Category technology

26th August, 2025, New Delhi: To empower HR and L&D leaders to build a skilled workforce ready to deliver from day one, Enthral.ai, a leading provider of a skilling platform powered by Agentic AI, has now launched a new set of AI Agents focused on building role-readiness. Targeted to address the biggest challenge in Learning and Development (L&D) today providing outcome-driven training—the role-ready AI agents supercharge the platform’s capability to create measurable workforce impact at scale.

While role readiness has always been a key L&D objective, rapid shifts in the world of work, driven by macroeconomic trends, industry dynamics, and tech acceleration, have made it a pressing priority for enterprises today. Enthral’s Agentic AI skilling platform, with its newly launched AI Agents for role-readiness, enables HR and L&D teams to instantly transform a job role into a performance-oriented learning journey.

With a simple input of a role, say Fraud Analyst or Retail Relationship Manager, the system generates a complete “show me, try me, test me” path where learners watch how it’s done, practice in safe environments through interactive role-plays and real-time AI coaching, and get tested with AI Proctoring. This performance is assessed, logged, and auditable, giving HR and L&D teams confidence that their teams are ready to perform before stepping out into real-world situations.

What makes the Role-Ready solution especially powerful is that it is both industry- and role-agnostic. Whether in BFSI, manufacturing, retail, healthcare, IT services, or for upskilling customer-facing teams, blue-collar workforce, frontline employees, the platform’s AI Agents ensure all learners are coached and evaluated against the exact demands of their role. Further, the platform’s easy integration with existing HR tech stacks, along with the ability to build and train custom agents for diverse roles and goals, represents the next wave of enterprise skilling. In this model, HR and L&D leaders don’t just deliver training, they become strategic enablers of ROI through faster onboarding, improved compliance, higher productivity, and consistent readiness across distributed teams.

“Enterprises need to move beyond static learning to adaptive role readiness. HR and L&D leaders don’t need more training, they require solutions that give them the confidence that their workforce can perform from day one, making upskilling not just an input, but a demonstrable business outcome,” said Sammir Inamdar, Co-founder and CEO, Enthral.

Globally, the Agentic AI market is projected to grow from USD 7.06 billion in 2025 to USD 93.20 billion by 2032 with a CAGR of 44.6% during the forecast period. As enterprises shift from passive copilots to autonomous agents that drive measurable outcomes, Enthral’s role-ready agents bring this breakthrough to the skilling ecosystem, making workforce readiness not just faster, but smarter.

Bengaluru, 25 August 2025: Bud Ecosystem, an innovation leader behind a hardware-agnostic generative AI software stack, has partnered with NxtGen, India’s sovereign cloud leader renowned for its secure, scalable, and cost-efficient infrastructure and a qualified cloud service provider for the India AI mission. The partnership entails bringing affordable, turnkey GenAI solutions to enterprises across the country.

The collaboration is specifically designed to overcome the twin barriers of high infrastructure costs and scarce in‑house AI expertise that have slowed generative AI adoption. As per the partnership MoU, NxtGen will collaborate with Bud to integrate its flagship AI Foundry into NxtGen’s cloud offerings, enabling customers to provision and manage GenAI workloads through a single, intuitive interface. This integration will allow end customers to avoid relying on a disparate collection of tools, such as performance optimization tools, model registries, compliance checkers, security controls, workflow orchestrators, and analytics dashboards, by delivering all these capabilities through one cohesive platform.

NxtGen recently announced “M,” a next-generation open AI platform designed to transform human intent into real-world outcomes through intelligent, agentic workflows. Positioned as India’s alternative to ChatGPT, “M” delivers sovereign, high-performance AI powered entirely by open systems and hosted on India’s most advanced AI infrastructure. The platform is powered by the Bud Stack. By simplifying the full lifecycle management of GenAI deployments, Bud AI Foundry ensures enterprises can easily adopt GenAI without vendor lock‑in or steep learning curves.

