Archives September 2025

BANGALORE, INDIA, September 8, 2025 – In a ceremony brimming with anticipation, Dr. Chenraj Roychand, Founder Chairman of JAIN Group and Chancellor, JAIN (Deemed-to-be University), today unveiled the prestigious new awards for the upcoming JAIN Entrepreneurial Festival Week (JEFW) 2025. The announcement sets a competitive and ambitious tone for the university-wide celebration of innovation, which will take place across all JAIN (Deemed-to-be University) campuses.

The ceremony introduced two coveted honours, each designed to recognise a distinct facet of entrepreneurial excellence:

The JAIN Founder’s Cup: The ultimate symbol of campus-wide entrepreneurial supremacy. This prestigious rolling trophy will be awarded to the campus demonstrating exceptional collective performance, participation, and innovation, crowning it as the university’s entrepreneurial powerhouse for the year.

The JAIN Maverick Award: An elite individual honour bestowed upon the most dominant student entrepreneur of the festival. This award celebrates the one student who, through exceptional skill, bold initiative, and creative energy, proves to be the most versatile and impactful innovator of the year.

The unveiling ceremony was a moment of great inspiration, as Dr. Chenraj Roychand addressed the students and staff, motivating them to embrace the challenges and opportunities of the festival. He reflected on the institution’s deep-rooted connection to enterprise.

“The very foundations of JAIN (Deemed-to-be University) were built on the bedrock of entrepreneurship,” stated Dr. Chenraj Roychand. “Since our earliest days, our goal has not just been to educate, but to empower our students to become creators, innovators, and leaders who build the future. These awards are not just trophies; they are a symbol of our unwavering commitment to that founding vision and a challenge to the next generation to dream bigger and build bolder.”

The JAIN Entrepreneurial Festival Week is a cornerstone initiative designed to embed an entrepreneurial mindset across all academic disciplines. The festival will feature a dynamic array of competitions, workshops, and talks, culminating in a grand finale at the annual CESA event.

Nayaz Ahmed, CEO of JAIN Launchpad and the driving force behind JEFW, highlighted the festival’s critical role in skill development for the modern era. “In today’s rapidly evolving world, entrepreneurship is no longer a niche career path; it is a fundamental 21st-century skill,” he commented. “The very essence of JEFW is to provide a dynamic ecosystem where we cultivate this skill, encouraging creativity, resilience, and a problem-solving mindset among the younger generation. The ‘JAIN Founder’s Cup’ and ‘ JAIN Maverick Award’ will serve as powerful motivators in this mission.”

With this announcement, the countdown to JEFW 2025 officially begins, as students and campuses gear up to compete for the ultimate recognition as the university’s entrepreneurial champions.

Worldline and Mypinpad Join Forces to Expand Access to Secure, Mobile-First Payments Across South Asia

Mumbai, 8 September 2025 : Worldline, a global leader in payment services, has partnered with Mypinpad, a global innovator in card acceptance and authentication software, to fast-track the adoption of secure, software-based payments across South Asia—where mobile-first solutions are essential for scale and inclusion.

By integrating Mypinpad’s PCI MPoC and scheme-certified SoftPOS solution, Worldline will enable contactless payments acceptance on Android devices—supporting Visa, Mastercard, and RuPay—without extra hardware. The solution is designed to scale across South Asia, targeting markets with high Android smartphone use but limited access to traditional payments infrastructure. The joint initiative aims to significantly expand SoftPOS adoption in the region by removing cost and complexity barriers for businesses of all sizes. It also sets the foundation for a broader roadmap of advanced use cases that leverage not only merchants’ but also consumers’ devices, including Tap to Add, Tap to Pay on Own Device and Tap to Verify, which allow consumers to securely provision cards, verify credentials, or pay—all through their own mobile devices.

Ramesh Narasimhan, Chief Executive Officer, Worldline India, said, “By integrating Mypinpad’s SoftPOS solution, we’re empowering merchants with a secure, cost-effective, and frictionless way to accept card payments directly on Android devices. This innovation not only boosts scalability but also reinforces our commitment to delivering future-ready digital payment solutions that align with evolving market needs and regulatory frameworks.”

