Archives February 2026

Chandigarh, Feb 16: Chandigarh Power Distribution Limited (CPDL) has reported widespread adoption of its recently rolled-out in-house digital payment module. Everyday around 500 consumers are paying their electricity bills online.

The upgraded system enables real-time posting of payments into SAP, ensuring instant updation and reducing payment reflection delays. The initiative benefits consumers through immediate confirmation and greater transparency, while also optimising gateway charges.

To further enhance accessibility, QR code scanners have been installed across all CPDL offices, including RA, SDO, CM, and Division offices. QR codes are also available on the CPDL website landing page and are being printed on consumer bills.

A CPDL spokesperson said, “This new payment module marks a meaningful step in our journey toward fully digital transactions. The strong initial response reflects growing consumer trust in our secure systems. With real-time integration and expanded QR access, we are making bill payments faster, simpler, and more transparent for a wider segment of users. By strengthening our own platform and reducing reliance on third-party gateways, we aim to enhance efficiency while minimizing additional costs for customers.”

CPDL wishes to inform consumers that these methods are safe to use and encourages customers to adopt these options. This initiative marks another step in CPDL’s continued focus on technology-driven, consumer-centric service delivery and building a more efficient, transparent electricity distribution system.

Hyderabad, Feb 16: Hyderabad Runners Society conducted its annual Club Run 2026 on Sunday, 15 February 2026, at the University of Hyderabad campus. This year marked the 17th edition of the Club Run, featuring two race categories — 10K and Half Marathon (21.1 km).

The run was flagged off by Shri Srinivas, DGM, NMDC Limited; Shri CH. Srinivas, DCP, Madhapur Law & Order, and SMT Shashi Singh, Race Director. Apollo Hospitals provided emergency medical support for the event.

The event saw enthusiastic participation from around 3,000 runners across the twin cities, including students and staff from the university. The Club Run serves as a qualifying race for the Hyderabad Marathon, allowing runners to push their limits and achieve personal bests.

In the Half Marathon (21.1 km), Avik Pal clinched the top spot in the men’s category with an impressive time of 1:20:08, while Vishwa led the women’s category, finishing strong at 1:42:38. In the 10K race, Yeswanth Kondri emerged victorious among the men with a time of 38:56, and Divya Reddy secured first place in the women’s category, clocking 54:25. The top three runners in each category were felicitated by the office bearers of Hyderabad Runners — Arun Kumar Kaliappan, Prashant Morparia, Madhumathi Sanjay, Ram Katikineni, Ajit Mishra, Snehith A, and Shashi Singh, Race Director of Club Run 2026.

The top three runners in each category were felicitated by Hyderabad Runners office bearers Arun Kumar Kaliappan, Prashant Morparia, Madhumathi Sanjay, Ram Katikineni, Ajit Mishra, Snehith A, and Shashi Singh, Race Director of Club Run 2026.

As part of the event ecosystem, the Kouch25K training program was conducted across 26 locations, engaging 417 participants who underwent an 8-week training journey and celebrated their progress through a 5K graduation run. In addition, the Mir Alam Runners group from the Old City — comprising about 30 runners — were trained by Hyderabad Runners Society for three months at Eidgah Bilali (Eidga Maidan) and completed their graduation run, reflecting the organisation’s strong outreach and inclusion efforts across communities.

Hyderabad, Feb 16: TiE Hyderabad hosted a special February edition of its flagship TiE Leadership Series at its office in Sandhya Techno-1, Khajaguda, Raidurg, Hyderabad this weekend. The session featured Meera Shenoy, Founder of Youth4Jobs and SwarajAbility, a distinguished social entrepreneur widely recognised for her pioneering work in building inclusive and sustainable solutions for underserved communities.

Delivering the opening remarks, Murali Kakarla, President of TiE Hyderabad, highlighted the organisation’s mission as a leading entrepreneurial network dedicated to fostering entrepreneurship through mentoring, networking, education, funding, and incubation. He noted that through its diverse initiatives and events, TiE Hyderabad continues to play a pivotal role in strengthening the region’s startup and innovation ecosystem.