“Most organizations that lack on‑premises AI hardware have been forced to choose between the premium pricing of global cloud providers—often prohibitive for mid‑market players—and the complexity of building bespoke AI clusters in‑house. By combining Bud’s software, which is tuned for cost‑effective infrastructure utilization, with NxtGen’s competitively priced sovereign cloud services, the alliance offers a third way: a pay‑as‑you‑go GenAI environment featuring model‑as‑a‑service capabilities and outcome‑based pricing that undercuts the total cost of ownership on AWS, Azure, or GCP while delivering enterprise‑grade performance,” Linson Joseph, CSO, Bud Ecosystem, said.

Additionally, the joint solution integrates Bud’s hardware-agnostic inference stack for scalable LLM deployment, Bud’s pre-built agents that provide ready-to-use AI capabilities for common business tasks, and the Bud Jr Model Catalogue, which offers compact, efficient models optimized for enterprise and edge deployments.

Beyond software integration, the two companies are committing joint resources to the research and development of India‑focused language models and industry‑specific AI agents. Finance, healthcare, manufacturing, e‑commerce and other verticals will benefit from domain‑specialized SLMs and autonomous agents that understand local regulatory frameworks, linguistic nuances, and sector workflows. This R&D initiative underscores the partners’ shared vision of democratizing advanced AI, tailoring it to the unique needs of Indian businesses, and fostering domestic leadership in generative AI innovation.

Bengaluru, India, August 25, 2025 : As India’s healthcare digital revolution accelerates, Athma, the tech arm incubated under Narayana Health, today launched AIRA, a pioneering AI-powered solution designed to move AI tools from proof-of-concept to real-world clinical impact. AIRA, powered by Athma, is reimagining how clinicians interact with health records by synthesizing patient data into clear, intelligent timelines and enabling smarter, proactive care decisions. The announcement was also graced by chief guests Dr. Alexander Thomas, Former President of AHPI, and Dr. Lallu Joseph, Secretary General of CAHO, who highlighted the importance of such innovations in transforming healthcare.

Leveraging advanced artificial intelligence, AIRA reads through all patient records — digital or scanned — to instantly generate clinical timelines and smart tags, ensuring no critical detail is missed. Clinicians can capture information seamlessly through touch, natural speech, or even ambient listening during consultations, with documentation completed automatically in structured, accurate formats.

“The Intelligent Hospital is no longer a future concept; it’s happening now,” said Dr. Devi Shetty, Founder & Chairman of Narayana Health. “Life after the EMR means technology and clinicians work hand-in-hand, eliminating medical error and making healthcare safer for patients. We are moving beyond systems that simply store data — to ones that interpret, connect, and act on it. With AIRA, ambient intelligence and AI-driven automation are transforming mountains of data into clear insights and fragmented workflows into seamless, patient-focused care. This is the next chapter in intelligent healthcare.”

“AIRA exemplifies how AI can shift healthcare from reactive to proactive,” said Jagadeesh Ramasamy, Head of Products, Athma, “By leveraging predictive analytics and continuous monitoring, we’re enabling hospitals to prevent crises before they happen — shifting the focus from emergency response to early intervention. This rewires the entire healthcare system by empowering clinicians with timely intelligence — a critical step toward building smarter, future-ready hospitals”, he added.

India’s Healthcare Digital Revolution and AI’s Growing Impact

India’s healthcare sector is set to grow from USD 1.10 billion in 2022 to USD 5.15 billion by 2030. While as per recent industry reports, telemedicine, AI, and digital records drive this change, doctors still spend nearly 6 hours daily on electronic health records, often exceeding their patient-facing time — with 91% report working beyond office hours, contributing to burnout.

Athma: Shaping Smarter Hospitals and Empowering Doctors

Built on the rich clinical learnings of Narayana Health, Athma is creating the digital backbone for Smart Hospitals. Its innovative solutions have reduced documentation time by 40% and accelerated lab reports by up to 80%, freeing clinicians to focus on care. With AI-driven reports and auto-generated discharge summaries, Athma makes hospital workflows faster, structured, and more efficient. Additionally, it’s flagship mobile apps – Athma Care (for patients), Aadi (for doctors), Namah (for Nurses) and Aham (for admin) are transforming how every key stakeholder experiences healthcare, making Athma a true game-changer.

