All posts by Neel Achary

New Delhi: Lakmé Fashion Week x FDCI is one of the most watched-out for events in the country. The bi-annual event attracts audiences not only from India but also from across the globe and is one of the most followed platforms digitally. Earlier this week, the property concluded its four-day-long fashion extravaganza that hosted new and seasoned designer showcases, thought-provoking discussions, sustainable initiatives, crème de la crème of the Indian fashion and entertainment industry, and more. Scroll below to get a glimpse of some of the biggest moments that the platform witnessed at the Jio World Garden, BKC, Mumbai from 9th to 12th March.

Spotlighting emerging talent

Fashion as an industry is challenging to say the least. You finally succeeded in creating your brand, and have been around for a couple of years—but now what? Enter Lakmé Fashion Week X FDCI. Their approach to nurturing the design community has been holistic right from the start, from their longest-running INIFD GenNext program to the NEXA Spotlight, the curated emerging talent showcases by the platform has seen up-and-coming designers rise to fame over the years. This year as well, brands such as KoyToy, Hiro, KoAi, Rudraksh Dwivedi, Siddharth Bansal or the FDCI Innovators ft Akaaro and Nitin Bal Chauhan showcased cutting-edge collections that played into fabrics and techniques that wowed the audiences across the 4 days of fashion.

Sustainable initiatives took a front row seat

From RISE Worldwide presenting a unique sustainable showcase by internationally recognized designer Ruchika Sachdeva for her label Bodice during Sustainable Fashion Day to the Circular Design Challenge (CDC) presented by R | Elan™ that celebrated its fifth year since inception by hosting a special showcase by three of its alumni labels – Chamar, Doodlage-Made from Waste and Iro Iro to the grand Khadi show debuting thought-provoking collections that honored and celebrated India’s Fabric of Freedom, Khadi India with a multi-designer runway showcase, sustainability took the center stage. To top it off, Lakmé Fashion Week in partnership with FDCI collaborated with renowned designers Abraham & Thakore to design the exclusive print of reusable water bottles across the venue in a bid to reduce water wastage as well as tackle the use of single-use plastic.

Fashion Forward Showcases

The showcases at Lakmé Fashion Week x FDCI were innovative presentations that constantly kept audiences at the edge of their seats. The week saw some showstopping menswear collections by Antar-Agni, Koytoy, Sahil Aneja, and Dhruv Vaish; a tech-meets-fashion presentation through a first-of-its-kind collaboration by Hair tech giant Dyson and fashion designer Arpita Mehta; FDCI presented the “First Cut” show by Pearl Academy where 32 students across campuses in India presented their individual takes on how fashion can bring courage to the present and new hope for the future despite the many disasters taking place worldwide. And a reimagination of street style by designers Two Point Two by Anvita Sharma, Six5Six by Avni Aneja, and Hiro by Hiral Jalal gave the street style a new direction.

A star-studded affair

No fashion runway in Mumbai is complete without a bevy of Bollywood beauties both on and off the ramp. The event saw several actors take to the ramp – from the star cast of the famed show CLASS to Sara Ali Khan, Sushmita Sen, Karisma Kapoor and even yesteryear icon Zeenat Aman, who stole the show! Off the runway, a range of starlets made their way to the showcases, leaving fans in attendance starstruck. The event saw attendance from prominent social media as well as TV stars such as Aditya Seal, Sonali Bendre, Armaan Malik, Aashna Hegde, Nimrit Kaur, and more.

On-ground engagement initiatives

Fashion enthusiasts hop, jump, and slide into the Lakmé Fashion Week X FDCI venues in a bid to catch the glitz, the glamour, the drama, and more each season. Hosted at the Jio World Garden, BKC in Mumbai, this season the audiences were in for a visual treat with loads to do to keep oneself fashionably busy.

Legendary label, Satya Paul collaborated with India’s distinctive electronica artists Komorebi and Curtain Blue to create a visual showcase Birds & Bees. This unique collaboration called ‘The Satya Academy presents Komorebi and Curtain Blue’ brought to life a melodic intersection of fashion and music via a first-of-its-kind live concert. For a little shopping spree, The FDCI Designer Stockroom returned for its 10th edition which provided leading fashion talent across the industry the opportunity to sell their stock to a large pool of consumers. Over 70 designers panning, established as well as up-and-coming labels displayed their collections (old/ new) for audiences visiting the venue.

