Archives April 2025

Akshay Tritiya is considered an auspicious day in Hindu culture, known for bringing good luck, prosperity, and success. It’s a time when people buy gold, start new ventures, or engage in spiritual practices. Kamya Panjabi, who plays the character of Mohini in Sun Neo’s show Ishq Jabariya, shares her take on this special day.

Kamya shares a powerful message on embracing new beginnings with courage and a clear heart, “Akshay Tritiya is often considered one of the most auspicious days to begin something new whether it’s buying something special, taking a big leap, or making a life decision. While I personally don’t limit new beginnings to a particular date or muhurat, I deeply respect those who find strength and positivity in such traditions. I believe that every day is a good day if your intentions are pure and your heart is ready. What’s truly important is to not postpone your dreams out of fear or hesitation. Taking the first step no matter how small holds immense power. A fresh start doesn’t need a perfect day; it needs your courage and belief in yourself.”

The Ishq Jabariya actress further adds, “I believe in taking bold steps. Whenever the heart feels like doing something new whether it’s chasing a passion, starting a new project, or buying something meaningful we should just go for it. Life moves fast, and waiting for the “right moment” often becomes an excuse. What matters more is the intent and the action, not the date on the calendar. So to everyone who celebrates, may this Akshay Tritiya bring courage, abundance, and fresh beginnings. And to those who don’t follow the tradition still take this moment as a gentle nudge to start something you’ve been holding back. After all, the best time to begin is always now.”

Kamya currently plays the role of Mohini in Sun Neo’s Ishq Jabariya, airing on at 10:00 PM. The show is a compelling love story that follows Gulki, a strong-willed young woman with big dreams. With a stellar cast also featuring Dipshikkha Nagpal, Siddhi Sharma, and Lakshay Khurana, the show brings emotion and depth to its captivating narrative.

Kamya

Kamya shares a powerful message on embracing new beginnings with courage and a clear heart, “Akshay Tritiya is often considered one of the most auspicious days to begin something new whether it’s buying something special, taking a big leap, or making a life decision. While I personally don’t limit new beginnings to a particular date or muhurat, I deeply respect those who find strength and positivity in such traditions. I believe that every day is a good day if your intentions are pure and your heart is ready. What’s truly important is to not postpone your dreams out of fear or hesitation. Taking the first step no matter how small holds immense power. A fresh start doesn’t need a perfect day; it needs your courage and belief in yourself.”

The Ishq Jabariya actress further adds, “I believe in taking bold steps. Whenever the heart feels like doing something new whether it’s chasing a passion, starting a new project, or buying something meaningful we should just go for it. Life moves fast, and waiting for the “right moment” often becomes an excuse. What matters more is the intent and the action, not the date on the calendar. So to everyone who celebrates, may this Akshay Tritiya bring courage, abundance, and fresh beginnings. And to those who don’t follow the tradition still take this moment as a gentle nudge to start something you’ve been holding back. After all, the best time to begin is always now.”

National, April 30, 2025: Flutter Entertainment (NYSE: FLUT; LSE: FLTR), the world’s leading sports entertainment operator has reached a major milestone in the growth of its business in India. The company’s Global Capability Centre (GCC)-Flutter Entertainment India LLP (FEI) delivers a broad spectrum of capabilities and is based in RMZ Spire, Knowledge City, Hyderabad, has now surpassed the 1,000-employee mark, highlighting its rapid growth and strategic importance within the Flutter ecosystem.

By harnessing the power of the Flutter Edge — the company’s unique advantage – and leveraging Hyderabad’s thriving talent landscape, local hiring grew by 60% in the past year, positioning Flutter Entertainment India as a critical enabler of Flutter’s global operations and strengthening its capabilities in Data & Technology, HR Tech and Analytics, Finance, Customer Support Operations, and Shared Services.

As part of Flutter’s global sustainability strategy, the Positive Impact Plan, Flutter allocated  GBP 30,000 to local initiatives in Hyderabad in 2024 to support cancer screening for 550 women and education in Data Science and Machine Learning for 76 students. In recognition of the initiative’s impact and Flutter’s commitment to ‘Do More,’ Flutter has doubled its investment in local initiatives for 2025.

Peter Jackson, Chief Executive Officer of Flutter, recently visited the Hyderabad GCC (FEI) and offices of Junglee Games (Gurgaon), Flutter’s leading Indian rummy brand.

During this visit, he spent time with local leadership, engaged with employees across teams, and participated in a fireside chat that highlighted Flutter’s innovation journey, organizational culture, and vision for continued growth in the region.