As part of this journey, Athma curated AIRA, an AI layer atop its EMR. AIRA automates documentation through natural language input, real-time listening, and clinical timelines, reducing burnout and boosting accuracy. Looking ahead, AIRA will drive real-time risk predictions and proactive alerts, integrate with wearables and external health records, and offer a unified 360° patient view across the continuum of care. These capabilities will help power the precision hospitals of the future, where technology doesn’t just support care — it anticipates needs, drives outcomes, and redefines patient journeys. Together, Athma and AIRA are shaping a future-ready, patient-centric healthcare ecosystem for India.

“Healthcare is undergoing a fundamental transformation — moving from intuition-based approaches to data-augmented, intelligent care,” said Dr. Emmanuel Rupert, MD & Group CEO, Narayana Health. “At Narayana Health, we have developed Athmaas as more than just an EMR platform; it is a foundational technology that integrates advanced AI to transform how clinical data is managed and utilized.
Through Athma, we are creating an intelligent healthcare ecosystem where data flows seamlessly to support proactive, personalized care. This empowers our clinicians with deeper insights, greater efficiency, and ultimately better outcomes for our patients. We believe Athma will not only transform care delivery within Narayana Health but also lead India’s journey toward a smarter, AI-driven healthcare future.”

The announcement also witnessed gatherings from key industry players across the healthcare sector, alongside engaging panel discussions. Experts from India and abroad shared insights on overcoming barriers in healthcare data utilization and building future-proof hospital technology stacks, highlighting how AI and digital tools are bridging gaps between data availability and actionable clinical decisions -a vital part of India’s broader healthcare digital transformation.

August 22, 2025: Data Security Council of India (DSCI) today released a compendium of reports on Emerging Computing pathways. The compendium in three parts reveal India’s strategic positioning in neuromorphic, quantum, and photonic computing technologies that can overcome traditional computing limitations. The analysis maps India’s ecosystem development, government initiatives, and market opportunities in computing paradigms offering energy efficiency and performance improvements, positioning the nation for leadership in the next decade of technological innovation.

The study on Decoding Quantum Computing: Trends, Players & Opportunities provides comprehensive insights into an industry experiencing rapid technological evolution, with detailed analysis of hardware advancements, qubit technologies, and software stack developments. The report demonstrates how India’s National Quantum Mission and strategic research initiatives are creating opportunities while examining the complete global supply chain ecosystem and emerging patent landscapes.

The study on Brains of the Future: Advancing Neuromorphic Computing in India reveals how brain-inspired processing architectures can be transitioned from research concepts to commercial applications, with India positioning itself as a key player in this energy-efficient computing revolution. The analysis maps the global and Indian technology ecosystem highlighting strategic partnerships and government initiatives that are accelerating developments.

And the report on Photonic Computing: Technology, Market, and Adoption Trends examines how light-based processing can overcome the speed, energy, and scalability barriers of traditional electronics. With detailed market analysis and industry-specific applications, the study reveals India’s growing ecosystem contributions and government-funded initiatives that are positioning the nation in this transformative computing paradigm capable of performance improvements.

Launching the reports, Vinayak Godse, CEO, DSCI, said, “With the current pace of breakthroughs, traditional semiconductor-based computing will be complemented with hybrid computing that can solve the problem of energy consumption and processing speed. These reports published today and along with AI in Physical World share insights on how increasing computing power will revolutionize efficiency through multiple converging technologies.”