A fitting finale

The Lakmé Grand Finale brought the curtains down this season at Lakmé Fashion Week X FDCI by retagging tags such as high maintenance, arm candy, gold digger, and whatnot in collaboration with Diffuse by Manish Malhotra. Redefining the power of fashion in being #UnaplogeticallyMÉ, the collaboration was a showcase of the new brand world of Lakmé and Manish Malhotra’s Diffuse Collection, encouraging women to celebrate their individuality.

The biggest ever grand finale in the history of the 22-year-old platform saw an unprecedented 102 models, almost 1000 guests, a front-row filled with stars and creative mavericks with Lakmé brand ambassador Ananya Panday and actor Aditya Roy Kapur closing the show – every detail of the grand finale came together to create a sensory spectacle.

18th March 2023 Kolkata: The very popular art gallery in the town, Gallery Charubasona : Jogen Chowdhury Centre For Arts is soon going to showcase an exhibition titled ‘Rhythmic Nature & Nostalgia’ from 23rd March, 2023. The globally acclaimed painter, Sri Jogen Chowdhury is going to grace the inauguration ceremony on this date. The exhibition will consist of ‘soras’(terracotta discs) and board designs by artist Sourav Ghosh and experiments with papier mache and pen & ink works by artist Trina Chatterji.

About the Artists & Their Works To Be Displayed In The Exhibition

Both Sourav Ghosh and Trina Chatterji have completed their M (Fine) from Kala Bhavana, Santiniketan in Printmaking. They have also been colleagues in the Art Department of Sherwood College Nainital between 2008-2010.

Their artistic journeys have varied over the years but in this exhibition, Sourav will be showcasing his love for nature in terms of traditional motifs of Alpona (ornamental floor designs of Bengal) in graceful linearity and pleasing colour combinations whereas Trina’s personal experience and love for nature is expressed through gritty textures and bulging forms both reminiscent of an etching plate and a relief sculpture panel using a comparatively darker palette. But the rhythm of nature is unmistakable in both of their works.

The sense of nostalgia and a return to the roots is quite eminent in Sourav’s artwork in recent times where the motifs are unmistakably derived from the ‘Alpona’ and various units of design in the present show one can see the mastery of lines in the arabesques and swirls as well as the floral forms.

Trina’s artistic explorations on the other hand have been more atmospheric in nature with a later emphasis on textural and tactile detail. Some initial work on papier mache shows the artwork as a flat disc or rectangle. She has then used various types of ‘soras’ as her drape mold by placing and shaping the papier mache on them in order to create similar shapes. The forms emerge from the surface creating a low relief. Her themes range from family, to her surroundings, nostalgic memories, her pet and familiar flora growing in the gardens around her.

Trina’s pen and ink works on paper are once again a reflection of her immediate environment and have been made typically while waiting for the papier mache works to dry at various stages. The textures are more delicately applied but have the same sort of waywardness as those of the papier mache.

To conclude, in this exhibition, both the artists have used circular orientations as well as rectangular and square shapes to express themselves in their own inimitable styles using colours and textures of their choice or moods.

Gurugram, 17^th March 2023: India’s leading real estate player listed on the NSE & BSE, Ashiana Housing Ltd., has announced the launch of Phase 2 of its kids-centric project, Ashiana Amarah, in Sector 93 of the New Gurgaon region. Phase 2 of the project will feature a total of 224 units, all of which will be 3 BHK apartments. Spread over a 1000-square-foot carpet area, the real estate developer will have invested 157.55 Cr by the project completion.

Notably, the project is based on four key attributes: learning, nurture, care, and support. The project includes play streets, play areas near homes, and open spaces for outdoor fun and adventure, such as a tree house, tunnel play, and cycling ramp, to name a few features. It also has a learning hub for kids to discover their passions, such as dance, reading, music, and arts & crafts. There are perfect sports zones for children that include a cricket net, basketball court, tennis court, and swimming pool. Moreover, apartments will be developed with round-the-clock safety and security in mind.

Furthermore, Amarah offers a stimulating environment that aids in the development of the children’s social skills. Seven acres of landscaped green space provide plenty of room for activities like vegetable gardening. A 30,000-square-foot clubhouse is another amenity provided for the residents of the project. It features a sports hall, a billiards and TT room, a gym, a video room, a café, and a party room.

Location is the biggest USP because Sector 93 is close to hospitals, malls, schools, and other important locations in the city. While the sector is near NH 8, the Dwarka Expressway can be accessed in only five minutes by car.

