New Delhi,  Mar 31 : Krvvy, a function-first women’s innerwear brand, has launched its All-Day Shaper Shorts, strengthening its presence in the everyday shapewear category. This is coming at a time when comfort-led design is reshaping how shapewear is worn and experienced. The move taps into a decisive shift in the innerwear market, where performance, ease, and all-day wearability are becoming the new baseline.

 Krvvy’s All-Day Shaper Shorts is an everyday wear that offers light to mid-level compression that delivers subtle shaping while allowing ease of movement across daily routines, from long work hours to travel and social outings. Designed for the modern consumer who expects comfort, flexibility, and performance in equal measure, the product prioritises wearability without compromising on support. Crafted from a breathable blend of 67% polyamide and 33% elastane, the fabric is engineered to move with the body while maintaining shape retention through extended wear.

A key differentiator lies in its bonded construction, a smooth, stitch-free finish, making the garment virtually invisible under skirts, dresses, and workwear. The high-waist, upper-thigh silhouette is designed to contour the body and stay in place, addressing common category concerns such as rolling waistbands and discomfort during prolonged use. 

Commenting on the launch, Yash Goyal, Co-Founder & CEO, Krvvy, said, 

 “The biggest challenge was getting the balance right. Most shapewear either supports or feels comfortable, rarely both. We focused on bonded construction to eliminate seams, and a fabric that adapts to the body rather than working against it. The goal was to create something women can wear for hours without constantly adjusting or feeling restricted. With All-Day Shaper Shorts, shapewear becomes invisible not just under clothing, but in how it feels.”

Anant Bhardwaj, Co-Founder, Krvvy, added that the shift toward comfort-led innerwear is becoming more pronounced.

 “Customer feedback played a big role in shaping this product. Women in our focus group told us they wanted shapewear that isn’t too long or too short, stays invisible under dresses, and still delivers the right level of compression. That balance is exactly what we’ve aimed to achieve. Everyday shapewear is clearly evolving into a comfort-first, practical category.”

The All-Day Shaper Shorts are priced at INR 1499 and are available on the company website and e-commerce platforms namely Amazon, Myntra and Nykaa.The product is offered across sizes S – 5XL, catering to a diverse range of body types.

This launch builds on Krvvy’s recent introduction of the TrueForm Bra, as the brand continues to expand its portfolio of function-first innerwear designed for everyday comfort, versatility, and confidence. 

Founded in 2023, Krvvy has since raised INR 7.2 crore to date and reported revenue of approximately INR 6 crore as of September in the current financial year, with a projected target of INR 15 crore for the full year. The company is currently expanding its product portfolio and strengthening its reach across India through its digital-first channels.

The Government of Odisha will celebrate ‘Odia Pakhya’ from April 1 to April 14 with the aim of promoting the state’s rich cultural heritage, traditions, lifestyle, food, and attire on a wider platform.

Announcing the initiative at a press conference held at Sanskruti Bhawan, Culture Minister Suryabanshi Suraj said that a series of events will be organized across all districts of the state, including the capital city Bhubaneswar, with active participation from various government departments.

The celebration will begin on April 1 with Utkal Divas, observed by the Information and Public Relations Department. On April 2, the School and Mass Education Department will mark ‘Khadi Chuan Day’, welcoming young children enrolling in early education.

On April 3, the Handlooms, Textiles, and Handicrafts Department will promote traditional attire through ‘Ama Poshak Ama Parichaya’ (Our Dress, Our Identity) Day. This will be followed by a campaign on April 4 encouraging the use of Odia language in signboards.

To highlight heritage and fitness, a heritage run will be organized near historical sites on April 5, along with a cleanliness drive on April 6.

Further events include Children’s Storytelling Day on April 7, a blood donation drive on April 8, and a book-buying campaign on April 9 to encourage reading habits. April 10 will be dedicated to folk arts, celebrating Odisha’s traditional art forms.

The programme will continue with cultural events such as ‘Amrutapidhi Samaroha’ on April 11 and ‘Bandaniya Baraputra’ on April 12, honoring notable personalities.

On April 13, ‘Ama Ruchi Ama Khadya Day’ will focus on promoting traditional and local cuisine, highlighting Odisha’s diverse food culture.

The ‘Odia Pakhya’ initiative reflects the state government’s efforts to preserve and promote Odia identity, while engaging people across all sections of society in celebrating their cultural roots.

New Delhi, India, March 31 – The Panasonic Harit Umang Program has received the India Green Award 2026 under the “Sustainability Education & Training Providers” category, recognizing its contribution to sustainability education, environmental awareness, and responsible waste management practices across India. This recognition highlights the program’s pivotal role in inspiring schools, students, educators, and communities to drive meaningful grassroots change, transforming practices in e-waste management, dry cell battery recycling, and sustainable living on a wide scale.

Over the past two years, the initiative has been implemented by Focalyt, a skill-tech organization specializing in education-led capacity building and community development. The program has delivered structured interventions including awareness sessions, training workshops, collection drives, competitions, and outreach campaigns. It has reached thousands of students and stakeholders, enabling informed environmental action and fostering strong community participation through a collaborative approach with educational institutions and local ecosystems, aligned with national sustainability priorities.