Speaking on the sidelines during his visit to India, Peter Jackson, CEO Flutter, said, “India is a key growth market for Flutter, and the Hyderabad GCC is integral to our continued expansion in the region. It’s been great to see the teams at the GCC grow over the past year and I’ve been hugely impressed by their role in providing our world-class brands with technology capabilities, another great example of the Flutter Edge in action.”

Ashish Sinha, Managing Director of Flutter Entertainment India, said, “The past year has been a transformative journey for Flutter in India. Since launching our state-of-the-art GCC in Hyderabad, we’ve tapped into the city’s exceptional talent and embraced India’s rising prominence as a GCC. Our vision goes beyond operational scale—we’re building a centre of tech excellence and innovation that supports Flutter’s growth globally. Additionally, through Flutter’s ‘Do More’ strategy, we’re committed to giving back to the communities where we live, work and play. Our next phase of growth will focus on our deepening expertise and further reconciling with Flutter’s global strategies.”

Greater Noida, India, April 30, 2025: – Coforge Limited (NSE: COFORGE), a global digital services and solutions provider, as part of a recent strategic review and corporate restructuring announced the divestment of Coforge Advantage Go Limited. Coforge U.K. Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of the company has agreed to enter into a share purchase agreement with Sapiens UK Limited for sale and transfer of entirety of shareholding held by it in Coforge Advantage Go Limited, subject to completion obligations. Sapiens will pay a base consideration of GBP 43,000,000 for the transaction which is expected to be completed in 4-6 weeks.

AdvantageGo is a leading product provider in Commercial and Specialty space with a dominant market position in Lloyd’s Syndicate Market. AdvantageGo has been in business for 30+ years and has served several marquee insurers over the years.

With over two decades of experience and more than 6,000 insurance experts, we are the trusted partner for leading global insurers in life and annuities and property and casualty space. Insurance Services will continue to be a core vertical focus and growth driver for Coforge, and we look forward to servicing global insurance clients and leveraging deep domain expertise, technology expertise and partnership eco system. This transaction will enable Coforge to sharpen its focus on the Insurance Services business.

Sudhir Singh, CEO & Executive Director, Coforge said, “AdvantageGo is a stellar product business in a predominantly IT Services organization. Divestment of AdvantageGo would resolve the channel conflict with some of our strategic partners in the P&C space and enable us to stay focused on driving very strong growth in the Coforge Insurance Services business. As a global leader in Insurance SaaS-based software, Sapiens is a great strategic fit for the AdvantageGo business. This transaction will also strengthen our go-to-market partnership with Sapiens and help further accelerate the growth of both organizations within the Insurance industry.”

Ian Summers, Global Business Leader of AdvantageGo, said: “I am immensely thankful for the opportunity to build AdvantageGo business under Coforge ownership. Joining Sapiens means becoming part of a leading global product organization that will amplify our capabilities and enhance our solutions, creating greater opportunities for our clients and team,” said. “We look forward to integrating our products into the Sapiens Insurance Platform to deliver a seamless and powerful offering for the European and North American markets. We are committed to ensuring a smooth transition and continued service excellence for all our customers.”

CrowdStrike announced new innovations, including AI Model Scanning and detection of Shadow AI, to secure every area of cloud risk with the CrowdStrike Falcon® cybersecurity platform. With capabilities that accelerate secure AI innovation, protect cloud data at runtime, stop SaaS threats, and secure hybrid identities, CrowdStrike expands its platform advantage, delivering unified visibility and protection across hybrid and multi-cloud environments.

Cloud intrusions are surging as adversaries exploit valid accounts, and the growth of AI and SaaS makes it harder to protect identities and sensitive data. Stopping cloud breaches requires unified visibility and protection across cloud infrastructure, workloads, applications, identity, data, AI models and SaaS. CrowdStrike covers every layer of cloud risk from the most comprehensive unified platform, spanning advanced cloud detection and response (CDR), AI-powered analytics, runtime protection and world-class threat intelligence to stop cloud breaches.

“Cloud security is about more than visibility – it’s about full protection and control across multi-cloud environments,” said Elia Zaitsev, chief technology officer, CrowdStrike. “The explosion of AI, combined with multi-cloud complexity, has outpaced patchwork tools that can’t keep up with today’s adversaries, or are limited to single cloud environments. CrowdStrike is breaking that model. These innovations deliver real-time protection, not just telemetry, across every layer of risk: data, workloads, identities, SaaS and AI. It’s what only a unified, AI-native platform can do, and is the difference between watching attacks happen and actually stopping them.”