The real estate developer claims that because of the public’s enthusiasm and appreciation for the project, as well as the about 995 visits it received for Phase I, the business launched Ashiana Amarah Phase II early.

Even though the Ashiana brand has a devoted following in the city and the surrounding area, the project has already generated excitement among discriminating consumers and investors. By October 2027, phase 2 will be finished and available for ownership.

Mr. Varun Gupta, the whole-time director, of Ashiana Housing, said, “We are overjoyed with the feedback that Phase 1 of “Ashiana Amarah” has generated. After evaluating the market’s response, we subsequently launched Phase 2. The children-focused project is in line with contemporary expectations. Residents in Ashiana Amarah will benefit from first-class amenities in a prime setting. With its upscale apartments, beautifully manicured green areas, and clubhouse, the project is positioned to provide contemporary living at a prime real estate location in Gurugram.”

“The project would be ideal for families that want access to top-notch amenities all in one location because it is close to many significant metropolitan locations,” added Mr. Gupta. 

As far as the launch and sale of residential projects are concerned, Gurugram continues to be a solid market. Buyers in the city are accustomed to contemporary apartments. Ashiana Amarah will meet the expectations of homebuyers who value both location and contemporary features.

Chennai, 17th March 2023: VFS Global received the Golden Peacock National Training Award 2023 in recognition of the organisation’s exemplary learning and development practices for the second consecutive year. The world’s largest specialist in outsourcing and technology services for governments and diplomatic missions also won the award in 2017, 2020, and 2022.

Established by the Board of Directors of India (IOD) in 1991, the Golden Peacock Awards are recognised worldwide as a benchmark for outstanding companies. In 2023, more than 260 companies competed in four award categories: Innovation, Business Excellence, Quality Management, Learning & Development.

“We are honoured and proud to have won this award for the fourth time since 2017 and twice in a row. Training and workforce development has been the primary KPI of Nurturing Our Colleagues, one of the five fundamental pillars of VFS Global’s sustainability strategy. This recognition reiterates our underlying philosophy of developing future leaders and building an agile workforce through dynamic learning and development curriculums,” said Nirbhik Goel, Chief Human Resources Officer, VFS Global.

VFS Global’s training processes are both ISO 9001 complaint and PMM Level 5 appraised, thereby confirming adherence to high-quality standards. ‘Learning and Development practices continue to be one of the strongest drivers in our Employee Satisfaction surveys with an engagement score of 81%, matching the best employers in the industry.
VFS Global is the world’s largest outsourcing and technology services specialist for governments and diplomatic missions. VFS Global is the trusted partner of 67 client governments, operating a global network with more than 3,400 Application Centres in 145 countries. The company has processed over 256 million applications since its inception in 2001. The company manages non-judgmental and administrative tasks related to applications for visa, passports, and consular services for its client governments, enabling them to focus entirely on the critical assessment task. VFS Global has its headquarters in Zurich/Switzerland and Dubai/United Arab Emirates.

VFS Global is majority-owned by funds managed by Blackstone, the world’s largest alternative asset manager. Blackstone seeks to create positive economic impact and long-term value for their investors, the companies in which they invest, and the communities in which they work. Blackstone’s USD 915 billion in assets under management include investment vehicles focused on private equity, real estate, public debt and equity, infrastructure, life sciences, growth equity, opportunistic, non-investment grade credit, real assets, and secondary funds, all on a global basi

Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre to host a special “ Ugadi Brunch” this year at Food Exchange. An extraordinary Feast will be prepared to welcome the Telugu New Year in style. The brunch will include a delicious spread of traditional delicacies like Ugadi Pachadi among a lot more. Come and join us for an appetizing Ugadi Lunch with your friends and family.

Where: Food Exchange at Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre, Hyderabad, Telangana.

When: 22nd March, Time – 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM

For Reservations, call: +91 9642326164

New Delhi, March 17, 2023: JAYPORE, India’s leading artisanal lifestyle brand from Aditya Birla Fashion Retail and Lifestyle (ABFRL), recently launched their #TheFabricofIndia Campaign to celebrate Spring-Summer 23 with the royal crafts of India. The campaign pays homage to the affluent and heritage crafts from diverse parts of India and applauds the craft contributors.

Eminent personalities such as the talented Shefali Shah and Kalki Koechlin have joined hands and shared their admiration towards the regal crafts. Through this campaign, rich traditional crafts like Gota patti from Rajasthan, Silk Handloom, Tribal Silver Jewelry, amongst others got center stage.