Saurabh Gupta, Lead Environmental and Sustainability Affairs, Panasonic India said, “This recognition underscores the importance of sustained efforts by Panasonic in advancing sustainability education in India. Through the Harit Umang Program, we are focused on driving awareness that translates into everyday action. Engaging students and communities remain central to fostering long-term environmental responsibility. Our continued emphasis on critical areas such as e-waste management and recycling awareness, supported by strong partnerships, has enabled deeper and more consistent outreach. Going forward, we will continue to strengthen education-led engagement to drive meaningful and lasting behavioural changes.”

Zeba Kazmi, Zonal Head, Focalyt, added, “The program has been driven by sustained, on-ground engagement across schools and communities, with a strong focus on translating awareness into action. This has helped embed environmental responsibility as an ongoing practice. Sustaining long-term impact will depend on maintaining consistency and relevance across diverse environments.”

The award was received by Saurabh Gupta, Environment Lead, Panasonic, along with Zeba Kazmi, Zonal Head, Focalyt, and presented by Shyam Sunder Paliwal, a renowned environmentalist and Padma Shri awardee, known for his exceptional contribution to environmental conservation and community-led sustainability initiatives, at Labhgarh Palace, in the presence of sustainability leaders and experts.

The Panasonic Harit Umang Program continues to expand its engagement across schools and communities, with a focus on strengthening awareness-led interventions and encouraging responsible environmental practices. A key strength of the initiative lies in its collaborative approach, working closely with educational institutions, partners, and communities to create scalable and sustainable impact. The program is also working towards improving participation in collection and recycling efforts, while reinforcing practical understanding of sustainable behaviours. Its implementation remains aligned with national environmental priorities and regulatory frameworks, supporting consistent environmental learning and enabling deeper community-level adoption of responsible practices across regions.

New Delhi, Mar 31: Bharti Airtel (NSE: BHARTIARTL) (“Airtel”), today announced an investment of US$ 1 Billion by Alpha Wave Global, Carlyle (NASDAQ: CG) and Anchorage Capital, through their affiliates, in Nxtra Data Limited (“Nxtra”), a subsidiary of Bharti Airtel engaged in the data center business, to expand its network across India and accelerate growth. Airtel will also participate in this round.

As part of the pact, Alpha Wave Global will invest US$435 million, Carlyle US$240 million, and Anchorage Capital US$35 million, with the rest being infused by Airtel. The investors’ final shareholding will be subject to finalized post-closing adjustments. Airtel will continue to retain a controlling stake in Nxtra. The deal is subject to regulatory approvals in India.

Nxtra – the first data center company in India to deploy AI at scale for predictive maintenance, energy efficiency, and automated operations – intends to deploy proceeds from the fund infusion to accelerate its growth plans. It plans to extensively scale its infrastructure and broaden its portfolio of services, catering to the evolving needs of enterprises, hyperscalers, and government organisations across the country.

India’s data center sector is currently witnessing rapid growth, driven by accelerating digital transformation across enterprises, rising adoption of cloud services, and expanding demand from hyperscalers. According to a Savills India report, India’s data center market is expected to grow at a CAGR of around 21% between 2024 and 2030 to reach nearly 3,400 MW of IT capacity.

“At Nxtra, we have built one of India’s most advanced and sustainable data center networks, designed to meet the evolving needs of enterprises, hyperscalers, and government. With ~300 MW capacity today, we aim to scale to 1 GW in the next few years, targeting ~25% market share,” Gopal Vittal, Executive Vice Chairman, Airtel, said.

Strategic partnerships with global investors and technology leaders are central to our growth roadmap, enabling us to accelerate expansion, harness world-class expertise, and deliver next-generation digital infrastructure solutions at scale. With strong market demand, we are committed to stepping up investments and strengthening India’s position as a leading data center hub.”

“We have built a strong partnership with Airtel and continue to believe Nxtra is well-positioned to benefit from India’s long-term digital infrastructure tailwinds. The company has made significant progress in expanding its capabilities, strengthening customer relationships and building a scalable platform, and we look forward to further working with Airtel and Nxtra’s management team to build the company into one of the largest datacenter players in India,” said Kapil Modi, Partner at Carlyle India Advisors.

Rick Gerson, Co-Founder & CIO, Alpha Wave Global, said, “Alpha Wave has a particular focus on identifying and backing AI-first businesses including Anthropic, OpenAI, Cerebras, SpaceX, X.ai, Ramp, Cognition and Long Lake Management. We are excited to partner with Mr. Sunil Mittal and the Bharti Group — a franchise defined by outstanding leadership and a remarkable track record of executing at scale alongside institutional investors – as Nxtra scales to become India’s leading data center business.”

Navroz D. Udwadia, Co-Founder, Alpha Wave Global, added, “India has an immense AI opportunity ahead of it — Indians already meaningfully interact with and on Chat GPT, Claude and other AI platforms. As such India is set to see its data center capacity grow meaningfully to keep up with hyperscaler and LLM demand.”