Securing AI in the Cloud

AI innovation is happening in the cloud, and securing that innovation is critical to stopping breaches. CrowdStrike set the standard for securing AI in the cloud with Falcon Cloud Security AI-SPM and AI Red Team Services, protecting the cloud infrastructure, systems and models powering the AI revolution. Building on this leadership, CrowdStrike introduced new Falcon® Cloud Security innovations to detect and mitigate risk in AI models before they become threats, and provide visibility into overall AI security posture:

• AI Model Scanning: Proactively scans AI models for hidden malware, trojanized models, backdoors, and adversarial manipulations in containerized environments – preventing compromised models from executing at runtime or reaching production. Powered by CrowdStrike threat intelligence and ExPRT.AI, security teams can identify and fix the most business-critical risks before deployment, block untrusted models and eliminate blind spots before threats reach production.
• AI Security Dashboard: Provides real-time visibility and centralized control over all AI workloads in the cloud. With agentless monitoring, security teams can detect shadow AI, enforce policies and track sensitive training data to reduce exposure and maintain compliant AI adoption.

Securing Cloud Identities, Data and SaaS

CrowdStrike also introduced new innovations across the Falcon platform to protect cloud data at runtime, stop SaaS threats and secure hybrid identities – driving faster threat detection and reducing risk across cloud environments:

• Falcon Data Protection for Cloud: Secures cloud data at runtime with real-time monitoring and enforcement powered by eBPF, stopping unauthorized access and data exposure, without slowing systems down.
• SaaS Threat Services: Provides tailored assessments and real-time threat detection for SaaS applications, helping organizations mitigate risks and secure their cloud-native environments.
• Falcon Privileged Access: Eliminates standing privileges and manual access requests to sensitive systems and data across hybrid environments through dynamic Just-in-Time access decisions.
• CrowdStrike Pulse Services: To harden cloud environments, CrowdStrike Pulse Services helps organizations identify and prioritize misconfigurations, manage identities and reduce cloud attack surfaces. Delivered through modular, expert-led engagements, Pulse enables teams to detect and respond to threats faster across hybrid and multi-cloud environments.

“Equity International has been an invaluable long-term partner that helped guide SAMHI’s growth and accelerate the expansion of our platform,“ said Ashish Jakhanwala, chairman, managing director and chief executive officer of SAMHI.

“Equity International and Sam Zell recognized Ashish and the SAMHI team as high-quality partners with impressive prior experience in the hospitality sector. This sale marks the full exit of Equity International’s interest in the company, which is part of the normal course of our ongoing portfolio management activity and disciplined monetization philosophy. We wish the SAMHI team success in their future endeavors,” commented Tom Heneghan, chief executive officer of Equity International.

Chennai, 30 April 2025: Vividobots a robotic automation startup has raised INR 1.47 Crores in a Seed Round led by Inflection Point Ventures. The funds will be utilized to enhance product innovation and expand vertical-specific robotic deployments.

Founded in 2021 by postgraduate engineers Dhinesh B (CEO), Velmurugan B (CPO), and Kesavaraj S (CTO), Vividobots was born out of a tragic incident involving a painter’s fall. This moment of vulnerability inspired the trio to innovate for real-world impact. With backgrounds at Flipkart, Air Defence Agency, and TCS respectively, the founders bring deep domain and technical expertise to the problem they set out to solve.

Vikram Ramasubramanian, Partner & CIO, Inflection Point Ventures, said, “As real estate in India continues to boom, high-rise buildings are becoming increasingly common and so are the challenges that come with maintaining them. Vividobots is tackling this head-on with innovative robotic solutions that make exterior maintenance of the building safer and more efficient. At IPV, we’re excited to support a startup that’s not just keeping pace with urban growth, but shaping its future through technology.”

Vividobots, a robotic automation startup based in Chennai, is on a mission to make high-risebuilding maintenance safer, faster, and more efficient. By leveraging AI-powered robotics, the company is revolutionizing exterior painting and cleaning operations an area historically reliant on manual labor and prone to fatal risks. Their solutions significantly reduce time, cost, and material wastage while improving safety and precision.

Vividobots is currently operational in Chennai, with plans to scale into new metros where real estate growth and vertical maintenance are surging. The startup’s robotic systems deliver up to 70%-time savings, 50% cost reduction, and 15% lower material wastage, setting a new benchmark in high-rise operations. Their proprietary technology ensures AI-powered precision, safety, and repeatability—making exterior maintenance predictable and scalable.