As businesses become increasingly data-driven, the demand for skilled Data Analysts has skyrocketed across industries such as technology, finance, healthcare, and e-commerce. Whether you’re a student, a working professional pivoting into analytics, or someone seeking to advance into data-centric leadership roles, the right platform can fast-track your journey. These five platforms stand out for their curriculum quality, mentorship, hands-on training, and career outcomes in the field of Data Analytics:

NextLeap – NextLeap has expanded beyond Product Management to offer fellowship-style programs in Data Analytics, designed for early-career professionals. The platform emphasizes hands-on learning through real-world datasets, cohort-based classes, and mentorship from industry experts. With its outcome-driven structure, learners gain practical skills in SQL, Python, Excel, and visualization tools like Tableau and Power BI. Affordable pricing, placement support, and a strong peer community make NextLeap an attractive choice for those starting out in analytics careers.

Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate – Offered via Coursera, Google’s Data Analytics Professional Certificate is among the most recognized entry-level programs worldwide. It provides a solid foundation in spreadsheets, SQL, R programming, data visualization, and business problem-solving. The self-paced program includes practical projects, case studies, and portfolio-building exercises. With a globally acknowledged certificate backed by Google, it’s ideal for students and working professionals seeking an industry-recognized credential at an accessible cost.

upGrad- upGrad offers a Post Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics in collaboration with top universities such as Purdue University and IITs. The program blends academic content, case studies, and industry sessions, along with one-on-one mentorship. Covering tools like Python, SQL, and visualization dashboards, the course caters to working professionals aiming to transition into data-centric roles or upskill for career growth. With strong placement assistance and networking opportunities, upGrad is positioned as a premium option for mid-career learners.

Emeritus- Emeritus partners with leading global institutions such as MIT, Columbia, and IIMs to deliver executive-level Data Analytics programs. Designed for professionals aiming to move into leadership or strategy roles, Emeritus programs combine academic rigor with business-oriented case studies. Delivered in a hybrid model, the courses focus on advanced analytics, data-driven decision-making, and leadership in digital transformation. The strong brand credibility of partner institutions makes Emeritus particularly appealing to experienced managers and executives seeking global recognition.

Hyderabad, 21st August 2025: Duracell, the world’s leading manufacturer of high-performance alkaline batteries, specialty cells, and rechargeables, has launched its new range of Duracell Lithium Coin Battery in India, available in three sizes — CR2025, CR2016, and CR2032. With this launch, Duracell now also offers bitter coating along with child resistant packaging into some of its lithium coin batteries, combining trusted performance with a safety-first approach designed for modern households in order to help reducing battery ingestions by young children.

Accidental ingestion of button batteries can pose a serious health risk to young children requiring immediate medical attention. These small, shiny batteries are commonly found in household devices, making them easily accessible to curious young children. Despite growing safety concerns, most products available in the Indian market still lack protective features that could reduce the risks.

Duracell is addressing this issue head-on with a solution that prioritizes both performance and protection. The range of lithium coin batteries features a safety-first design:

• A unique non-toxic bitter coating on the battery surface specifically developed to discourage ingestion with release of bitter taste when in contact with saliva.

• A tamper-proof double blister packaging that requires scissors to open, making it virtually impossible for children to access the battery on their own for kids below 6 years.

These child safety features are reinforced through visual safety identifiers, such as the “child spitting out” symbol, “bitter coating” label and clear on-pack warnings, enabling parents to instantly recognize the specific range of Lithium coin batteries reaffirming Duracell’s position as a brand that not only provides products which deliver long lasting power but also leads in helping to prevent accidental child ingestion.

Duracell offers two ranges of child-safe lithium coin batteries across CR2032, CR2025, and CR2016

Range with Child-Resistant Packaging – We already started the path of child security by supplying a battery that comes in a tamper-proof double blister pack that can only be opened with scissors. Designed to be difficult for children to access, the packaging is clearly marked with safety warnings and is available across key battery sizes.

Range with Bitter Coating along with Child Resistant packaging – A new innovative range of lithium coin batteries that combines child-resistant packaging with a non-toxic bitter coating on the battery surface itself to discourage swallowing.

Both ranges are suitable for a wide variety of devices including key fobs, small remotes, scales, wearables, sensors, and medical devices like glucometers and thermometers, as well as sports gear and home security systems. With an in-storage guarantee of up to 10 years, it’s a dependable choice for both everyday and essential electronics.