Jaypore’s collaboration with Kalki Koechlin celebrates the diversity and history that leaves an indelible mark with our rich heritage crafts.

Holi heralds the onset of Spring in all its glory with Shefali Shah colored in shades of Jaypore. The graceful and talented actress showcases a ‘white-on-white’ Khari print offset with a vibrant Gotta dupatta and an elegant hand-woven silk cotton saree. These featured ensembles by Jaypore are both celebratory and apt for the season.

The season also brings along the sweet scent of spring and summer – a perfect opportunity for Jaypore to launch Basant. With Basant, the brand highlights breezy, light silhouettes with timeless crafts like chikankari, block-print, delicate hand embroidery, Kantha, etc. Festooned with understated elegance and soothing colors, pieces from the brand’s Spring-Summer collection include apparel, home décor, jewelry, accessories, and more.

Rashmi Shukla – Business Head – JAYPORE, Aditya Birla Fashion, and Retail Limited said, “We believe #TheFabricofIndia Campaign has the power to reach a larger audience and create a sense of awakening of the rich and diverse crafts that India proudly boasts of. Jaypore celebrates our timeless Artisanal heritage reimagined with #TheFabricofIndia Campaign. Featuring talented personalities like Shefali Shah and Kalki Koechlin this campaign showcases crafts that are highlighted by our Spring-Summer 23 collections.

Jaypore’s #TheFabricofIndia Campaign recognizes and appreciates the versatile and ethnic crafts from various artisans across the country. With this campaign, the brand stitches together rich and inspirational craft stories laced with modern translations with exquisite designs beautifully narrated across apparel, jewelry, and the magnificent home décor collection.

The campaign showcases exquisite crafts such as ‘Sanganeri’ vividly displayed in the ‘Gauri’ collection portraying the onset of spring through blooming flowers. The brand’s home décor collection features ‘Kansa’, a range of handcrafted products from the miraculous Kansa metal. It also features the premium collection Jiya – an eclectic range of thalis, coffee makers, glasses, and more.

These pieces and more are available across our stores in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Lucknow, Pune, Ahmedabad, Trivandrum, and Kochi. They can also be purchased via the brand’s website: http://www.jaypore.com/

17th March 2023, Bengaluru: Yellow, a startup founded by alumni of Wharton and Stanford universities, has recently raised an undisclosed amount in a Seed funding round from Gruhas. The LegalTech startup, founded in September 2021 by Niranjan Vemulkar and Nikhil Varghese aims to provide a secure and cost-effective digital estate planning solution for all Indians to protect and preserve their legacies & plan for their future.

Yellow is on a mission to drive the adoption and growth of estate planning solutions in India where properties and family disputes account for 76% of litigation burdening the judiciary. Another alarming statistic that Yellow aims to address is that nearly 1.5 lakh crores lie in unclaimed accounts in India due to a lack of Wills, families being not fully aware of the extent of financial assets held by their loved one who has passed away, incomplete financial planning and non-updation of nominees.

“Protecting and providing for loved ones is a fundamental human instinct, yet many individuals struggle to secure their family’s future due to a lack of knowledge and resources. To address this issue, Yellow has developed a groundbreaking digital Will-making solution that is accessible not just to those with expensive lawyers and wealth management firms, but to everyone. With the vision of making a Will a necessity for every household in India, Yellow is the first Indian-made digital Will-making and Estate planning app that empowers all Indians to plan for their family’s future.” said Niranjan Vemulkar, Co-Founder & CEO of Yellow.

“Given the lack of awareness of the necessity of Wills and Estate Planning, its perceived complexity, and misunderstanding of the Indian Legal system among Indian masses, Yellow provides a unique digital solution that can disrupt a market that has historically been fragmented and unreachable to the masses. We are delighted to invest in Yellow, and back its exceptional founders Niranjan and Nikhil as they make estate planning services more accessible and affordable,” said Abhijeet Pai from Gruhas.

Starting with a Will, estate planning is necessary for every asset owner regardless of net worth. The Yellow app aims to help Indians consolidate all their asset information in one place and pass on their wealth to their family members in a smooth and secure manner. With Yellow, a consumer can create/generate a legally binding will with plans costing as low as INR 5 per day. “A Will is for everyone, not just the wealthy, and estate planning, starting with a Will, is necessary for every Indian, regardless of net worth. By combining technology and legal expertise, we want to provide a simple, secure, and cost-effective solution for all Indians to protect and preserve their legacies,” Niranjan added.

