Archives February 2026

Bangalore, Feb 27: In view of the growing need for accessible rehabilitation services for Divyangjans in South India, Udaipur-based Narayan Seva Sansthan, in collaboration with its CSR partners General Motors, TTP Technologies, and ACI Worldwide, is organizing a Free Narayan Limb & Caliper Fitment Camp along with a Donor Felicitation Ceremony on Sunday, March 1, in Bengaluru.

During today’s press conference, Mr. Vinod Jain, Bengaluru President and Spokesperson, addressed members of the media in the presence of Mr. Khubi Lal Menaria, Head of the Bengaluru Ashram, on behalf of Narayan Seva Sansthan. The camp will be held at Mahaveer Dharamshala No. 17, National High School Road, V.V. Puram, Basavanagudi, from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM. The formal inauguration will take place at 11:00 AM.

Only pre-selected Divyangjans will benefit from this initiative. Approximately 640 Divyangjans will receive artificial limbs and calipers during the camp, underscoring one of the largest such rehabilitation initiatives in the region. Around 550 beneficiaries will be fitted with advanced Narayan Limbs, while nearly 50 will be provided with calipers. All beneficiaries were selected during the Free Narayan Limb Measurement Camp organized by the institution on December 14.

Emphasizing the deeper purpose behind the initiative, Director, Ms. Palak Agarwal said,

“The mission of Narayan Seva Sansthan extends beyond merely providing artificial limbs. Our goal is to empower Divyangjans by making them self-reliant and integrating them into education, employment, and the social mainstream. Such camps not only facilitate rehabilitation but also offer an opportunity to live a life of dignity, enabling beneficiaries to contribute confidently to society.”

She further informed that expert doctors and a technical team will fit the modern, technologically advanced Narayan Limbs during the camp. In addition, beneficiaries will receive specialized training on walking, maintaining balance, and correctly using the assistive devices in their daily lives, ensuring a smoother and more self-reliant future.

Furthermore, President, Mr. Prashant Agarwal stated,

“Considering the increasing rehabilitation needs of Divyangjans in South India, such camps are being organized in metropolitan cities like Bengaluru to ensure that maximum number of deserving individuals are empowered and connected to the mainstream of society.”

CSR partner organizations, social workers, and donors will also be felicitated during the event. This initiative represents not only medical support but also a significant step toward the social reintegration and dignified living of Divyangjans. Free meals, seating arrangements, and primary medical facilities will be available for all beneficiaries and their family members attending the camp.

It is noteworthy that Narayan Seva Sansthan has been selflessly serving society since 1985. The institution’s founder, Kailash Manav, was conferred the prestigious Padma Shri by the President of India in recognition of his unparalleled service. The organization’s President, Prashant Agarwal, was honored with the National Award for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities in 2023 for his contribution toward empowering Divyangjans.

To date, Narayan Seva Sansthan has provided more than 39,185 free artificial limbs to Divyangjans across India and abroad and has extended free medical treatment to over 452,000 Divyangjans, reaffirming its unwavering commitment to service and humanity.

Mumbai, Feb 27: As fragrance gains momentum as one of the most dynamic segments in India’s beauty market, Nykaa, India’s leading specialty beauty and lifestyle company, has launched Nykaa Perfumery, a dedicated fragrance- only retail format designed to deepen consumer engagement with scents. With two stores now operational at Oberoi Mall, Goregaon and Infiniti Mall, Malad, Nykaa Perfumery marks a significant step in the company’s long-term vision to build the fragrance category in India.

 Fragrance in India is undergoing a structural shift. Once seen largely as an occasion-led or deodorant-driven category, it is steadily becoming a form of everyday self-expression. Greater exposure to global beauty trends, rising premiumisation, and a young, experimentation-led consumer base are driving higher adoption of fine fragrances across genders. Consumers are increasingly building scent wardrobes, exploring layering, and seeking a deeper understanding of notes and fragrance families.