Speaking about the new range, Sunil Gadgil, General Manager, Duracell India said, “At Duracell, safety and performance go hand in hand. As a brand trusted by families across the world, we are constantly innovating to meet real-life challenges. The accidental ingestion of lithium coin batteries is a serious concern for parents, and as the number of devices that require lithium coin batteries rises, the child safety risk associated with coin battery ingestion also grows accordingly. Parents/caregivers should ensure that Lithium coin batteries are kept out of reach of young children at all times and battery compartment of devices are safely secure. To prevent children from getting their hands on the Lithium coin batteries out from the packaging, all Duracell Lithium coin batteries are packed in child resistant packaging. For additional layer of defense against accidental lithium coin ingestion, we’ve designed our new Lithium Coin Battery range by pairing a non-toxic bitter layer with tamper-proof packaging. It’s a category defining launch in India’s battery segment — one that reflects our proactive approach to helping consumer safety along with the long-lasting power Duracell is known for.

We’re also proudly partnering with European Academy of Paediatrics (EAP) since 2023 to raise awareness of the dangers related to battery ingestion. The partnership comprises of prevention campaigns for parents, and we are also addressing paediatricians, particularly EAP members, and other health care professionals to improve their knowledge about detection, treatment and cure.”

Sania Mirza, Indian Former Tennis Player said, “As a parent, the safety of our children is always top of mind. That’s exactly why I’m supporting the #BunnyKids campaign by Duracell— because spreading awareness is the first step towards building safer homes. It’s about being more mindful, more informed, and helping fellow parents take small but significant actions that help keeping their little ones safe.”

The new Duracell Lithium Coin Battery range is currently available exclusively on Amazon India. With a strong focus on child safety, innovative packaging, and trusted performance, Duracell is not just delivering power but leading a safety-first movement in India’s lithium coin battery space. By prioritizing protection in product design, the brand is raising awareness and setting a new benchmark for innovation in the battery industry.

21 August 2025: Umiya Buildcon Limited a publicly listed dual-sector company, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with A2000 Solutions Private Limited (A2K) to launch structured drone and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) training infrastructure under the Tamil Nadu Future Technology Hubs (TNFTH) initiative. This game-changing approach supports the Tamil Nadu government’s vision to position the state as a global hub for next-generation technologies and skilled talent. By embedding industry-aligned drone training within TNFTH, the partnership marks a strategic step in advancing skilling, innovation, and regional economic growth.

TNFTH is potentially Asia’s first integrated hub to unite seven cutting-edge emerging technologies: Artificial Intelligence, Cyber security, Drone technology, Electric Vehicles, Internet of Things (IoT) & sensors, 5G, and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP). Under the partnership, hubs will be set up across 10 key locations in Tamil Nadu, starting with Tirunelveli. The vision behind TNFTH is to build a unified platform that fosters next-generation skilling, innovation, and entrepreneurship across emerging technologies. By integrating multiple high-impact domains into a single ecosystem, the initiative aims to equip India’s young workforce with practical, future-ready capabilities. The goal is to expand access to advanced technology education, strengthen regional talent pipelines, and support the development of a knowledge-driven economy, beginning in Tamil Nadu and with a potential for broader national impact.

Each specialised drone training lab will deliver immersive, industry-ready learning through a 100-hour blended programme that combines classroom instruction, live demonstrations and practical sessions along with soft skills equipping learners with market-relevant competencies and applied expertise in drone and UAV technology. The training initiative is tailored to meet the workforce needs of several industries where drones are becoming indispensable. The primary applications of drone and UAV technologies span agriculture mapping and measurement, construction and infrastructure monitoring, energy and utility inspection, security and surveillance, search and rescue operations, insurance risk assessment, logistics and delivery, real estate and media aerial videography, manufacturing and warehousing, environmental conservation, and telecommunications. These growing use cases are reshaping operational efficiencies and creating new roles that require both technical acumen and regulatory awareness.

