Archives November 2025

New Whitepaper Charts Roadmap to Mainstream Direct Selling in India’s Internal Trade Ecosystem

New Delhi, 1st November, 2025:  Aakhya India, a leading communications and public policy research organization, released its latest whitepaper at a high-level roundtable on “Internal Trade & Micro-Retailing: Achieving Inclusive Growth and Last-mile Empowerment” in New Delhi. Special keynotes were delivered by Dr. Sasmit Patra, Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) and Mr. Sanjeet Singh, Senior Advisor, NITI Aayog, with the event bringing together several senior government officials, domain experts, and industry leaders to discuss the future of inclusive and resilient domestic commerce in India. 

Discussing the suggestions from the report, the speakers emphasized the need to bring the direct selling sector within the scope of India’s internal trade architecture, overseen by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT).

In his address, Dr. Sasmit Patra, Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha), said, “Direct selling is a crucial sector of the consumer economy, with a market size of over ₹22,000 crore and the livelihoods it generates, in light of our vision for a Viksit Bharat and the $5 trillion economy. Discussions like these are essential to explore how governance mechanisms can be made more facilitative, enhance ease of doing business, and help bring in better and more effective policies and legislations.”

Acknowledging the direct selling industry’s journey in India, Sanjeet Singh, Senior Advisor, NITI Aayog, said, “Direct Selling’s strength lies in its inherent design of inclusion. Its role in women’s economic empowerment, rural reach, and livelihood creation makes it an important pillar of socio-economic growth. The Government of India took a landmark step by notifying the Consumer Protection (Direct Selling) Rules, 2021. Sustainable progress, however, requires vigilance to protect consumer interests and maintain industry integrity. Further, NITI Aayog is currently undertaking a comprehensive exercise, which is expected to conclude soon, as a significant step towards enhancing Ease of Doing Business.”

The roundtable featured deliberations among representatives from NITI Aayog, think tanks, legal domain experts, FICCI, CII and industry associations, reaffirming the sector’s role in advancing inclusive, women-led entrepreneurship and economic resilience. 

Welcoming the initiative and speaking on the need for the industry’s formal recognition, Rajat Banerji, Chairperson, FICCI Direct Selling Taskforce, said, “Direct selling bridges formal and informal retail, offering millions of Indians a dignified pathway to livelihood generation and growth through upskilling and entrepreneurial pursuits. These engagements between government and industry stakeholders help assess the sector’s positive contributions to internal trade. An Institutional recognition for direct selling will only aid the government’s efforts in encouraging women entrepreneurs, micro-retailers, and in formulating robust policy frameworks for powering India’s retail evolution.” 

Report Insights

• Over 8 million independent sellers form the backbone of India’s direct selling industry, with 44% being women entrepreneurs.
• The sector has grown at a CAGR of 7.15% in the last 5 years, reaching ₹25,000 crore by 2025.
• The whitepaper proposes a dual-governance model, aligning DPIIT’s trade facilitation with DoCA’s consumer protection framework.
• Drawing on global best practices and institutional support extended to retail and e-commerce, it recommends a harmonized, facilitative, and transparent policy environment for direct selling.

Spirit of ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’ Resonates as Meghalaya Observes ‘Sardar @ 150’ with Unity March in Shillong

Mumbai / Shillong, November 1, 2025: Meghalaya celebrated ‘Rashtriya Ekta Diwas’ (National Unity Day) with fervour, joining the nationwide ‘Sardar @ 150 Unity March’ campaign to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, ‘The Iron Man of India’.

The event is a flagship initiative of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India, with Mera Yuva Bharat (MY Bharat) as the nodal department, jointly organized in Shillong by the Directorate of Sports and Youth Affairs, National Service Scheme (NSS), and National Cadet Corps (NCC), Meghalaya.

The event was graced by Shri Rameswar Teli, Hon’ble Member of Rajya Sabha as the Guest of Honour, and Shri Sanbor Shullai, Hon’ble Minister of Arts and Culture, Govt. of Meghalaya as the Chief Guest.

In his keynote address, Shri Rameswar Teli, Member of Rajya Sabha, stated, “Today, we are all gathered here to celebrate the 150th birth anniversary of India’s great son, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Ji.” He emphasized that the march is not just a program; it is a symbol of our country’s unity, integrity, and the spirit of nation-building. Honouring Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel as the “Loh Purush” (Iron Man) who united over 560 princely states, Teli connected his legacy to the present day. He noted that under the leadership of India’s Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the country is moving forward on that same path of unity and faith. He concluded with a call for attendees, especially the youth, to take inspiration from the life of Sardar Patel and adopt his discipline, courage, and spirit of service to the nation.