Globally, fragrance is recognised as the third pillar of a strong specialty beauty ecosystem, and Nykaa has been steadily investing in the category with a long-term lens. In India, where fragrance is still evolving into an everyday habit, the opportunity extends beyond retail into shaping consumer awareness, education, and discovery. Nykaa has been actively building this ecosystem through a series of category-creating initiatives. Its intellectual properties such as the Fragrance Collective, which curates over 350 global and luxury scents, and Nykaa Fragtok, a luxury fragrance creator hunt, are designed to encourage exploration, storytelling, and experimentation. These platforms are helping Indian consumers engage with fragrance in more immersive and informed ways, gradually deepening both appreciation and adoption of the category.

Nykaa Perfumery serves as the retail expression of this larger vision. Designed as an immersive fragrance discovery destination, the format places perfumes at the centre of the experience and encourages customers to slow down, explore, and build a personal connection with scent. Each store spans approximately 800 sq. ft. and is thoughtfully designed with dedicated discovery tables and consultation-led layouts that support guided exploration.

At the core of the in-store journey is Nykaa’s Fragrance Finder, an assisted discovery tool that helps decode consumer preferences and translate them into personalised recommendations. This phygital integration combines technology with human expertise to make fragrance discovery intuitive and confidence-building. Specially trained fragrance advisors guide customers through fragrance families, notes, and scent profiles while introducing them to skin testing and layering rituals. Customers are encouraged to experience how scents evolve and to experiment with combinations that reflect their personality and mood.

Across the two stores, customers can explore a curated mix of over several leading global fragrance brands. The portfolio brings together luxury and cult-favourite houses including CHANEL, Jo Malone, Tom Ford, YSL, Armani, Prada, Valentino, and Maison Margiela, among others. The format also elevates fragrance gifting with bespoke services such as engraving, curated gift sets, and personalised packaging, positioning Nykaa Perfumery as a premium gifting destination.

Nykaa’s offline network continues to be a key lever for growth and premiumisation. In Q3 FY26, Nykaa expanded to 276 beauty stores across 94 cities, adding 11 new stores and entering four new cities. The network is delivering healthy double-digit same-store sales growth, supported by elevated in-store experiences and exclusive brand collaborations. Within this expanding ecosystem, Nykaa Perfumery is already demonstrating strong traction. The format delivers nearly three times the average order value of regular beauty stores as of Q3 FY26. Over 45 percent of GMV as of Q3 FY26 comes from men’s fragrances, much of it incremental, signalling a widening consumer base and growing male participation in the category.

By combining a curated global portfolio, expert-led consultations, and technology-enabled discovery, Nykaa Perfumery is shaping a new chapter for fragrance retail in India – one that is rooted in exploration, education, and sensorial engagement, and aligned with the evolving aspirations of the Indian beauty consumer.

Mumbai, Feb 27:  Wella Professionals, a global leader in professional haircare innovation, has launched ‘Glow From Within’, a campaign film celebrating the Illumina Color City Collection: Mumbai Edition.

 Inspired by Mumbai- a city of contrasts, ambition, creativity, and quiet strength, the ‘Glow from Within’ campaign captures the many moods of the modern woman. From cinematic glamour to soulful individuality and quiet power, each look reflects Mumbai’s spirit through luminous, natural-looking colour that truly glows from within.

Conceptualised in-house, with three signature looks created by the Wella India Ambassadors, the campaign film brings to life a glow-led colour narrative, positioning hair colour as a reflection of identity and individuality. Produced by Bombay Film Company, the film is shot across iconic Mumbai landmarks including the Gateway of India, Flora Fountain, and the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. It showcases three signature looks that interpret the city’s glamour, creativity, and ambition.

The showcases three signature looks from the collection. Glam Glow draws inspiration from Bollywood glamour, featuring neutral and cool brown tones for a sophisticated, camera-ready look. Dreamer Glow reflects Mumbai’s softer, creative side, with delicate blends of cool blondes and natural browns for an ethereal, artistic feel. Power Glow channels the energy of confident working women, using cool browns and soft blondes for understated luxury and professional elegance.