The core team at Yellow brings with them extensive experience in estate planning, investment consulting, wealth management, and digital product development. Designed by Yellow’s legal experts who have 50+ years of combined experience and have protected assets worth INR 42,000 crores for Indian families, a Yellow Will is recognized by Indian courts once signed. Yellow encourages Indians to have important conversations around estate planning, and get vital documents in place while leveraging the convenience of digital solutions, time, and place without having to pay an hourly rate for a professional.

Back in 2022, the legaltech startup had also raised an undisclosed amount in a pre-seed round from institutional and angel investors, Aprameya Radhakrishna, Co-Founder of Koo, Mukund Rao, Co-Founder of Muvin, TT Jagannathan, Chairman of TTK Prestige, Pranav Pai, Founding Partner of 3one4 Capital, and IIFL Wealth, among others.

India, 17 March 2023: PrepLadder, one of India’s leading online medical preparation platforms, announced that 8 of the top 10 AIR rank holders in the recently concluded NEET PG 2023 exam are from PrepLadder. These top 8 rank holders include AIR 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 10. NEET PG, conducted by the NBE (National Board of Examinations), is a national-level qualifying and ranking examination for MBBS graduates aspiring to pursue post-graduation courses in government and private medical institutes in the country.

The results announced by the NBE saw 8 PrepLadder Learners who secured the top 10 AIR ranks and over 700 marks in the exam. Further, despite the immense competition, 30+ Learners scored top ranks under AIR 100.

Among PrepLadder’s top scorers are Dr. Aarushi Narwani (AIR 1 ) from Jaipur, scoring 725, Dr. Prem Thilak Palani (AIR 2) from Vadodara, and Dr. Rupesh Tholia (AIR 3) from Charkhi Dadri both scoring 721. This is followed by Dr. Akash Sethi (AIR 4) from Vadodara, scoring 718, Dr. Machave Ameya Prasad (AIR 5) from Mumbai, scoring 717, Dr. Keshav Garg (AIR 6) from Ladwa, scoring 716, and Dr. Sagar Lamba (AIR 10) from Delhi scoring 711.

Some of the key highlights of PrepLadder’s NEET PG 2023 Exam result:

• 5 PrepLadder Learners secured the top 5 AIR
• 8 Learners secured positions in AIR 10 with scores above 700
• 30+ Learners are among AIR 100

India’s top medical faculty extensively tutor PrepLadder’s Learners through online video lectures, self-explanatory digital notes, high-yield QBank Next Edition featuring 70% clinical-based questions per the latest exam pattern, and a rigorous All India Mock Test Series. The effectiveness of these learning resources was also evident from the stellar strike rate of 96% from their content. PrepLadder’s Learners’ exceptional result is a testament to the platform’s effective study content and teaching methodology. The successful Learners will now be included in the merit list prepared by NBE for qualified candidates.

PrepLadder offers a simplified learning experience through engaging video lectures and study content for Medical PG aspirants. In January 2023, PrepLadder announced Dream Team Next Edition comprising top faculty members across different medical specializations who will prepare aspirants as per the NExT exam pattern. Dream Team Next Edition will feature a specialized faculty for medical exams. Through this, PrepLadder aims to stimulate a next-gen learning experience for postgraduate medical aspirants in compliance with the latest exam pattern.

Bengaluru, Mar 17, 2023: Bengaluru-based auto booking app Namma Yatri has become the world’s first 100% open-mobility app. Its vision is to create an open platform where both drivers and customers win together. The product’s software, data, and roadmap are open for public review and collaboration. Namma Yatri offers a cost-effective SaaS platform for drivers where they receive direct customer payment without any middlemen. Within a few months of its launch, the platform already has 43000 drivers and 3.9 lakh customers. The drivers own and promote the platform themselves. The customers love the app and have rated it 4.8 out of 5 in Google and Apple app stores.

Namma Yatri’s open move will build trust within the community and provide collective support toward the product roadmap and vision. It will also enable collaboration with the experts and the larger ecosystem to build a sustainable transportation platform for Bengaluru. This city has over 2 million techies, designers, influencers and marketers who can all contribute to Namma Yatri in important ways toward this vision.