Addressing the gathering at the Sardar @ 150 Unity Padayatra March 2025, Shri Sanbor Shullai, Hon’ble Minister of Arts and Culture, Govt. of Meghalaya, thanked the organizers and acknowledged the Chief Guest, Shri Rameshwar Teli. He articulated the objective of the march, executed in collaboration with the District Administration, NCC, and NSS, to honour the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. He lauded Patel as the “Iron Man of India,” affirming the enduring conviction that India remains united and indivisible. He reiterated the Hon’ble Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi’s ideals through the vision of ‘Viksit Bharat 2047’, concluding with an appeal to the youth to foster love, unity, brotherhood, and peace.

Later, in his concluding address, Shri Rameswar Teli, Hon’ble Member of Rajya Sabha, interacted with the participants at the iconic Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. He highlighted the 182-meter statue in Gujarat, stating, “India’s largest statue has been built at a place called Kevadia and you must visit it whenever you get a chance.” He concluded with a direct charge to the youth, saying, “You are students. Study well. Make the country proud”. He expressed his hope that they would become scientists, doctors, engineers, IAS officers, or politicians, declaring, “In this way, we will take the country forward”.

The program was held at the State Central Library Campus, with the ceremonial offering of floral tributes to Saradar Vallabhbhai Patel by the dignitaries and guests, followed by an official felicitation ceremony. A vibrant local cultural performance was presented, captivating the audience, showcasing Meghalaya’s rich cultural heritage.

Shri Rameswar Teli, Hon’ble Member of Rajya Sabha, and Shri Sanbor Shullai, Hon’ble Minister of Arts and Culture, Govt. of Meghalaya, flagged off the Unity March from the State Central Library Campus in the presence of all the dignitaries to culminate at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Shillong.

The Unity March saw an active participation from MY Bharat Volunteers, NSS volunteers and NCC cadets, students, and officials from the District Administration. The march carried the messages of national unity and patriotism, reinforcing the core idea of unity across the society.

The successful organisation of the Unity March underscored the State’s alignment with the broader national goal of ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’.

Dignitaries present included, Shri Rameswar Teli, Hon’ble Member of Rajya Sabha; Shri Sanbor Shullai, Hon’ble Minister of Arts and Culture, Govt. of Meghalaya; Shri Sampath Kumar, IAS, Principal Secretary, Department of Health and Family Welfare, Govt. of Meghalaya; Shri Richard Yanthan, IAS, Joint Secretary, Department of Sports and Youth Affairs, Govt. of Meghalaya; Shri D.D. Shira, MCS, Director, Directorate of Sports and Youth Affairs, Govt. of Meghalaya; Shri Sh Jangjilong, Regional Director NSS West Bengal and Representative from Govt. of India; Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports; Smti M. Lyngdoh, State Secretary, Bharat Scout and Guides; Col. Anil Jhakar, NCC Headquarters; Shri S.P. Singh, MY Bharat; Shri Gautam Warjri, MCS, ADC East Khasi Hills; Shri Kamakhya Singh, S.P. Traffic, East Khasi Hills and officials from other allied departments.

New Delhi, 1st November, 2025: With the commencement of wedding season, MMTC-PAMP, India’s only London Bullion Market Association (LBMA) accredited Good Delivery gold & silver refiner, is enabling ease of access and quick delivery of its purest minted gold and silver products with leading quick commerce platform, Swiggy Instamart, offering customers the ideal gifting choice for traditional and social occasions.

Customers, through the Swiggy Instamart app, can avail MMTC-PAMP’s 24K minted gold products at 999.9+ purity such as Lotus Gold Coin (0.5 gm, 1 gm and 5 gm) and Lotus Gold Bar (2gm). Additionally, customers also get the option to purchase purest silver minted products at 999.9+ purity such as Silver Banyan Tree Coin (5gm), Silver Ganesh and Lakshmi Coin (10gm and 20gm) and Silver Casted Bar (1kg).  

Highlighting the significance of this partnership, Mr Samit Guha, Managing Director and CEO, MMTC-PAMP said, “At MMTC-PAMP, we have always strived to reach every Indian customers and household with our best product offerings. Our partnership with Swiggy Instamart comes at a time when the wedding season is in full swing, making it an ideal collaboration for those seeking the ideal gifting offer. This also comes on the back of the evolving needs and buying preferences of consumers, enabling them to purchase superior and culturally diverse 999.9+ purest gold and silver minted products to be delivered within 10 minutes. With this move, we aim to further expand our consumer base while simultaneously strengthening our relationship with existing customers.”

Every product delivered through Swiggy Instamart will follow MMTC-PAMP’s safety protocols, including tamper-proof packaging, transit insurance (optional), and OTP authentication at delivery, ensuring that precious metals are handled with the highest level of security.