Drawing from decades of experience in building mission-driven organisations, Ms Shenoy shared insights from her journey advancing accessibility, innovation, and employment opportunities for marginalised communities, particularly persons with disabilities. Through Youth4Jobs and SwarajAbility, she has demonstrated how purpose-led enterprises can create scalable and sustainable impact. Addressing an audience of over 100 entrepreneurs, leaders, and ecosystem enablers, she spoke about leadership with purpose, building resilient social enterprises, and driving long-term impact through innovation and inclusive growth.

The session offered valuable perspectives for entrepreneurs, corporate leaders, investors, and changemakers seeking to align business success with meaningful societal contribution.

The event also marked the official launch of “TiE Social Impact,” a new initiative by TiE Hyderabad aimed at nurturing social enterprises and supporting impact-driven innovation. The initiative seeks to build a robust support ecosystem for social entrepreneurs by providing structured mentorship, strategic guidance, and access to networks that can help scale solutions addressing pressing societal challenges.

This edition of the Leadership Series reflects TiE Hyderabad’s continued commitment to fostering entrepreneurship and enabling purpose-driven innovation across the region.

Annual sponsors for TiE Hyderabad include IKP and PalTech, while the Leadership Series is powered by MSN Realty.

IIT Roorkee, Uttarakhand Feb 16: In a landmark initiative for higher education in India, IIT Roorkee has initiated the drafting of a comprehensive mental health policy, setting a precedent for all IITs. The first draft of the policy was prepared by the Wellness Centre, a mental health care facility for the community, with the collective expertise of the Dean of Student Welfare, Associate Dean of Student Wellness, Mental Health Professionals (Clinical Psychologists at IIT Roorkee), External Advisors and Faculty members.

The initiative was further strengthened through “SAHYOG 2.0,” a focused inter-IIT discussion aimed at seeking & sharing inputs from fellow IITs to contribute meaningfully to the mental health policy framework of IIT community. The objective of this dialogue was to learn from existing policies, protocols, and governance mechanisms followed across IITs, and to incorporate relevant insights into a comprehensive, inclusive, and student as well as IIT community-centric policy.

SAHYOG 2.0 builds upon the success of SAHYOG 1.0, held in 2024, and aligns with the recent directives of the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India and the University Grants Commission (UGC), emphasizing the critical role of higher education institutions in mental health governance. Discussions at the event covered:

• Institutional approaches to mental health governance and policy formulation
• Preventive, promotive, and responsive mental health interventions
• The role of Wellness Centres, Counselling Cells, and Student Welfare structures in policy implementation
• Role of Mental Health Professionals and facilitation of the services provided to them
• Standardization and alignment of mental health policies across IITs
• Formulation of standard operating procedures for crisis situations

The collaborative sessions not only enabled cross-institutional learning but also emphasized the need for a policy that is student-centric, inclusive, and practical, ensuring the mental well-being of the entire IIT community.

Speaking about the initiative, Prof K.K Pant, Director, IIT Roorkee, said, “Mental health and well-being have emerged as critical pillars of excellence in higher education, and initiatives such as SAHYOG 2.0 reflect our collective recognition of this responsibility.”

The institute welcomed delegates, including Deans, faculty members, and mental health professionals from all IITs, alongside renowned external advisors from institutions such as AIIMS Rishikesh, GMCH Chandigarh, IHBAS, KGMU, TISS, IOP Kolkata, OP Jindal, Mariwala Health Initiative and Delhi University, UPSIFS as well as distinguished officials, a Supreme Court Advocate, and an Anthropologist, highlighting the significance of the event in shaping a uniform mental health policy across the IIT system.

The success of SAHYOG 2.0 reflects IIT Roorkee’s steadfast commitment to cultivating an aware, compassionate, and psychologically resilient campus ecosystem. This pioneering policy initiative represents a transformative step in advancing structured mental health governance across India’s premier educational institutions.