“Drone and UAV technologies are moving quickly from niche to necessity across industries. Through this initiative, we’re creating a strong training foundation that focuses on real-world skills and practical deployment. If the model works well in Tamil Nadu, it can grow into something much larger, both geographically and across sectors. It also opens the door to working more closely with academic and government partners who are aligned on building future-ready capabilities,” said Aniruddha Mehta, Chairman and Managing Director, Umiya Buildcon Limited.

The TNFTH drone labs will contribute to Tamil Nadu’s larger vision of becoming a trillion-dollar economy by 2030. The Department of Information Technology and Digital Services aims to expand information technology (IT) and IT-enabled services (ITeS) into Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities by leveraging local talent and infrastructure. The tech hubs are expected to support the creation of 25 lakh high-income jobs, foster a technology-savvy workforce, catalyse the start-up ecosystem, and drive innovation-led economic activity across local and regional markets.

“These drone labs are more than training facilities; they are gateways to producing a high-quality tech-enabled workforce for economic growth. The engagement is a clear reflection of our strategic focus on contributing to India’s technology and talent transformation. By aligning with the Tamil Nadu Government’s TNFTH initiative, we’re strengthening our presence in high-impact sectors and actively supporting the creation of future-ready infrastructure. This collaboration will enable us to deliver long-term value through capital-efficient, socially relevant initiatives that complement our diversified business strategy,” said Group Captain CS Krishnadas (Retd), Chief Operating Officer, Umiya Buildcon Limited.

Umiya Buildcon’s involvement demonstrates its commitment to building a strong presence in high-growth, technology-led sectors. Aligned with the company’s long-term focus on education and skilling, the partnership will enable Umiya to contribute meaningfully to India’s growing need for specialised talent. The drone training labs exemplify Umiya’s approach to value creation, delivering measurable impact through capital-efficient initiatives, while also strengthening its hybrid strategy and powering the company’s diversified business roadmap.

By fostering closer collaboration between stakeholders, government bodies, and academic institutions, this initiative will help create a high-impact ecosystem for applied research, innovation, and workforce readiness. It aims to lay the foundation for a scalable model of skill development in high-demand technology sectors. It will also reinforce Tamil Nadu’s leadership in technology education and advanced industrial capabilities, in line with the state’s broader vision to become a regional nucleus for next-generation industry growth.

New Delhi, August 20, 2025 – Today, HP introduced the OMEN 16, its latest next-gen AI gaming laptop in India, built for gamers who require high-performance gaming and customization. Equipped with the latest Intel^[iii]® Core™ Ultra or AMD Ryzen™ AI processors, and up to NVIDIA® GeForce 12GB RTX™ 5070 Ti Laptop GPU, the OMEN 16 delivers the processing power and graphical performance gamers need for today’s most demanding titles.

The OMEN 16 is built with a focus on intelligent performance and advanced cooling. Powered by OMEN AI and Unleashed Mode, the laptop automatically enhances performance and manages thermals in real time, ensuring consistently high frame rates and responsive gameplay. The system offers up to 170W Total Processor Power and 115W GPU support, setting a new benchmark for gaming laptops. To support extended gaming sessions, OMEN 16 introduces a revamped cooling system. The laptop comes with a new fan cleaning technology that reverses the fan to remove dust, controlled through OMEN Gaming Hub. By preventing dust accumulation, the cooling system stays efficient, enabling the CPU and GPU to deliver peak performance over extended gaming sessions. Despite its powerful performance, the device operates at 46 dBA, minimizing noise while keeping the system cool.

“Gamers require devices that can deliver top-tier performance while maintaining reliable cooling for uninterrupted play. At HP, we continue to push the boundaries of innovation to deliver devices that are purpose-built for the evolving needs of gamers. With AI at the core of the new OMEN 16, we’re offering intelligent performance, immersive personalization, and thermal breakthroughs that redefine gaming experiences,” said Vineet Gehani – Senior Director (Personal Systems), HP India.

The new Omen 16 offers personalization through the OMEN Gaming Hub, enabling gamers to fine-tune system settings, power modes, and cooling preferences for tailored experiences. With customizable per-key RGB lighting and an optional RGB light bar, both fully adjustable via OMEN Light Studio, players can synchronize their device’s aesthetics with their unique gaming style.

