula, Panipat, Patiala, Patna, Prayagraj, Rajkot, Ranchi, Rishikesh, Rohtak, Sonipat, Tiruchirappalli, Varanasi, Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, Zirakpur and on Zepto in Belgavi, Devangere, Mehsana, Tumkuru, and North – Gurugram. Their products are live on both platforms in Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Indore, Mumbai, Nashik, Pune, Surat, Udaipur, Vadodara and many more cities.

Baby & Mom Retail has expanded its presence on Blinkit and Zepto to meet growing consumer demand and leverage the convenience of these platforms’ seamless access and fast delivery services. With an extensive product portfolio spanning baby care, skin care, pet care, hygiene essentials, and mattresses, this strategic move is set to further drive the company’s growth and market reach.

“As demand for our products continues to rise, we are now available on Blinkit and Zepto, ensuring our customers receive their orders with greater speed and efficiency. We have gone live in major cities across multiple states and plan to extend this rapid delivery service to additional locations. Customer satisfaction remains our top priority, and by curating high-quality products and optimizing our services, we aim to enhance the overall shopping experience,” said Shish Kharesiya, Founder and CEO of House of Brands.

Each year, Baby & Mom Retail introduces innovative products tailored to evolving consumer needs. Its deep understanding of the Indian market, combined with a commitment to quality, has solidified its position as a leader in the baby care and family-oriented sectors. The company’s core values—quality assurance, innovation, and customer-centricity—are reflected across its diverse product offerings, consistently exceeding customer expectations.

MUMBAI, India, 28 February 2025- New global research from the IBM Institute for Business Value (IBV) and Palo Alto Networks® (NASDAQ: PANW), found that surveyed organizations are facing security complexity challenges as they juggle an average of 67 different security solutions from 26 vendors. It also shows 7 out of 10 surveyed companies with a high degree of security platformization report their cybersecurity investments have helped business outcomes such as operational efficiencies and revenue generation.

In the study, “Capturing the cybersecurity dividend: How security platforms generate business value,” more than half (77%) of surveyed executives note fragmentation of security solutions is limiting their ability to deal with cyber threats, but 75% of organizations that have embraced security platformization agree that better integration across security, hybrid cloud, AI, and other technology platforms is crucial. The analysis suggests the trend of adding more solutions to combat evolving security threats is contributing to inefficiency – impacting both performance and the bottom line – while moving to a platformized security approach can help businesses achieve reduced response times and costs without sacrificing security efficacy.

Cybersecurity Complexity is a Daunting Reality

Increased digital interconnectedness expands attack surfaces and can create new cybersecurity vulnerabilities. Cyberattacks are becoming more sophisticated and harder to defend against, while AI is being used by both defenders and attackers, creating a race in cybersecurity capabilities.

In an evolving threat landscape, surveyed executives estimate security fragmentation and complexity costs their organizations an average of 5% of their annual revenue. For a $20 billion annual revenue company, that’s a $1 billion cost to the business in aggregate. Tally the costs of security incidents, lost productivity, failed digital transformations, stalled AI initiatives, loss of customer trust and reputational damage and the numbers add up.

“Organizations continue to be challenged with updating their security posture to address new threats, while simultaneously being pressed to reduce complexity and decrease spend,” said Mark Hughes, Global Managing Partner for Cybersecurity Services, IBM. “Security executives need to enable innovation, protect assets and derive value from their cybersecurity investments to help their organizations thrive and further their business goals.”

“Digital connectivity has expanded the attack surface and introduced new vulnerabilities. As cyberattacks become more sophisticated and challenging to thwart, AI has emerged as a key battleground between adversaries and defenders in cybersecurity,” said Michelle Saw, VP GTM and Ecosystems, JAPAC at Palo Alto Networks.

We share a commitment with IBM Consulting to empower our customers with enhanced value. Findings from our survey highlight how platformization can help organizations achieve improved cybersecurity outcomes. By addressing complexity through the strategic consolidation and integration of security solutions onto a unified platform, organizations can significantly enhance efficiency, reduce risk, lower costs, and unlock new business opportunities. Ultimately, platformization transforms security from a “necessary cost” into a “value driver.”