Highlighting the growing demand for precious metal products, Mr Kashish Vasishta, Deputy General Manager – Marketing PR New Product Development & Ecommerce, MMTC-PAMP said, “Gold and silver have been part of our tradition and culture as symbols of well-being, prosperity and good wishes. The demand for minted gold and silver is growing strong with young and tech-savvy customers and investors who prefer quick delivery. Swiggy Instamart’s wide coverage across India provides convenient and accessible purchase of our purest precious metals offering.”

This launch comes at a time when India’s quick-commerce sector is witnessing exponential growth. As per a recent report by CareEdge Ratings, quick-commerce orders have doubled to Rs 64,000 crore in FY25 and are expected to reach Rs 2 lakh crore by FY28.

Every product created by MMTC-PAMP goes through a rigorous purification process to ensure 99.99%+ (999.9+) purity of the metal. To validate the authenticity, every MMTC-PAMP product carries a unique number and comes packaged in Assayer Certified Minted Cards. Each gold and silver product bought from MMTC-PAMP offers positive weight tolerance, which guarantees that every coin or bar one buys weighs more than the listed weight, ensuring customers receive the highest value for their investment.

Hyderabad, November 1, 2025: The Hyderabad Entrepreneurship Summit (HES 2025) — a landmark two-day celebration of innovation, leadership, and collaboration — began this evening at Hitex Exhibition Centre, organised by the TiE Hyderabad Chapter in partnership with the Government of Telangana.

It was inaugurated collectively by HEEC-Hyderabad Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Collective Partners, a unique initiative of TiE Hyderabad Chapter.

Held under the theme “Transforming Tomorrow, together”, HES 2025 is designed to showcase Hyderabad’s evolution as one of India’s most dynamic entrepreneurial ecosystems — connecting local innovation with global opportunities.

The summit has brought together over 1,500 entrepreneurs, investors, corporates, policymakers, and ecosystem enablers, featuring inspiring keynotes & fireside chats, sector-focused industry Sessions, masterclasses by industry experts, startup pitches & expo showcases, special recognitions & awards celebrating entrepreneurial excellence across sectors.

Speaking on the occasion, Rajesh Pagadala, President, TiE Hyderabad, said the summit builds on TiE’s national mission “1x10x100” — to create 1 million entrepreneurs, 10 million jobs, and $100 billion in value over the next decade.

“This perfectly aligns with Telangana’s vision of becoming a global innovation powerhouse by 2047. TiE Hyderabad has mentored thousands of founders over the last 26 years — now it’s time to give back by shaping the next generation of entrepreneurs,” he said.

A highlight of the opening ceremony was the launch of the Hyderabad Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Collective (HEEC) — a strategic TiE Hyderabad initiative designed to foster collaboration, inclusivity, and shared growth among startups, investors, academia, industry bodies, and incubators.

The MoU was signed by leaders of TiE Hyderabad, HYSEA, FTCCI, COWE, ALEAP, Biome, Hyderabad Angels, Mahindra University, iCollab, Bala Vikasa CSRB, IACC, IIKP, T-Hub, RICH, TG10X, Wadhwani Foundation, and Founders First. Initially led by TiE Hyderabad, the collective will operate on a rotational leadership model among partner institutions to ensure continuity and inclusivity.

Rajesh Pagadala and Murali Kakarla, President and Vice President of TiE fecilitated the MoU with all the ecosystem partners.

Mr Nikhil Chakravarthi, Director (Industries), Government of Telangana, announced a strategic MoU between TiE Hyderabad and the Department of Industries & Commerce. Through this partnership, TiE and the State will jointly scale 500 high-potential SMEs across Telangana by 2029, under the “500 to 5X Growth Mission.”

The mission will identify SMEs in the ₹25–₹50 crore bracket and help them achieve 5X growth through mentorship, market access, and capital linkage — potentially generating 3–5 lakh new jobs.
The MoU also provides for the establishment of a Telangana SME Acceleration Cell, SME Capital Access Clinic, and five regional mentoring hubs.

Mr Nikhil added that Telangana is deregulating certain Acts, such as the Factories Act and Labour Act, to further ease business operations and create flexible zones to boost industry competitiveness.

He also highlighted that Telangana is actively implementing the District Reform Action Plan (DRAP) under the national Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) initiative.

Delivering the keynote, Murali Bukkapatnam, TiE Global Chair of Trustees, said, “Hyderabad is no longer just the city of pearls and biryani — it’s a fountainhead of disruptive energy and a launchpad for visionary leaders.”

He announced the upcoming TiE Global Impact Report and TiE Impact Dashboard, aiming to strengthen the 68-chapter global network and grow membership and revenues by 20%.

Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin, Dean of Kautilya School of Public Policy, addressed the topic “Entrepreneurs & Global Uncertainty”, urging founders to build resilience amid geopolitical volatility and global interdependence.