HP OMEN 16 – Key Features:

• Thermal Engineering Excellence: Features Tempest Cooling with expanded fan gaps, vapor chamber cooling, and heat phase redistribution for consistent performance at 46 dBA.
• Immersive Visuals and Eye Comfort: Boasts a 16-inch QHD (2560×1600) display^[iv] with 240Hz refresh rate, 3ms response time^[v], and 500 nits brightness. The 100% sRGB coverage ensures vibrant, color-accurate gameplay, while Eyesafe® certification minimizes blue light exposure to reduce eye strain during long sessions^[vi].
• Built in clarity: The integrated FHD webcam^[vii] delivers crisp video quality, enhanced by noise reduction for clearer calls and better performance in low-light conditions.
• Fast Charging, Lasting Play: The 6-cell 83Wh battery supports HP Fast Charge, reaching 50% in ~30 minutes^[viii], ideal for on-the-go gaming.
• Built for the Modern Gamer: Runs on Windows 11^[ix], enabling a smooth, intuitive experience with productivity-enhancing features like Snap Layouts and Microsoft Store integration.
• Sustainable Design: Built with ocean-bound plastics^[x] in the speaker enclosure and bezel, and post-consumer recycled plastic in keyboard keycaps and scissors. ENERGY STAR® certified and EPEAT® registered, reinforcing HP’s environmental commitment.

 HP OMEN 16

Aligned with HP’s sustainability goals, the new OMEN 16 is made using ocean-bound plastics in the speaker enclosures and bezels, and post-consumer recycled plastic in the keyboard^[xi] components. The laptop is ENERGY STAR® certified and EPEAT® registered, reflecting HP’s continued commitment to designing for a lower environmental impact.

India Aug. 20, 2025 : Hitachi Vantara, the data storage, infrastructure and hybrid cloud management subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd. announced the availability of Virtual Storage Platform One Software-Defined Storage (VSP One SDS) in the Microsoft Azure Marketplace, an online store that provides applications and services for use on Azure. Hitachi Vantara customers can now take advantage of the productive and trusted Azure cloud platform, with streamlined deployment and management. The update gives enterprises the ability to manage and protect data across Azure and on-premises systems, with built-in provisioning, compression and replication capabilities that can reduce operational complexity and help control cloud costs.

This expansion comes as organizations face mounting pressure to do more with less. According to IDC*, 82% of cloud buyers said their cloud requires modernization, with challenges such as skills gaps, staffing shortages and the complexity of managing hybrid and multicloud environments. That inefficiency, combined with the rapid growth of data and limited visibility across hybrid environments, has led to billions of dollars in unnecessary spending and a growing push for automation, governance and tighter cost control.

To help address these challenges, VSP One SDS now offers support for Azure, enabling users to provision, manage and protect storage through a single control plane, powered by Hitachi Vantara’s VSP 360 unified management software solution. This centralized management layer simplifies operations across on-premises and cloud environments without the need to retool or rewrite applications. Built-in thin provisioning and enterprise-grade compression can help reduce cloud storage costs by up to 40%, while two-way asynchronous replication supports disaster recovery, improves uptime and speeds recovery during outages. These capabilities allow teams to migrate, test and scale workloads across environments without disruption, enabling faster DevOps cycles, more agile infrastructure planning and more resilient business continuity. The platform also delivers always-on availability and high performance at scale, backed by a long-standing track record of trust.

“Enterprises are under pressure to modernize infrastructure without disrupting what already works,” said Octavian Tanase, chief product officer, Hitachi Vantara. “By bringing VSP One to Microsoft Azure, we’re helping Azure customers extend the value of their existing investments while introducing new levels of resiliency, efficiency and simplicity. Our partner ecosystem plays a critical role in enabling that flexibility by helping organizations move at their own pace while keeping costs and complexity in check.”