Barry Levett, Chief Executive Officer, Mypinpad, said, “This collaboration builds on a long-standing relationship between our two companies and reflects a shared goal to expand financial inclusion and accelerate market access. Worldline’s brand, market access, and regulatory trust enable rapid rollout of our mobile-first technology in key markets where they already operate.”

By putting intuitive, secure, compliant, and affordable payment tools in the hands of merchants and consumers, Worldline and Mypinpad are helping shape a more inclusive, secure, and connected future of commerce.

Mandi, 8 September 2025 – The School of Management at IIT Mandi successfully concluded third edition of its flagship annual management conclave, AiXcelerate 3.0 at its campus. With the theme “Igniting Innovation and Leadership in the Digital Era.” The two-day conclave brought together industry leaders, academicians, and students to deliberate on how todays’ business practices are evolving with the increased adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) across industries. This conclave aimed to develop and nurture business leaders and managers providing impetus to the country’s innovation ecosystem and competitiveness in the data-driven world. The conclave proved to be especially enriching for students, offering them a unique opportunity to engage directly with industry leaders and policymakers.

The sessions focused on how key management functions such as marketing, human resource management, operations, strategic management, finance, and entrepreneurship are evolving in the era of digital transformation. The conclave featured a rich mix of panel discussions, mentoring sessions, student case competitions, and cultural performances, offering a well-rounded platform for dialogue, collaboration, and innovation. For students, it provided meaningful exposure to real-world applications of emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, across core business domains including marketing analytics, financial decision-making, and strategic planning.

Prof. Laxmidhar Behera, Director, IIT Mandi, congratulated the School of Management on the successful organization of AiXcelerate 3.0 and encouraged continued progress and innovation in the field of management education.

Speaking at the valedictory session, Prof. Anjan Kumar Swain, Chairperson, School of Management, IIT Mandi, said, “AiXcelerate 3.0 showcased how AI is reshaping business strategies and underscored leaders’ responsibility to ensure transparency, trust, and inclusivity. These conversations will guide future leaders in adopting AI responsibly and building institutions that empower people, uplift communities, and enhance the nation’s global standing.”

The program featured ten renowned industry experts as speakers, who shared their insights on various themes. Notable participants included Shiv Kumar, Chief Data & Analytics Officer-L’Oréal India; Manish Purwar, Global IT Head, GE, HealthCare Lokesh Sharma, Strategic Account Director, Salesforce; Abhijit Shah, Chief Technology Officer, Nippon Life India Asset; Ram Srinivasan SVP, Global Practice Leader, Advisory Services Ascendion; Dr. Rishi Bhatnagar, Co-Founder India and Global CTO, AA2IT; Swapnil Tambi, Head of India AI Hub, BNY; Ritesh Agrawal, Group CFO, Powerica Ltd.; Nikhil Bhushan, CTO, Starbucks India; and Somjit Amrit, CEO iHUB and HCI Foundation, IIT Mandi.

Various key topics were addressed during the event highlighting how AI could prove to be highly impactful across these sectors in the future, including strategic leadership in the age of agentic AI, smart engagement, and the redefinition of marketing; the transformation of the financial sector through AI in banking, insurance and Fintech; and responsible AI focusing on building trust through ethics and governance. 

At IIT Mandi, SOM’s core mission is to develop a new generation of business leaders who are not only well-versed in traditional management principles but also highly proficient in leveraging technology for strategic advantage. The school achieves this through a curriculum that fuses management principles and knowledge with data science, AI, and other emerging technologies. The SOM regularly organizes events like AiXcelerate to take academic closer to the industry. These conclaves, seminars, and workshops are a cornerstone of the school’s outreach strategy. The school also hosts other key events like the HiBS (Himalayan Business Summit) and leadership talks, solidifying its reputation as a hub for progressive management thought and a key contributor to the professional development of its students.

New Delhi, India , September 08, 2025: Kustard Technologies today announced the appointment of Mr. Madhu Kiran Ganti as its CEO, marking the beginning of a new chapter in the company’s journey to build transformative, AI-powered solutions for scalable growth systems for EBG Group.

A seasoned entrepreneur with 14+ years across IT services, AI-driven marketing, product design, and large-scale program management, Madhu has led ventures at the intersection of technology and strategy. His core expertise spans performance marketing, predictive analytics, growth automation, CRO/funnel design, and full-stack digital execution.