Bengaluru, Feb 16: Denta Water and Infra Solutions Limited (“Denta Water”), announced its unaudited financial results for the third quarter and nine months ended December 31, 2025. The company a leading civil engineering contractor in the water infrastructure sector.

The Company reported sustained growth across key operating metrics during the quarter and nine-month period, driven by strong execution across marquee water management projects, disciplined cost management and a healthy project pipeline.

Key Highlights – Q3 & 9M FY26:

• Strong revenue growth supported by accelerated execution across irrigation, urban water supply and wastewater projects
• EBITDA margin improved to 36.32% YoY in 9MFY26
• Order book at ₹8,414.82 Mn as on December 31, 2025 

Standalone Key Financials:

The Company remains committed to a selective bidding strategy focused on high-quality projects with attractive margins, balanced risk profiles and efficient execution timelines.

Commenting on the results, Mr. C. Mruthyunjaya Swamy, Chairman of Denta Water, said: “Q3 and the nine-month performance underscore the strength of our execution capabilities and the resilience of our business model. We continue to witness healthy traction across irrigation, drinking water and wastewater management projects, supported by a robust order book and expanding geographic footprint. Our focus remains on timely project delivery, prudent capital allocation and sustainable value creation as we contribute to strengthening India’s water infrastructure and long-term water security.”

New Delhi, Feb 16:  Five students from the Institute of Design at JK Lakshmipat University (JKLU) were felicitated by the Union Minister for Tourism, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, on 13 February at The Ashok Hotel, New Delhi, for their Systems Design project developed for the Taj Restaurant under the India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC). The recognition marked a significant moment for the university, highlighting the impact of industry-linked academic projects and the role of design-led thinking in addressing complex, real-world systems.

The project was undertaken by an interdisciplinary team comprising Harsh Warrier, Susnitha Sivaraju, Yashika Bhatt, Rashi Bhagre, and Ritika Malik under the mentorship of Binil Mohan, Assistant Professor at the Institute of Design, JKLU. The team collectively carried out the initial research for both the Taj Mahal and ITDC, forming the foundation for the design interventions proposed as part of the project. The final presentation was structured into three parts, reflecting a collaborative approach with clearly defined areas of contribution.

The first segment of the project focused on research related to the Taj Mahal, followed by the development of a solution framework by Harsh Warrier, Rashi Bhagre, and Susnitha Sivaraju. The second segment presented research for ITDC along with a detailed set of solutions developed by the same team members. The final segment highlighted the specific solution work and contributions undertaken by Ritika Malik.

“The felicitation is a proud moment for the university and underscores the impact of industry-linked, research-driven design education in addressing complex systems,” said A Balasubramaniam, Director, Institute of Design, JKLU.

The recognition stands as a testament to the quality of work being carried out by students at the Institute of Design and reinforces the university’s commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration, academic excellence, and strong engagement with industry partners.

The students were felicitated during the double commemoration event celebrating the 60 years of ITDC and 70 years of the Ashok Hotel. Union Minister for Tribal Affairs, Jual Oram, also graced the ceremony with his presence.

Amity University Uttar Pradesh, Noida Campus hosted an Interactive Session with Seni r Income Tax Officials on “Compliances under the Income-tax Act and Taxpayer Services”, and  “An Overview of the new Income-Tax Act, 2025”, with an aim to sensitise and spread awareness about income-tax compliances, statutory compliances, taxpayer facilitation measures, and taxpayer services amongst the faculty and students.

On this occasion, a team from Income Tax Department Noida Uttar Pradesh led by Smt. Aparna Karan, IRS, Principal Chief Commissioner of Income Tax, U.P. (West) & Uttarakhand, Kanpur, comprising of Smt. Meenakshi Jha Goswami, IRS, Pr. Commissioner of Income Tax, Noida, Sh. Sheodan Singh Bhadauriya, IRS, Pr. Commissioner of Income Tax (Admn.), Kanpur, Sh. Sudhir Kumar Sharma, IRS, Addl. Commissioner of Income Tax, Noida, Sh. Ved Prakash, IRS, Addl. Commissioner of Income Tax (TDS), Ghaziabad and other senior officials of the income Tax department, addressed the gathering.