The addition of Azure support also gives Hitachi Vantara customers and partners greater flexibility and choice when planning and deploying hybrid cloud environments. With Azure cloud integration as a consistent foundation, organizations can enhance protection, improve operational efficiency and maximize the value of existing Hitachi Vantara storage. This seamless connectivity supports a more agile, resilient approach to hybrid IT, backed by trusted partners who can provide the expertise and support needed to simplify implementation and scale at pace.

“Microsoft Azure Marketplace welcomes Hitachi Vantara’s VSP One, which joins a cloud marketplace landscape offering flexibility and economic value while transacting tens of billions of dollars a year in revenues,” said Jake Zborowski, general manager, Microsoft Azure Platform at Microsoft Corp. “Thanks to Azure Marketplace and partners like Hitachi Vantara, customers can do more with less by increasing efficiency, buying confidently and spending smarter.”

The broader VSP One platform serves as a unified foundation for block, file and object storage across on-premises systems and the cloud. This gives organizations a consistent experience wherever data resides, helping reduce silos, improve visibility and simplify operations in hybrid environments. VSP One is engineered for continuous availability, with a target of 99.999% uptime to help minimize downtime and reduce the need for redundant infrastructure. That level of reliability supports native data movement between environments and enables business continuity without the burden of re-architecture or duplication.

These advancements are part of a strategy to unify data operations and simplify management across hybrid and distributed environments through the VSP One platform. It builds on prior support for block and object storage and the launch of VSP 360, which adds centralized automation, visibility and control to help organizations manage data more consistently across cloud and on-premises systems.

The Azure Marketplace is an online market for buying and selling cloud solutions certified to run on Azure. The Azure Marketplace helps connect companies seeking innovative, cloud-based solutions with partners who have developed solutions that are ready to use.

Additional Resources

1. Data Sheet: Top 10 Reasons Why: Hybrid-Cloud-Ready Software-Defined Storage for Distributed Block Applications
2. Buyer’s Guide: Buyer’s Guide to Hitachi Vantara Virtual Storage Platform One SDS
3. Press Release: Hitachi Vantara Announces Virtual Storage Platform One’s Availability on Google Cloud Marketplace to Strengthen Hybrid Cloud Data Management
4. Press Release: Hitachi Vantara Unveils New Virtual Storage Platform One Capabilities to Enable Stronger Cyber Resilience, Performance and Sustainability
5. Press Release: Hitachi Vantara Launches Virtual Storage Platform 360, a New Data Management Software Solution that Delivers a Simplified, Streamlined Experience
6. Blog: The VSP One Data Platform Meets its Data Management Counterpart: Introducing VSP 360
7. Blog: Growing Our Platform, to Help You Grow Your Business

Ayodhya, August 18, 2025: The Bharat Solar Yatra by YouTuber Purushottam Pandey was flagged off on 15th August, marking the 79th Independence Day of India, from Ayodhya. The Yatra carries a mission to spread awareness about the advantages of solar energy and to promote the Prime Minister’s Har Ghar Surya Yojana and PM-KUSUM Yojana—initiatives that aim to transform India into a Viksit Bharat.

The Yatra will travel approximately 25,000 kilometers across most districts of India over the course of 180 days.

The initiative is supported by INTER TECH, a company that provides Marconite earthing solutions designed to perform for more than 50 years—ensuring safety and reliability that complements the life of a high-quality solar system.

A representative of INTER TECH said:
“The Bharat Solar Yatra shows how renewable energy and Made in India solutions must go together. Our focus is on safe and durable Marconite earthing systems that make solar installations truly reliable.”

Mr. Arun Tripathi, Advisor, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Delhi, said:
“This Yatra is a commendable effort to connect citizens with schemes like Har Ghar Surya and PM-KUSUM. Public awareness is key to making solar energy a household reality.”

Starting on Independence Day, Purushottam Pandey’s initiative is expected to inspire citizens across the country to adopt solar panel systems and practice energy conservation. The Bharat Solar Yatra is not just a journey—it is a step towards building a cleaner, safer, and self-reliant energy future for the nation.