The Namma Yatri app and the tech platform are built by Juspay, which has worked on open initiatives like UPI and OCEN. Mr. Vimal Kumar, CEO and Founder of Juspay, said, “Digital infrastructure for mobility is a population scale problem, especially when you see the future of transportation as a multi-modal, interoperable system. Hence, mobility networks should be open and community-driven, like the Internet. While Juspay is known for building user-friendly and large-scale tech products, Namma Yatri adds a new dimension to it – the human angle. Hence, we need to enable the driver community with products and principles to achieve customer-centricity at the level of the Mumbai Dabbawalas. We hope to collaborate with the Bengaluru drivers, citizens and city authorities to create an exemplary system that other cities can emulate.”

Drivers across the city have come together to support this product. Mr Rudramurthy, General Secretary of ARDU, said, “Namma Yatri will be a boon to Bangalore. It is liberating for us, the drivers, to serve the people directly with happiness. We feel the bonding is stronger without any middlemen. Namma Yatri drivers will focus on building people’s trust. We are committed to citizens’ safety, good service and affordable prices. We will work collaboratively with citizens to solve any existing problems.”

Speaking about the initiative, Dr. Pramod Varma, co-author of the Beckn Protocol and Architect behind India’s digital infrastructure initiatives such as Aadhaar and UPI, said, “India has shown the world that digital innovations and open initiatives like UPI can be transformative. They improve efficiency and accelerate economic growth. I am glad that Namma Yatri, built on the Beckn open mobility initiative, is gaining traction. It has immense potential to improve the lives of both drivers and citizens. Any big change will have a few initial hiccups, and citizens’ collective effort can solve it. Bangalore citizens have always been open, forward-thinking, and inclusive. Namma Yatri needs their full support to make it big and impactful.”

A city’s mobility has to be collectively run by its service providers and citizens. A symbiotic relationship between them is crucial. If Namma Yatri is successful, Bengaluru can set a model for all cities to adopt a similar open mobility platform.

SIG, a leading player in aseptic and sustainable packaging solutions, presented a wide range of its products and sustainable solutions at the 49th Dairy Industry Conference organized by the Indian Dairy Association (IDA) in collaboration with Gujarat. The three-day conference began on March 16, 2023, in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.

Known for high-quality and sustainable packaging solutions, SIG showcased and displayed several innovations – aseptic packaging solutions for portion sizes; for example, the flagship CFA 1224 filling machine for combiblocXSlim with a capacity to fill up to 24,000 packs per hour and the flexibility to fill 9 volumes (80 ml to 200 ml) on the same filling machine.

SIG also promoted family pack solutions that can be filled on SIG’s CFA 312 and CFA 812 filling machines, allowing multiple packaging formats and volume options (500 to 1.1 liter).

SIG also showcased combi smile, a premium portion size solution for dairy and juice products available with straw or closure – both versions with future-ready drinks plus the option to aseptically fill beverages with particulates in carton packs with various volume sizes (180 ml to 350 ml). SIG also displayed its most advanced high-tech filling machine SIG NEO, making its debut with the innovative combivita family pack available in three volume sizes (500, 750 and 1,000 ml).

Vandana Tandan, Head of Markets for India, and Bangladesh at SIG said: “The dairy sector is one of the strongest sectors in India’s vast FMCG industry, undergoing impactful developments. SIG’s world-leading filling technology and wide range of specialized aseptic cartons in multiple sizes and formats, made using sustainably sourced materials, are uniquely positioned to support in the expansion of India’s dairy sector.”

This year’s conference was the first post-pandemic physical meet themed on “Indian Dairy to the World: Opportunities & Challenges.” Leaders from the dairy industry, experienced farmers, milk producers, and exhibitors from across the country came together to discuss dairy trends, sustainability in the sector, climate change, nutrition, and health in India to make India the mecca of dairy innovations and solutions.

SIG entered the Indian market in 2018 and has seen a rapid expansion of its business. Expanding its Indian operations, the company recently announced the construction of its first aseptic carton plant in India. It will be in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. The plant will supply its growing filler base, serving all leading dairy and non-carbonated soft drink players. SIG will invest approximately €60 million over the period 2023–2025 to reach a production capacity of up to 4 billion packs per annum.

With a 6% increase, three times the global growth rate, and a per capita availability of 427 grams daily, India now dominates the global dairy business. The Indian dairy industry is the largest in the world, accounting for 23% of the global milk production, contributing 5.2% to the national economy, and directly supporting 100 million farmers.