Powered by Illumina Color’s violet base, Microtones Technology and Microlight Technology, the collection is designed specifically for Indian hair. It neutralises unwanted warmth, enhances clarity, and delivers multi-dimensional luminosity.

Commenting on the launch of the brand film, Pravesh Saha, General Manager, South Asia, Wella Company, said,

“With Glow From Within, we wanted to celebrate the spirit, individuality and ambition of women in Mumbai. This campaign is more than a product launch, it is a cultural expression of how hair colour can reflect personality, confidence, and self-expression. We look forward to expanding the City Collection and connecting with women through more city-specific narratives.”

The Mumbai Edition marks the first chapter of Wella Professionals’ city-inspired collection, with more city editions planned to celebrate individuality and the unique identities of women across regions.

India, Feb 27: The Body Shop, a British-born international ethical beauty brand, has announced the return of its globally loved Dewberry collection. First launched in the 90s, it became known as the scent that defined a decade. Now, Dewberry returns with all the nostalgic boldness and charm you remember, reimagined for a new generation. 

Sparked by overwhelming demand from fans across the world, Dewberry is back with a fresh perspective. The new and exciting collection, with its unmistakable juicy notes, has been thoughtfully curated with modern textures and updated formulas. The perfect way to reawaken cherished memories of a thrilling era, while creating bold new ones today.  Infused with sustainably sourced Community Fair Trade ingredients such as Shea Butter and Sesame Seed Oil, the collection brings together The Body Shop’s legacy of ethical beauty with a vibrant, modern sensorial experience. 

DEWBERRY: A SCENTED JOURNEY

The fragrance is vibrant, uplifting, playful yet sophisticated, and ever so nostalgic. Top Notes: The journey begins with an instant burst of juicy dewberry, delicately intertwined with crisp green leaves and a cool touch of eucalyptus, evoking a sense of carefree energy. Heart Notes: A timeless floral symphony of jasmine, freesia, and white lily unfolds, adding a layer of soft, fresh sophistication that bridges the past and present. Base Notes: The scent settles into a comforting, grounding base of warm cedarwood and soft musk, leaving a feeling of quiet confidence; a gentle reminder that some scents stay with us, not just for their beauty but for the memories they carry.

Rahul Shanker, Group CEO, Quest Retail and House of Beauty said,

“The relaunch of the Dewberry collection through a modern lens celebrates joy, self-expression, and a love for nostalgic classics. The range invites our beloved customers to rediscover a familiar favourite that feels vintage, nostalgic, and fresh, all at the same time, and is a true embodiment of our heritage reimagined.”

The Dewberry range is available across The Body Shop stores and online

Johannesburg, South Africa, Feb 27: Verdant IMAP is pleased to announce that it has advised on the acquisition of a portfolio of South African data centre assets from NTT DATA, by Open Access Data Centres a subsidiary of WIOCC Group.

NTT operate global technology and digital infrastructure platforms, and the assets form part of their South African data centre operations.

The transaction comprises seven data centre facilities, strategically located in key centres across South Africa, forming an important platform within South Africa’s digital infrastructure ecosystem. The assets support enterprise, wholesale, and cloud connectivity requirements and represent critical infrastructure underpinning the country’s growing digital economy.

The acquisition strengthens WIOCC Group’s position as a multi-regional digital infrastructure provider, expanding its footprint in South Africa while complementing its broader pan-African and international network and connectivity assets. The transaction enhances the group’s ability to serve its diverse client group, which includes hyperscalers, CDNs, network operators, ISPs, and enterprise clients with scalable, resilient, and carrier-neutral data centre capacity across multiple markets.

The transaction reflects continued investment momentum in African digital infrastructure, underpinned by sustained growth in data consumption, cloud adoption, and increasing demand for neutral, carrier-dense data centre facilities in strategically located markets.

The transaction has received approval from the Competition Commission of South Africa.