Key insights from surveyed business leaders in India compared to the global average:

77% of Indian executives (52% globally) say complexity is the biggest impediment to their cybersecurity operations;

60% of Indian executives (80% globally) agree they face pressure to reduce the cost of security, and globally 41% say security fragmentation has driven up procurement costs;

4 out of 5 non-platform of all organizations globally say their security operations cannot effectively deal with the sheer quantity of threats and attacks; and

Globally, 80% of platformization adopters say they have full visibility into potential vulnerabilities and threats; and,

Globally, for platformized organizations, mean time to identify (MTTI) and mean time to contain (MTTC) security incidents are shorter by an average of 152 and 113 days, respectively.

Enhancing Businesses with Platformization: Unleashing the Power of Digital Transformation

In today’s world, the research finds effective security requires platformization. Consolidating multiple tools into a unified platform not only bolsters security posture but enables organizations to experience nearly 4 times better return on investment (ROI) from their cybersecurity investments, leading to revenue generation and increased operational efficiencies.

When it comes to AI, a platform approach can also enable an organization to better ingest and analyze data to deliver actionable insights. With 90% of surveyed executives expecting to scale, optimize, or innovate with AI within the next two years, integrating AI into their platforms can play a critical role in advancing their security preparedness. For example, accelerating adoption of agentic AI for security and tapping platformization for fewer investment cycles; or, using platformization to create the common governance needed to deliver the AI capabilities shaping the future.

By adopting a platformization approach, businesses can align technologies, drive innovation, and prioritize security as a core business requirement. Through IBM and Palo Alto Networks’ strategic partnership, the companies are bringing together leading security platforms, AI, and transformation capabilities to help organizations confidently navigate their digital transformation journey, achieve their desired outcomes and drive substantial business value.

Tips for Platformization Success

Choose partners that streamline your security mission and trim those that don’t. Critically evaluate current and potential technology, services, and support partners, and make hard decisions about where to double down and when to part ways.

Run your playbook. Stage incident response drills to assess where a unified platform can deliver the greatest impact. Take action to improve your incident response capabilities.

Help your business get prepared to respond to threats by putting it to the test. Visit a cyber range to prepare business and technical teams to address the latest cyber threats through an immersive, organization-wide business-focused engagement. IBM and Palo Alto Networks now provide a joint Cyber Range experience in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where clients can leverage the facility to support continuous improvement, training, and change management as they transform their security operating models with platformization.

Study Methodology

This IBM Institute of Business Value (IBV) research, conducted in collaboration with Oxford Economics and published in partnership with Palo Alto Networks, surveyed 1,000 executives including 53 executives in India across 21 industries and 18 countries from July through September 2024. The IBM IBV team then analyzed insights and data from respondents to facilitate the creation of a “platformization index,” which measures the extent to which an organization has moved toward security platformization, then used that index to ascertain the relationship between security platformization and security and business outcomes.

Mumbai, 28 February 2025: Datamatics Business Solutions Limited (DBSL), a global leader in B2B data and demand generation solutions, has been awarded the prestigious WOW Workplace Award 2025 by Jombay. This accolade recognises organisations with outstanding employee reviews, reflecting exceptional workplace engagement and culture.

The WOW Workplace Awards, in its first edition, is an annual initiative by Jombay that celebrates companies which foster exemplary work environments. The awards are based on authentic engagement stories collected through Jombay’s AI-driven platform, which evaluates employee sentiments against a proprietary WOW Engagement framework, considering factors such as pride, efficacy, empowerment, connection, and well-being.

Nishant Kanodia, Chairman of Datamatics Business Solutions Limited, stated, ” This recognition is a reflection of our continuous efforts to create an environment where our team can thrive and excel. We are honoured to be recognised by Jombay and remain committed to fostering a workplace that promotes growth, innovation, and well-being.”

DBSL focuses on aligning individual roles with organisational objectives, instilling a sense of pride and clarity among employees. By fostering trust, credibility, and team synergy, DBSL ensures a connected and motivated workforce. Its initiatives aimed at empowerment and well-being reinforce a culture where individuals feel valued and supported.

Loly Vadassery, CHRO of Datamatics Business Solutions, added, “This prestigious award is particularly meaningful because it’s about the real experiences of our people. It reinforces our commitment to building a workplace where every employee feels supported and connected.”

Receiving the WOW Workplace Award highlights DBSL’s dedication to employee satisfaction and enhances its industry reputation. This recognition strengthens trust among clients, partners, and stakeholders, reinforcing its strong market positioning.

The award ceremony took place on February 19, 2025, at the JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar, during Jombay’s annual Workplace of Winners (WOW) Conference, bringing together over 400 CXOs and 200 next-generation leaders to celebrate workplace excellence.