Commenting on his appointment, Mr. Madhu Kiran Ganti, CEO, Kustard Technologies said: “We’re building Kustard to engineer outcomes, not just campaigns. By uniting AI, automation, and data-informed strategy, we’ll help brands scale faster and smarter. I’m excited to bring this approach to EBG Group’s portfolio as well as creating a single, performance-first system from awareness to retention.”

Madhu’s career includes leadership at Anantacore (AI-powered performance marketing), Xdart (D2C fashion), IQrushh (ed-tech gamification), Task 365 (Data Driven Strategies), Parikram IT Solutions (COO) and Arka Infoteck (CEO & Founder). He also served as War Room Head during the 2024 elections for Janasena Party, orchestrating data-led, digital-first outreach across 21 constituencies.

Under Madhu’s leadership, Kustard Technologies will focus on building AI-driven marketing ecosystems, automation platforms, and predictive analytics solutions that help enterprises and high-growth brands optimize spend, accelerate acquisition, and improve LTV through end-to-end orchestration. Industry observers note that with Madhu’s proven ability to blend technology and strategy with executional precision, Kustard Technologies is positioned to emerge as a serious player in India’s fast-evolving AI and digital innovation landscape.

New Delhi, 8th September 2025: Altos India, a subsidiary of Acer Inc., today announced the launch of its latest AI server, Altos BrainSphere™ R680 F7, designed to power the next wave of enterprise AI deployments across India. The new server will be officially available for shipment from September and is engineered to meet the surging demand from enterprises, government, education, and healthcare sectors for high-performance, scalable, and future-ready AI infrastructure.

The Altos BrainSphere™ R680 F7 supports up to 8 NVIDIA GPUs, including RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell Server Edition, H200 NVL, and L40S, along with 6th-generation Intel Xeon processors and DDR5 memory. Its flexible PCIe architecture allows seamless integration of diverse NVIDIA accelerated computing technologies, making it ideal for AI inference, AI model optimization, data analytics, industrial AI, virtualization, visual compute, as well as specialized applications such as AI medical imaging, smart security, and personalized recommendations. This makes it a powerful platform for rapidly building diversified AI workload environments.

The server can also be paired with Altos aiWorks, an AI computing platform that integrates hardware and software resources to simplify deployment, accelerate time-to-market, and support hybrid workload capabilities. Altos aiWorks now includes advanced functionalities such as model deployment, job scheduling, resource monitoring, inference process management, and comes preloaded with multiple mainstream AI frameworks and models. It also integrates NVIDIA AI Enterprise software, including NIM microservices, enabling enterprises to build scalable, visualized, open, and highly available AI environments tailored to their business needs.

“The Altos BrainSphere™ R680 F7 represents a significant milestone in our mission to bring future-ready AI solutions to Indian enterprises,” said Harish Kohli, President and Managing Director, Acer India. “As AI adoption accelerates across industries, organizations are seeking infrastructure that combines scalability, performance, and ease of deployment. With this launch, Altos India is well-positioned to empower businesses, government, and academia with computing solutions that will shape the next phase of India’s digital transformation.”

This launch further strengthens Altos India’s positioning as a trusted partner for enterprise computing, delivering solutions that align with the country’s growing focus on AI-driven innovation and digital-first growth.

September 08th, 2025: In an unprecedented celebration of shopping convenience, Instamart, India’s pioneering quick commerce platform, today announced the launch of its inaugural annual mega sale and India’s quickest sale, Instamart Quick India Movement 2025. The sale brings shoppers exciting offers with quick delivery, creating a shopping experience like never before. The sale is set to go live on both the Instamart app and the Swiggy app from September 19 to September 28, 2025.

Customers can look forward to massive discounts ranging from 50-90% off*, with significant markdowns across electronics, kitchen and dining, beauty and personal care, toys, and more, delivered in just 10 minutes*. With over 50,000 products on offer, Instamart is reimagining festive shopping by bringing the speed and convenience of quick commerce to the season’s biggest offers.

Bank offers: To maximize savings, shoppers can get an instant 10% off up to ₹1000* with all Axis Bank Credit Cards.

Brought to customers in partnership with boAt, Philips, Bergner, Pampers, and in association with Airwick and Nestasia, the Quick India Movement Sale brings India’s most loved and trusted brands at unbeatable prices across a wide range of categories.