Headquartered in New Delhi, Nxtra operates 14 large core data centers and 120+ edge facilities across India, offering co-location, cloud infrastructure, managed hosting, data backup, disaster recovery, and edge computing services. It has a state-of-the-art facility in Pune and is developing additional AI-ready campuses in Chennai, Mumbai, and Kolkata. Nxtra has recently partnered with Google to build a gigawatt-scale AI data center campus, backed by a $15-billion investment.

New Delhi: The Government of India has approved 75 applications under the Electronics Components Manufacturing Scheme (ECMS), marking a major boost to the country’s electronics manufacturing sector.

Originally, the scheme aimed to attract investments worth ₹59,350 crore. However, approvals have already surpassed this target, reaching ₹61,671 crore, reflecting strong interest from both domestic and international companies.

The ECMS is designed to strengthen India’s capabilities in manufacturing key electronic components and reduce dependence on imports. It also seeks to position the country as a global hub for electronics production by encouraging large-scale investments and building a robust supply chain.

In terms of output, the scheme had set a production target of ₹4.56 lakh crore. Current approvals are expected to generate production close to ₹4.51 lakh crore, indicating that the initiative is on track to meet its goals.

Several leading companies have committed significant investments under the scheme. Dixon Display plans to invest ₹1,100 crore in display module sub-assemblies, while Syrma Strategic Electronics will invest ₹588 crore in laminates and flexible PCBs. Munoth Lithium Battery Pvt. Ltd. is set to invest ₹500 crore in Andhra Pradesh.

Other firms such as Vikas Components India, Wangda, O/E/N India Ltd., BG Electricals and Electronics, and Terminal Technologies have also announced investments across various electronic components. Additionally, companies like Lohum Cleantech, ASM Technologies, Indo-MIM Ltd., and Bharat FIH are contributing substantial capital to expand manufacturing capacity.

According to the Ministry of Electronics and IT, these investments are expected to enhance domestic production, create employment opportunities, and strengthen India’s position in the global electronics value chain.

The ECMS initiative highlights the government’s continued focus on building a self-reliant and globally competitive electronics industry.

New Delhi: The final trading day of the financial year 2025–26 turned out to be highly unfavorable for both the currency and stock markets in India. The Indian rupee weakened sharply, crossing the 95 mark against the US dollar for the first time in history.

This means that more than ₹95 was required to purchase one US dollar during the day’s trading. The sharp depreciation reflects growing pressure on the domestic currency amid global and domestic uncertainties.

One of the key factors behind the decline is the ongoing geopolitical tension in the Middle East, which has now entered its fifth week. The conflict has pushed up global crude oil prices, increasing India’s import bill. At the same time, foreign investors have been pulling money out of Indian markets, adding further strain on both the rupee and equity markets.

As a result, concerns are rising over higher inflation and weakening financial stability in the country.

The rupee had already closed at a record low of 94.81 against the dollar last Friday. On the latest trading day, it opened stronger at 93.59 but quickly lost ground, slipping to as low as 95.20 during intra-day trade. However, possible intervention by the Reserve Bank of India helped the currency recover slightly, allowing it to settle at 94.83 by the end of the session.

To curb volatility, the central bank had recently tightened rules for banks dealing in foreign exchange. It capped their daily net open foreign exchange positions at $100 million and instructed compliance by April 10. While the move initially supported the rupee, the relief proved short-lived.

Meanwhile, the stock market also faced heavy selling pressure, with the Sensex tumbling 1,635 points, reflecting investor anxiety and capital outflows.

Overall, during the financial year 2025–26, the rupee has depreciated by around 11.4% against the US dollar—marking one of its steepest declines in over a decade.

Sony SAB’s Itti Si Khushi is set to take an intriguing turn with the entry of actor Bhumika Gurung, who joins the show as Saara Sethi, a character that brings glamour, unpredictability and a storm of emotions into the narrative. Known for her striking presence and layered personality, Saara’s arrival is set to disrupt relationships and shift the course of the story in unexpected ways.

Bhumika Gurung’s character Saara is a successful hotelier and a high-society South Mumbai personality known for her sharp mind, eccentric charm and unapologetically bold attitude. Stylish, witty and often unpredictable, Saara carries an air of confidence that is both captivating and intimidating, while beneath the surface lies a complex emotional world. Her entry brings her face-to-face with Virat, with whom she shares a history. As she re-enters his life, Saara shakes the world of Virat and Anvita, setting the stage for a tense and unpredictable turn in their journey.

Speaking about her role, Bhumika Gurung shared, 

“Saara is unlike any character I’ve played before. What fascinates me is how unpredictable she is, and that’s what makes her so exciting. On the surface, she’s glamorous, confident, and in control, but underneath that is a deeply complex and emotionally driven person. Understanding her mindset and the choices she makes has been both challenging and thrilling as an actor. The journey she takes in the story is intense, layered, and full of twists, and I’m really looking forward to the audience experiencing it.”