Smt. Aparna Karan, IRS, Principal Chief Commissioner of Income Tax, U.P. (West) & Uttarakhand, Kanpur, averred, “We are glad to visit Amity University and sensitise the students and faculty regarding the new provisions of the IT Act. The Income Tax Provisions have been simplified and made easy to understand by the common masses. Every student is a brand ambassador of our country and making them aware about IT reforms and provisions is extremely crucial since they are the future leaders who will play a significant role in achieving the goal of Viksit Bharat.”

Dr. Gurinder Singh, Group Vice Chancellor Amity Universities highlighted the significance of understanding the Income Tax provisions by the Indian students who are studying abroad. The welcome address was delivered by Dr. Sanjeev Bansal, Additional Pro VC Amity University and the session was attended by the students, faculty and staff of Amity University. The session was highly beneficial in fostering taxpayer education, strengthening institutional outreach and promoting a better understanding of the New Income Tax Act.

Guwahati, Feb 16th: In a grand showcase of confidence, charisma, and contemporary masculinity, Karnajit Ningthoujam from Manipur, Talikaba Longkumer from Nagaland, and Papu Medhi from Assam were crowned winners of the 15th Gatsby Mega Mister North East 2026 at a high-energy Grand Finale held in Guwahati. Upholding the pageant’s distinctive format, the three winners will share equal honours and responsibilities as titleholders.

The 15th edition followed an extensive audition process conducted across eight Northeastern states, both on-ground and online, drawing participation from hundreds of aspiring contestants. After multiple screening rounds, the shortlisted finalists underwent an intensive grooming and mentoring programme in Guwahati before competing in the Grand Finale, where they were evaluated on personality, fitness, intelligence, stage presence, and overall confidence.

Conceptualised by fashion entrepreneur Abhijeet Singha, the pageant is produced by Mega Entertainment and marketed by Mega Activation, continuing its established vision of identifying and grooming male talent from the Northeast and “Taking India to the World Stage.”

Congratulating the winners, Abhijeet Singha said, “Fifteen years of Gatsby Mega Mister North East reflects the evolution of male pageantry in the region. What began as a regional platform has grown into a credible gateway to national and international arenas. Karnajit, Talikaba, and Papu embody discipline, character, and global ambition. I am confident that they will carry forward the legacy of representing the Northeast with pride on larger platforms.”

The newly crowned winners will now embark on a transformative journey that includes professional representation, advanced grooming, brand engagements, structured mentorship, and opportunities for national and international exposure. The platform has consistently enabled its titleholders to compete at global pageants and modelling platforms, reinforcing its reputation as one of the region’s most influential male talent incubators.

The 15th edition was presented by Title Sponsor GATSBY, with support from Furniture Partner Nilkamal, Beverage Partner Coca-Cola, and Fashion Partner Trends, under the Incredible India banner.

Congratulating the new winners, a spokesperson from Gatsby said, “Mega Mister North East represents a distinct cultural confidence that is both authentic and progressive. At GATSBY, we believe grooming is not about conformity, but about enabling self-expression that feels natural and instinctive. The North East has consistently influenced national conversations around style and individuality, and this partnership reflects a shared sensibility — movement, presence, and personality that are lived rather than performed. Through this association, we celebrate a generation that owns its space with quiet assurance and contemporary rhythm.”

Special recognitions were also presented during the evening, with Karnajit Ningthoujam being awarded the Coca-Cola Refreshing Personality title for his vibrant presence and confident appeal. Alex Lalhruaitluanga was honoured as Nilkamal Mister Popular, reflecting strong audience support, while Talikaba Longkumer received the GATSBY Style Icon award for his distinctive sense of style and contemporary flair.

The Grand Finale brought together fashion, performance, and celebration of regional identity, further consolidating Guwahati’s position as a key hub for fashion and pageantry in the Northeast. Over the years, winners from Gatsby Mega Mister North East have gone on to represent India at prestigious international competitions, strengthening the pageant’s credibility and global footprint.