This accolade is yet another feather in DBSL’s history of industry recognition, including previous awards for business excellence and innovation.

Mysore, 28 February 2025: In line with its ongoing commitment to community well-being and giving it back to the society, Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) today announced the inauguration of water purification units in Mysore district. The event was marked by the presence of esteemed dignitaries including Dr. Yathindra Siddaramaiah, Member, Karnataka Vidhana Parishath along with senior TKM leadership Mr. Sudeep Dalvi, Chief Communication Officer, Senior Vice President & Head State Affairs – Toyota Kirloskar Motor, acknowledging the transformative impact of this initiative.

With a commitment to ensuring access to safe and hygienic drinking water, enhancing public health, and preventing waterborne diseases, TKM has installed state-of-the-art water purification units in Mysore district for the fiscal year 2024-25. With this latest deployment, these installations benefit and positively impact over 3,98,870 people significantly improving community well-being.

Each unit features an advanced six-stage purification process along with a real-time water monitoring system that tracks key parameters such as Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) and caters to the need of the community where water is contaminated with high TDS. Additionally, the system is equipped with solar power, backup power solutions, for uninterrupted usage and an efficient wastewater management mechanism, ensuring optimal water dispensing while minimizing energy consumption. With this latest initiative, a total of 7500 ltrs/hour water purification capacity is developed to cater to the community needs.

TKM’s collaboration with local Grama Panchayats and the community has been instrumental in fostering a sense of ownership and shared responsibility, further strengthening the initiative’s impact and its continued sustainability and promotion of better sanitation practices and overall well-being across communities.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Sudeep Dalvi, Chief Communication Officer, Senior Vice President & Head State Affairs – Toyota Kirloskar Motor said, “At Toyota Kirloskar Motor, our commitment to holistic community development remains unwavering. The inauguration of these water purification units is a testament to our continuous efforts to improve the quality of life for the communities we serve. This initiative underscores our dedication to sustainability, public health, and overall well-being. We are honoured to collaborate with local authorities and Gram Panchayats in making this essential resource accessible. Looking ahead, we will continue to expand our community-driven initiatives, striving to build a healthier and more sustainable future for all.”

There is a concerning surge in cases of heart failure. High blood pressure and diabetes can make one prone to heart failure. Hence, early detection and management is the need of the hour. In the below article, experts highlight the role of awareness, timely screenings, and lifestyle modifications in preventing cardiovascular disease.

Heart failure is commonly seen in a large number of adults as well as youngsters. Two of its major risk factors that are high blood pressure and diabetes are often overlooked until complications arise. Both conditions silently take a toll on the heart and blood vessels leading to cardiovascular diseases with negative outcomes. Diabetes is a metabolic disease causing high blood sugar levels as the body is unable to produce or use insulin effectively. Common symptoms include frequent urination and thirst, fatigue, and vision problems. If left uncontrolled due to ignorance, diabetes will impact the damage of blood vessels, nerves, and vital organs, increasing the risk of heart failure and death. High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a condition where the force of blood against the artery walls remains consistently high, putting strain on the heart. Some may have warning signs such as headaches, dizziness, nosebleeds, or shortness of breath. Both diabetes and hypertension can impact the heart leading to heart failure.

Dr. Rohit Barnabas, Endocrinology & Diabetologist Zynova Hospital Mumbai said, “Conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes strain the heart. Hypertension makes the heart work harder to pump blood, leading to thickening and weakening of the heart muscle. Likewise, diabetes causes damage to the blood vessels, induces inflammation and hence one can develop heart failure if not managed in time. It is imperative for individuals with hypertension or diabetes to pay attention to their heart health by going for timely screening, active lifestyle inclusive of diet and exercise, and adhering to prescribed medications.”

Dr Vidya Suratkal, Cardiologist, Lilavati Hospital Mumbai said “Long-standing diabetes by itself reduces the heart function resulting in heart failure. Uncontrolled diabetes causes renal failure, resulting in heart failure. Diabetes also causes coronary artery blockages which can affect the pumping of the heart and cause heart failure. High blood pressure and diabetes multiply the risk of heart failure. Controlling these conditions with the help of a nutritious diet, exercise, and stress management will improve heart health. Lifestyle changes like reducing salt intake, de-stressing by doing yoga and meditation, staying physically active by exercising daily, and monitoring blood sugar levels at home or clinic can help ensure heart health in the long run.”