“At Vividobots, we are revolutionizing the way robotics address real-world challenges. Inspired by the delicate balance of human effort and resilience, we are steadfast in our mission to build a future defined by safety, speed, and sustainability. Our partnership with IPV fuels our drive to innovate boldly, push boundaries, and redefine the possibilities of robotics and its impact on society,” said Dhinesh B, CEO.”

Among its key milestones, Vividobots was named one of the Top 10 Tech Startups in Real Estate by Mahindra LEAP 2023 and is a part of the Brigade REAP accelerator portfolio.

Bengaluru/Chandigarh, 30 April 2024 – Man’s fascination with the anatomy of the mechanical world is well known! Titan Watches brings this allure to life with the launch of its latest Automatics Collection, taking style deeper with every movement. This collection celebrates the elegance of visible mechanics by highlighting the intricate beauty of mechanical watchmaking. Each watch from the collection features captivating skeletal dials where intricate engineering becomes the very essence of style. From integrated bracelets to dual-finish solid link straps, each design is thoughtfully crafted to reflect with varied personalities. With 21 jewel bearings, a vibration frequency of 21,600 beats per hour, and an impressive 42-hour power reserve, the collection focuses on precision, craftsmanship, and performance, made for connoisseurs who appreciate every tick in motion.

The Titan Automatics Collection comes in four distinguished watch lines, each uniquely designed to reflect one’s distinct personality. At the heart of this exceptional collection is the Yin Yang Skeletal Automatic watch, designed with an artistic celebration of balance, featuring an extraordinary Yin-Yang skeletal dial design with refined press-pattern detailing. Available in sleek stainless steel and elegant rose gold combinations, this line makes a striking statement for formal settings.

The Phoenix Skeletal Automatic watch is inspired by the legendary phoenix, symbolizing strength and rebirth-with the bold skeletal dials intricately designed to resemble phoenix wings. The knurled crown enhances its sophisticated design and is available in monochromatic Eclipse Black and opulent Ember Rose Gold variants. Its powerful design and rich finishes make it ideal for evening wear and high-impact occasions.

The Nexus Skeletal Automatic blends contemporary aesthetics with timeless symbolism. Its unique skeletal dial, inspired by a ship’s helm, represents movement and progress, offering a glimpse into the intricate automatic movement. Available in captivating dial shades of Coffee Brown, Gunmetal, and Midnight Blue, its sporty appeal and integrated bracelet make it a versatile fit for smart casual looks and everyday sophistication.

The Golden Heart Skeletal Automatic watch is crafted for those who love to make a statement with gold. Available in bi-metal and full gold variants, it incorporates meticulous detailing through its gilded skeletal dial. This standout piece is perfect for formal occasions, celebrations, and refined evening ensembles, where a bold, luxurious touch is essential.

Commenting on the launch, Aparna Ravi, Marketing Head – Titan Watches, said, “The Titan Automatics Collection represents a significant milestone in our journey, reinforcing Titan’s commitment to innovation through timepieces that represent a harmonious symphony of advanced, sophisticated horology and contemporary style. Targeted for the discerning, style-conscious man who views his watch as a reflection of self-expression and craftsmanship, these timepieces speak before you do.”

Bangalore, 30 April 2025: In alignment with its vision of building a safer and more responsible mobility ecosystem, Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) reiterates its long-standing commitment to advancing road safety through structured initiatives across the country. TKM’s efforts span awareness, education, and innovation, positively impacting over 10 lakh individuals through its comprehensive road safety programs.

At the heart of Toyota’s safety commitment is the Toyota Safety Education Program (TSEP), a flagship initiative launched in 2007 to nurture road safety awareness and behavioural change among school children from 5th to 9th standard in government and private schools. Under the theme “Road Safety – My Right, My Responsibility,” the initiative empowers young minds through a proven ABC approach—Awareness, Behavioural Change, and Campaigns. Using engaging formats such as skits, poster-making, and Road Safety Clubs, awareness levels among participants have increased significantly, underscoring the program’s effectiveness in instilling critical road safety knowledge.

To date, TSEP has reached 9,29,288 students, supported by 1643 trained educators across 140 schools since FY23. It follows a sustained three-year intervention model:

• Phase 1: Implemented in Bangalore during FY 2023–24, with the final leg concluding in FY 2025–26.
• Phase 2: Currently ongoing across Bangalore, Delhi, and Mumbai in FY 2024–25.