The TiE Hyderabad Outstanding Entrepreneurship Awards 2025, chaired by Mr Kali Prasad (Chairman, EThames Business School) and evaluated by a jury led by Mr G.V. Prasad (Co-Chairman & MD, Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories), recognised visionary founders, investors, and ecosystem builders.

Another highlight was the launch of TiE50 Telangana, powered by Qualcomm, celebrating high-growth startups from the region.

Day 1 concluded with “Rhythms & Connections” — an evening of live music and networking for TiE Charter Members, CXOs, and investors.

Day 2 will feature 100+ speakers and 25+ sessions covering DeepTech, HealthTech, Defence & Aerospace, Artificial Intelligence, Family Offices, Innovation & Incubation, and TiE Women & TiE University Pitch Tracks. The concurrent Entrepreneurship Expo showcases 80+ startups and ecosystem partners from across India.

Researchers link BMI and differences in gut microbiota in young, underweight Japanese women

November 1, 2025: Low body weight in young women has been associated with various health concerns. Rising trends in the proportion of underweight women between the ages of 20 and 39 have been seen in Japan, raising concerns. In a first-of-its-kind study, Dr. Katsumi Iizuka and Dr. Hiroaki Masuyama from Japan have found that underweight Japanese women had a lower gut microbiota diversity and more inflammation-linked microbes. These findings suggest gut health is critical in weight control.

Low body weight in young women has been linked to a range of health concerns, including disrupted menstrual cycles, infertility, weakened immune function, and a long-term decline in bone density. Japan has seen a rising trend in the proportion of underweight women between the ages of 20 and 39, with little to no change over the past two decades. The persistence of this trend raises concerns over the long-term health implications, especially as lean body weight has been correlated with changing dietary habits, diseases like anorexia nervosa, and even imbalances in gut microbiota. While previous research has reported lower alpha gut microbiota diversity in the underweight and overweight categories compared to those with normal weight, the differences in gut microbiota diversity in young, underweight Japanese women remain unclear.

To explore this further, a team of researchers from Japan, led by Dr. Katsumi Iizuka, a Professor at the Department of Clinical Nutrition, Fujita Health University, Japan, and Dr. Hiroaki Masuyama, Symbiosis Solutions Inc., set out to investigate the link between body type, dietary patterns and gut microbiota diversity in young, underweight Japanese women. They focused on understanding whether the gut microbiota diversity differed significantly between women who were underweight and those with normal body mass index (BMI). Their research was published in Volume 17, Issue 20 of the journal Nutrients on October 17, 2025. Prof. Iizuka says, “The differences in the diversity of the gut microbiota of young Japanese women by body weight have not been investigated. If differences in the gut microbiota between thin young women and women of normal weight become clear, I believe that improving eating habits could lead to improvements in the gut microbiota and consequently, body weight.”

The study observed and compared 40 underweight women with 40 age-matched women, between 20 and 39. The underweight group included women who were referred to the Nutrition Clinic at Fujita Health University with a BMI less than 17.5 at their first consultation, while the control group was composed of women with normal BMI (18.5 ≤ BMI < 25) and were selected from a database by Symbiosis Solutions Co., Ltd. (Tokyo, Japan). Stool samples were collected using standardized kits, while food frequency questionnaires were used to assess dietary patterns.

Interestingly, the researchers found no significant differences in dietary patterns between the two groups. However, an analysis of the gut microbiota showed that underweight women had a significantly lower microbiota diversity and an increased presence of species, such as Bacteroides, Bifidobacterium, and Erysipelatoclostridium, which are linked to inflammation. On the other hand, the normal-weight group had a healthier abundance of bacteria like Prevotella and Dorea. Prof. Iizuka mentions, “Among Japanese women aged 20–39, those in the underweight group showed a greater decrease in gut microbiota diversity compared to the normal-weight group, rather than differences in dietary patterns.” He adds, “Underweight women demonstrated reduced gut microbiota diversity and enrichment of taxa associated with inflammatory tendencies.”

These findings suggest that gut health is as important as caloric intake when it comes to addressing low body weight. Prof. Iizuka explains, “Not only the amount of energy or the ratio of protein, fat, carbohydrate, but actively consuming dietary fiber and fermented foods may lead to weight improvement in underweight individuals by causing changes in the gut microbiota.”

When asked about the long-term implications of the study, he said, “By combining the dietary survey data with gut microbiota analysis, it may become possible to evaluate not only the nutrients and energy contained in food, but also the quality of digestion and metabolism within the intestines after eating.”

With gut health gaining global attention, the findings of this study offer new insights into how the gut microbiota could aid in more personalized nutritional care for underweight Japanese women.