Dr Upasana Garg, Regional technical chief at Apollo Diagnostics Mumbai, “Many people don’t understand that routine health checkups, even when they feel fine, can detect early signs of cardiovascular stress. Important blood tests such as blood glucose monitoring with the help of glucometer, or venous blood sample, HbA1c for diabetes control, Lipid profild for cholesterol tracking and certain specialized test like Apo lipoprotein, HsCRP etc along with regular blood pressure tracking, ECG, stress test taken as per the expert’s advice aid in early diagnosis and treatment. Educating patients about these risks and encouraging proactive cardiac screening can reduce heart failure cases in both the older population and youngsters. Stay vigilant when it comes to your heart health.”

The much-anticipated Scintilla 2K25, the mega annual festival of Jaipuria School of Business (JSB), Ghaziabad, concluded with unparalleled energy, creativity, and enthusiasm, leaving behind a trail of unforgettable moments. The festival, which brought together students from over 65 colleges and 900+ participants, was a spectacular blend of cultural, intellectual, and entertainment extravaganza.

 The event was inaugurated by Ms. Shilpi Marwah, Director of Sukhmanch Theatre, who captivated the audience with her insightful address on the transformative power of arts, culture, and education in shaping future leaders. She urged students to pursue their passions with dedication, emphasizing that true learning goes beyond textbooks and into real-world experiences.

 Dr. Rajiv R. Thakur, Director General, Jaipuria School of Business, reflected on the event’s remarkable growth over the past three years, applauding the increasing participation and the students’ passion for experiential learning. He encouraged students to embrace learning that contributes to society, emphasizing that management education is best understood through action, collaboration, and service.

 The festival showcased a diverse array of performances and competitions, including Hackathon, Admaniacs, Solo Singing, Dance, Drama, and Fashion Show, aligning with the theme “Swarnim Bharat” – a celebration of India’s rich heritage and dynamic progress. The highlight of the evening was a sensational Celebrity Night featuring renowned singer Fazilpuria, who enthralled the audience with his high-energy performance, making it a night to remember.

 With vibrant performances, spirited competitions, and electrifying entertainment, Scintilla 2K25 truly embodied the essence of talent, teamwork, and transformation. As the curtains close on this exhilarating edition, Jaipuria School of Business looks forward to an even grander celebration next year.

 Jaipuria School of Business is a leading PDGM institution in Delhi NCR region with NBA accreditation and AIU equivalence to MBA. The B-school practices an i-Lead philosophy to nurture leadership skills and an active international immersion programme to build global perspectives among students.

Mumbai, 28th February, 2025: Bank of Baroda (Bank), one of India’s leading public sector banks, under the guidance of the Reserve Bank of India, today announced the pilot launch of a new functionality for merchants built on the “Programmability” functionality of Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) – the “Merchant Loyalty/ Cashback Programme” in collaboration with a fintech company. This industry-first initiative enables small and medium merchants to independently design and launch loyalty/cashback programmes for their customers, usually designed by large brands, using Bank of Baroda’s “bob Merchant App”.

Merchants such as local retail shops, grocery stores, pharmacies etc that have an account with Bank of Baroda and are registered on the bob Merchant App, can now independently design and run Cashback/Loyalty programmes, without the need to make any corresponding investments in procuring the infrastructure or software to operate such a reward programme.

This initiative will go a long way in boosting the adoption of CBDC, making it more appealing & rewarding for merchants and customers. It will also help small & medium merchants to stay competitive, encourage repeat business and expand their customer base.

Speaking on the launch, Shri Sanjay V Mudaliar, Executive Director, Bank of Baroda said, “Bank of Baroda continues to be at the forefront in driving innovation in the banking sector. Our new “Merchant Loyalty/Cash Back Programme” using Programmable CBDC (PCBDC), a first in the Indian banking sector, is an innovative use case that empowers our small and medium-sized merchants to create tailored cashback offers that will foster greater customer engagement & retention. This initiative will benefit both merchants and customers.”

Key Features of Bank of Baroda’s “Merchant Loyalty /Cashback Programme” Merchant Use Case through PCBDC

•  Bank’s merchant customers will configure their own cashback or loyalty programme using the “bob Merchant app”, specifying the period of the campaign, percentage of cashback and validity/expiry date of the cashback received by customers.
•  During the campaign period, customers (presently for BOB customers only) who make a purchase using the bob World Digital Rupee app, will receive cashback in the form of PCBDC from the merchant as per the prevailing offer at the merchant outlet.

· These PCBDCs can be used by customers at the specific merchant outlet until expiry.