Electronics – Mobiles, Projectors, Audio

The sale will feature marquee launches and offers, including access to the newly launched iPhone 17 in cities like Bengaluru, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Delhi, Kolkata, and Hyderabad. Blockbuster deals on popular smartphones like OnePlus and Oppo, and gadgets and appliances like boAt, JBL, Philips, Portronics, Ambrane, Noise, Dubstep, Eveready, and Lifelong, among others.

Home & Kitchen

From style to functionality, discounts on leading names such as D’Decor, Cello, Prestige, Bergner, Nestasia, Borosil, and Scotch Brite. Blockbuster bargains include products like air fryers, premium linen sets, dinner sets, cleaning essentials, and more.

Baby & Personal Care

Unmissable offers on everyday personal care staples with brands like L’Oréal Paris, Pampers, Philips, Himalaya, Nivea, and Dove, among others.

Everyday Essentials

The sale will also offer great value on daily essentials, with leading names such as Ariel, Aashirvaad, Airwick, and Mortein. To complement indulgent festive shopping, there will be irresistible deals on Ferrero Rocher, Haldirams, Kellogg’s, India Gate, The Whole Truth, and household essentials from Origami—ensuring convenience meets celebration this festive season.

Toys & Family Fun

Adding to the festive excitement, shoppers can discover deals on family-favorite toy brands like Barbie, LEGO, and Monopoly—making the Quick India Movement a one-stop destination for festive gifting and family entertainment.

Backed by cutting-edge technology and logistics innovation, the sale ensures that every deal is delivered with the industry-leading speed and reliability Instamart customers have come to expect. More than just festive-scale offers, Instamart Quick India Movement makes convenience, choice, and value instantly accessible to everyone.

September 6, 2025: On 5th September 2025, Haryana’s Chief Minister Mr. Nayab Singh Saini and Union Urban Development Minister, Mr. Manohar Lal Khattar laid the foundation stone of Gurugram metro’s first phase.

“The metro rail project will reduce congestion and pollution in the city. This is a historic day, and this project will transform the transport infrastructure of Gurugram and boost connectivity across NCR,” said Mr. Saini while speaking at Gurugram University auditorium.

A much-awaited infrastructural development in Gurugram, the first phase of the metro, includes the construction of 15.22 km of metro rail viaduct. The first phase, spanning 28.5 km in length, will connect Millennium City Centre to Sector 101 of Gurugram, passing through 13 other stations.

Speaking at the occasion, Union Urban Development Minister, Mr. Manohar Lal Khattar mentioned that the project will cost around Rs. 5,600 crore and will ensure rapid development of Gurugram, Manesar and Faridabad.

Sharing his thoughts about Mr. Pradeep Aggarwal, Founder & Chairman, Signature Global (India) Ltd., “The foundation of the Gurugram Metro Expansion Project marks a landmark moment in the city’s growth journey. Metro connectivity is the backbone of any modern urban ecosystem, and this expansion—spanning 15 km with 15 new stations—will ease mobility, decongest traffic, and unlock new opportunities for both businesses and citizens.”

“Along with transformative infrastructure such as the Dwarka Expressway, Southern Peripheral Road, and Sohna Elevated Corridor, this development is set to redefine Gurugram as a seamlessly connected urban hub. Collectively, these projects are not only enhancing the real estate potential of SPR and Dwarka Expressway but also laying the foundation for balanced, sustainable, and inclusive urban growth,” he added.

Delhi, September 6, 2025:The recent GST reforms announced at the 56th GST Council meeting are set to reshape the travel and tourism industry in India, with travel agents standing at the center of both opportunities and challenges.

For hotel accommodation priced up to ₹7,500 per day, the GST rate has been reduced from 12% with input tax credit (ITC) to 5% without ITC. While this move makes travel more affordable for consumers, it poses challenges for travel agents who lose ITC benefits, potentially compressing margins.

Non-economy class air travel has seen its GST rate increased from 12% with ITC to 18% with ITC. This change will result in higher fares for business travelers, yet travel agencies serving corporate clients can still claim full ITC, ensuring better cash flow management.

One of the most significant developments is the amendment of Section 13(8)(b) of the IGST Act, which now allows services provided by travel agents and tour operators to foreign clients to qualify as exports. This recognition not only enables agencies to avail zero-rated benefits under GST, including refunds of input tax credit, but also strengthens their ability to compete globally.