Verdant IMAP acted as financial adviser to OADC (A WIOCC Group Company). The transaction involved navigating a highly complex and negotiated process, including the resolution of complex commercial, legal, and structural considerations. The transaction required extensive coordination across financial, commercial, legal, and operational workstreams over a prolonged negotiation period, reflecting the complexity typically associated with large-scale digital infrastructure transactions.

Verdant IMAP operates as part of the global IMAP platform, a long-established international investment banking network with a strong presence across major markets worldwide. IMAP forms an integral part of Verdant IMAP’s business, providing access to global sector expertise, international best practice, and cross-border perspective that underpins the firm’s advisory capabilities across complex transactions in digital infrastructure, telecoms, fintech, and technology-enabled sectors.

The transaction builds on Verdant IMAP’s growing digital infrastructure advisory franchise, reflecting the firm’s continued focus on data centres, fibre networks, telecoms, and technology-enabled infrastructure assets across Africa. Verdant IMAP continues to advise on some of the region’s most complex digital infrastructure transactions, supporting both strategic and financial clients across the investment lifecycle. The transaction is Verdant IMAP’s fourth completed transaction for WIOCC Group. 

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, Feb 27 — African policymakers, business leaders, and development institutions have renewed calls for visa-free travel across the continent, describing the free movement of people as essential to unlocking Africa’s economic transformation under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

The call was reinforced at a High-Level Symposium on Advancing a Visa-Free Africa for Economic Prosperity, co-convened by the African Development Bank Group and the African Union Commission on the margins of the 39th African Union Summit of Heads of State and Government in Addis Ababa.

Participants framed mobility as the missing link in Africa’s integration agenda, arguing that while tariffs are falling under AfCFTA, restrictive visa regimes continue to limit trade in services, investment flows, tourism, and labour mobility.

Alex Mubiru, Director General for Eastern Africa at the African Development Bank Group, said that visa-free travel, interoperable digital systems, and integrated markets are practical enablers of enterprise, innovation, and regional value chains to translate policy ambitions into economic activity.

“The evidence is clear. The economics support openness. The human story demands it,” he told participants, urging countries to move from incremental reforms to “transformative change.”

Amma A. Twum-Amoah, Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development at the African Union Commission, called for faster implementation of existing continental frameworks, describing visa openness as a strategic lever for deepening regional markets and enhancing collective responses to economic and humanitarian crises.

Former AU Commission Chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma reiterated that free movement is central to the African Union’s long-term development blueprint, Agenda 2063. “If we accept that we are Africans, then we must be able to move freely across our continent,” she said, urging member states to operationalise initiatives such as the African Passport and the Free Movement of Persons Protocol.

Ghana’s Trade and Industry Minister, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, shared her country’s experience as an early adopter of open visa policies for African travellers, citing increased business travel, tourism, and investor interest as early dividends of greater openness.

The Symposium also reviewed findings from the latest Africa Visa Openness Index, which shows that more than half of intra-African travel still requires visas before departure – seen by participants as a significant drag on intra-continental commerce.

Mesfin Bekele, Chief Executive Officer of Ethiopian Airlines, called for full implementation of the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM), saying aviation connectivity and visa liberalisation must advance together to enable seamless travel.

Regional representatives, including Elias Magosi, Executive Secretary of the Southern Africa Development Community, emphasised the importance of building trust through border management and digital information-sharing systems.

Gabby Otchere Darko, Executive Chairman of the Africa Prosperity Network, urged governments to support the “Make Africa Borderless Now” campaign, while tourism campaigner Ras Mubarak called for more ratifications of the AU Free Movement of Persons protocol.

Participants concluded that achieving a visa-free Africa will require aligning migration policies, digital identity systems, and border infrastructure, alongside sustained political commitment.

In a symbolic gesture, attendees signed a “passport wall,” signalling support for accelerated reforms to make movement across African borders easier for citizens.

The African Development Bank Group and the African Union Commission said they will continue working with member states and regional bodies to advance coordinated approaches to mobility – seen as a cornerstone of Africa’s integration, competitiveness, and long-term growth.