With the crowning of Karnajit Ningthoujam, Talikaba Longkumer, and Papu Medhi, the 15th edition of Gatsby Mega Mister North East marks another milestone in a journey that continues to shape internationally competitive talent from the region.

Guwahati, Assam, Feb 16: As a lead up to the AI Impact Summit 2026, Yotta Data Services today announced the successful construction, commissioning, and operationalisation of the National Data Center – North East Region (NDC NER), inaugurated by the Honourable Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, in the presence of the Honourable Chief Minister of Assam, Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma. The facility marks a major milestone in India’s journey toward digital, data, and AI sovereignty, while significantly strengthening the nation’s core digital infrastructure in the North-Eastern region.

Executed by Yotta as a green field facility from grounds up, on behalf of National Informatics Centre, Govt of India, the Tier III IGBC Gold-rated NDC NER is the largest data center commissioned in Assam to date and among the most advanced government datacenters in Eastern India. Built to operate in Seismic Zone V, the facility was executed under highly challenging geotechnical conditions, including high groundwater levels and weak soil strata. To ensure structural stability and long-term resilience, the foundation design required the installation of deep load-bearing piles, creating a robust substructure capable of supporting critical data centre infrastructure. The facility adheres to the highest standards of structural safety, fire-rated external facades, and resilient design, ensuring uninterrupted operations for mission-critical government workloads.

The state-of-the-art G+5 facility spans a 4,000 sq. m. campus and currently supports 200 racks with a 2 MW IT load, with built-in scalability to double capacity in the next phase. The data center has been engineered for a total power design capacity of 8 MW, making it the largest datacenter in the  North-East region, ensuring long-term readiness for growing cloud, AI, and digital governance requirements across the North-Eastern states.

Built for Sovereign, Secure, and Scalable Digital Governance

NDC NER has been purpose-built to provide a secure, high-availability, and sovereign environment for storing, processing, and managing sensitive government data. It will serve as a foundational pillar for e-Governance platforms, citizen-facing digital services, and inter-departmental systems across the North-East, enabling faster service delivery, improved data localization, and higher operational resilience

The facility incorporates multi-layered redundancy across power, cooling, network, and security systems, including DG-backed power infrastructure, redundant UPS and battery systems, advanced Building Management Management System (BMS), dedicated Network Operations Centre (NOC) and  and a dedicated Security Operations Center (SOC). Sustainability is a core design principle, with 104 kW rooftop solar capacity, energy-efficient cooling systems, water treatment infrastructure, and green building practices aligned to national sustainability goals.

Commenting on the milestone, Sunil Gupta, Co-Founder, CEO & Managing Director, Yotta Data Services, said: “Digital sovereignty is no longer optional – it is foundational to India’s economic, strategic, and technological future. The National Data Center for the North-East is not just a facility; it is a sovereign digital backbone that ensures government data, citizen services, and future AI workloads are hosted securely, reliably, and within India’s borders. At Yotta, we are proud to partner with the Government of India and NIC in building infrastructure that is resilient, future-ready, and truly made for India.”

Enabling the Next Phase of India’s AI-Ready Infrastructure

With its scalable architecture and high-availability design, NDC NER is positioned to support next-generation workloads, including data-intensive analytics, AI-driven governance platforms, and regional digital innovation initiatives. The facility reinforces Yotta’s commitment to building world-class, sovereign digital infrastructure that supports India’s vision of becoming a global digital and AI powerhouse—while ensuring that critical data remains secure, localized, and under national control.

Currently, Yotta Data Services operates some of India’s largest hyperscale and edge data center campuses across key digital hubs, including Navi Mumbai, Greater Noida, Gujarat, and emerging strategic regions. Together, these facilities form a nationwide, sovereign digital infrastructure footprint designed to support government, enterprise, cloud, and AI workloads at scale—ensuring high availability, data localization, and regulatory compliance within India’s borders.