The motor vehicle transport sector has also undergone changes. The GST rate remains at 5% without ITC, but for those opting for full ITC, the rate has risen from 12% to 18%. This provides flexibility but also calls for agencies to carefully evaluate their business models.

Commenting on the reforms, Mrs. Jyoti Mayal, Chairperson of the Tourism and Hospitality Skill Council, said: “The latest GST reforms bring both relief and responsibility for travel agents. On one hand, reduced hotel tariffs will stimulate demand in the domestic tourism segment. On the other, the removal of ITC in this category will require agents to realign their pricing strategies. Most importantly, the recognition of intermediary services as exports is a game-changer, unlocking opportunities for Indian travel businesses to expand their global footprint while enjoying the benefits of zero-rated taxation. luxury travel is as important and needs to be promoted more as the returns are higher spends are higher it is exclusive travel and india needs to focus in the same for inbound and be more competitive than the neighbouring countries”

As the sector adapts to these changes, the emphasis will be on balancing consumer affordability with sustainable business models, ensuring that Indian travel agents remain competitive both domestically and internationally.

Quantra Surfaces by Pokarna launches Next-Gen Quartz Surface Collections – Aksara & Avyaan – World’s First-of-its-Kind

Hyderabad, September 06, 2025 – Quantra Surfaces by Pokarna Limited today unveiled its Next-Gen Quartz (engineered stone) Surface Collections– Aksara and Avyaan – at Design Democracy 2025, currently underway at Hitex, Hyderabad. No

Aksara – Powered by Chromia® technology from Breton S.p.A., Italy, and using a Japanese ultra-HD inkjet printer, the collection delivers stunning 600 DPI natural graphics on quartz surfaces. It also features UV-Armour protection, ensuring durability and reduced ageing over time.

Avyaan – Created using Kreos® technology of Breton S.p.A., Italy, this first-of-its-kind extrusion-based system produces slabs with unprecedented natural aesthetics, setting a new benchmark in engineered surfaces.

“This technology, patented and modified to suit consumer preferences, is unique in the world. Pokarna is the only company introducing such advanced surfaces to both domestic and international markets,” said Mr. Rahul Jain, Managing Director, Pokarna Limited.

Printed Quartz Products is a huge opportunity in India and Telangana. Quantra integrates Chromia and Kreos with six robotic systems to manufacture natural-looking full body surfaces in 7mm, 12mm, 20mm, and 30mm thicknesses – an industry-first globally. Printed Quartz offers a tougher, more durable option compared to traditional printed tiles or glossy Brazilian tiles.

Pokarna is committed to expanding its domestic footprint by making once-export-only products now available to Indian consumers.

Demand is strongest in metro markets such as Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and beyond.

To strengthen design-led offerings, the company will soon open its first Quantra Experience Centre in Banjara Hills, Hyderabad, early next year, providing architects, interior designers, and builders the opportunity to explore the collections first-hand.

Design Inspiration

Drawing inspiration from India’s cultural roots, the collections are aptly named:

Aksara (Sanskrit: The Imperishable)
Avyaan (Sanskrit: The Flawless)

“India is undergoing a design transformation. Consumers now seek premium, high-performance materials that embody innovation and individuality. With Aksara and Avyaan, we are proud to offer products that blend timeless heritage with futuristic technologies,” added Mr. Rahul Jain.

By – Amin Habibi, Co-Founder and COO, VergeCloud

“At VergeCloud, we believe rationalizing GST for digital infrastructure will not only accelerate innovation but also strengthen India’s position as a global hub for sovereign technology. Lowering the burden on cloud and CDN services can directly reduce the cost of doing business for startups, MSMEs, and enterprises that depend on reliable digital infrastructure. A fair GST framework would also encourage more foreign investment in India’s data economy, promote local R&D, and align with the government’s vision of Digital India”

By – Amit Relan, Co-Founder and CEO, mFilterit

“The GST 2.0 reform is not just a tax simplification exercise—it’s a structural shift that will reshape how businesses, especially consumer-facing industries, plan for growth. As demand picks up across sectors, companies will need to balance scale with compliance discipline. The winners will be those who can align efficiency with trust, both in their operations and in their customer relationships. For India, this is an inflection point where fiscal policy and market confidence can work hand-in-hand to unlock sustainable growth.”