Notably, the program adopts a child-to-community model, wherein each participating student becomes a road safety ambassador—spreading knowledge and safe practices within their homes, neighbourhoods, and peer groups. This ripple effect is instrumental in transforming community-level attitudes toward responsible road usage. The program’s momentum is maintained through annual engagements across Bangalore, Delhi, and Mumbai, with continued integration into school curricula for long-term behavioural impact, supported by active involvement from teachers and schools.

Complementing TSEP is the Toyota Hackathon, a youth-led innovation platform that nurtures creative thinking and solution-building among school students from 7th to 12th grade. Designed to solve real-world road safety challenges, this initiative has reached 77,200 students across regions. Conducted in Delhi, Mumbai, and Bangalore, the hackathon has generated over 350 innovative concepts covering school zone safety, IoT integration, inclusive infrastructure, and traffic flow management. Participants go through a five-phase journey—from ideation to incubation—with expert mentorship and continued engagement to develop implementable prototypes. The initiative aims to equip students not just as problem solvers but as “Change Agents” influencing broader societal behaviours and policy thinking.

To further amplify enforcement and community education, TKM has supported the setup of seven Traffic Parks across regions, creating simulated environments where school children can learn road safety rules and pedestrian behaviour in a practical and engaging manner.

Recognizing the critical role of commercial drivers, TKM’s Road Safety and Health Initiative in Mizoram has benefitted 800 drivers through structured awareness and health check-up drives, conducted in collaboration with local enforcement and medical teams. These sessions cover road discipline, vehicle maintenance, and mental well-being. Cumulatively, the program has benefitted 7,822 individuals.

To strengthen traffic monitoring infrastructure, 34 Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) systems and 20 CCTV cameras have been installed at key junctions across Mizoram, contributing to a reduction in violations and encouraging compliance. These interventions now benefit over 4 lakh road users.

Speaking on the company’s continued efforts, Mr. Vikram Gulati, Country Head and Executive Vice President – Corporate Affairs and Governance, said, “At Toyota Kirloskar Motor, road safety is a fundamental commitment deeply embedded in our vision of responsible mobility. Through structured educational programs, targeted innovation, and meaningful community collaboration, we strive to instill a culture of safety across diverse road users—from school children and youth innovators to drivers.  Our holistic approach is designed to drive lasting behavioral change with measurable impact. With every step, we are working towards our vision of zero road fatalities in India.”

Toyota’s road safety initiatives are anchored in its global 3-pillar approach—people, vehicles, and traffic environment—supported by a legacy of programs dating back to the 1960s. With a focus on sustained impact and collaboration, Toyota Kirloskar Motor remains committed to building a safer, smarter, and more responsible mobility future for every road user in India.

Mumbai, 30th April 2025: Howden is pleased to announce the appointment of Mandira Gupta as the Managing Director & Head of M&A, IMEA. In her new role, Mandira will lead Howden’s strategic focus on private equity and transactional risk insurance solutions. She will be based at Howden’s headquarters in India – Mumbai.

Mandira’s appointment comes at a time when Indian markets are experiencing significant growth. In Q1 2025, deals totalling $5.3 billion were recorded, indicating a notable spike in volume as well as value over Q4 2024, according to the Grant Thornton Bharat report. Compared to the same quarter last year, this spike indicates a startling 204% increase in India’s M&A and PE value and a 25% increase in deal volume.

Widely credited with building and expanding the Transaction Risk (TR) practice in India, Mandira brings over two decades of M&A expertise and leadership experience in insurance broking and investment banking. Prior to joining Howden, she served as a Managing Director at Marsh India Insurance Broking, where she headed the Private Equity and M&A (PEMA) practice for India and led the TR practice for India, the Middle East, and Africa.

Throughout her career, Mandira has successfully worked on several of India’s most complex and high-profile transactions. With over ten years of dedicated experience in M&A insurance and nine years in investment banking across India and London, she brings a unique blend of technical sharpness to her new role at Howden.

Mandira Gupta, Managing Director & Head of M&A, IMEA, said, “I am delighted to join Howden, and look forward to contributing to its growth and business objectives. My main emphasis will be on creating customized solutions for high-profile transactions, leveraging my long-standing relationships within the industry.”

Amit Agarwal, CEO & MD of Howden, India, added, “We are proud to welcome Mandira to our team. Her appointment strengthens Howden India’s dynamic growth and firm dedication to enhancing its expertise in the PE and M&A sectors, as we continue to expand our capabilities and deliver exceptional value to our clients.”