All posts by Neel Achary

New Delhi, October 09, 2025: Global apparel retailer UNIQLO today announces the launch of the 2025 Fall/Winter UNIQLO and JW ANDERSON collection beginning on Friday, October 17th, 2025. This latest collection, inspired by traditional fieldwear, combines design and practicality with classic British style, reimagining winter outfits from a new perspective.

Commenting on the collection, designer Jonathan Anderson said, “This season’s collection updates the British winter wardrobe with ease of styling and universal playfulness. Along with unique items that are distinctively JW ANDERSON, such as utility jackets and ponchos, new warm colors have been added for our signature jeans and oxford shirts.”

Lineup incorporating British outdoor style

The men’s PUFFTECH Utility Jacket features a design inspired by hunting jackets. Men’s corduroy pants with a wide tapered silhouette are accented by a workwear-style front pocket. The women’s poncho has a pleasant feel, and can be used as a blanket, or buttoned to wear as outerwear.

Harmony of functionality and design

The women’s short jacket, made with light, warm, and high-performance PUFFTECH fill, has a cropped length for an on-trend seasonal look. The bicolor herringbone pattern Lambswool Crew Neck Sweater is a genderless item that anyone can enjoy. HEATTECH Socks, a perennial favorite for their coloring and playful designs, are available in a total of five styles and 10 colors.

AFTER A TREMENDOUS RESPONSE TO THE GODFATHER, PVR INOX BRINGS THE ICONIC SEQUEL GODFATHER PART II ON THE BIG SCREEN

India, 9 October 2025:  After the overwhelming audience response to The Godfather’s re-release, PVR INOX, India’s largest and most premium cinema exhibitor, is all set to continue the legendary saga with The Godfather Part II, returning to the big screen in a breathtaking 4K restoration in cinemas on Oct 17, 2025 giving movie lovers another chance to relive one of the greatest cinematic masterpieces of all time in theatres. This is a rare opportunity for movie lovers to relive one of the greatest cinematic masterpieces of all time, the way it was meant to be seen in theatres.

The re-release of The Godfather (1972) in September saw an exceptional turnout across metros and key cities, with audiences, both loyal fans and first-time viewers celebrating its return to cinemas. Building on this enthusiasm, PVR INOX now brings the next chapter of Francis Ford Coppola’s magnum opus, The Godfather Part II (1974), which further deepens the saga of the Corleone family with a dual narrative spanning generation. 

Directed by Francis Ford Coppola and based on Mario Puzo’s celebrated novel, The Godfather Part II stars Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Diane Keaton, and Robert Duvall, and is widely hailed as one of the few sequels that surpass the brilliance of the original. Winner of six Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director, the film is revered for its sweeping storytelling, powerful performances, and thematic complexity.

Niharika Bijli, Lead Strategist, PVR INOX Ltd, said, “At PVR INOX, we strive to curate meaningful cinematic experiences. The love audiences showed for The Godfather reaffirms our belief that great cinema will always find its audience. We are thrilled about bringing The Godfather Part II back to cinemas in a stunning 4K print. Through such curated showcases, we aim to bridge nostalgia with discovery  giving every generation the chance to experience cinema at its finest.”

Following The Godfather Part II, PVR INOX will complete the trilogy with the re-release of The Godfather Part III on November 14, 2025, giving audiences a rare chance to witness the complete saga unfold on the big screen in close succession.

Screenings will take place at select premium theatres across India. Booking details and theatre listings will be available soon on the official PVR INOX app and website.

Chennai, October 9, 2025: A new report released by Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai “Building Entrepreneurial Legacies: Understanding the Role of Family Offices”, reveals that family-owned businesses contribute to nearly 70% of India’s GDP and over 60% of national employment, underscoring their indispensable role in India’s economic growth story.

The report was unveiled at the Family Business Conclave 2025, jointly hosted by Great Lakes Institute of Management and the Madras Management Association (MMA), on the theme “Creating Entrepreneurial Families – The Role of Family Offices.”

The study, authored by Dr Raj Krishnan Shankar, Professor of Strategy & Entrepreneurship at Great Lakes, highlights how family offices are emerging as critical enablers for governance, legacy planning, and intergenerational entrepreneurship. With India witnessing a rapid rise in private wealth and generational transitions, family offices are increasingly becoming the nerve centres that balance tradition with transformation.

Key findings from the report include:

• Family-owned businesses contribute 70% of India’s GDP, with projections suggesting this could rise to 80–85% by 2047.
• Family enterprises account for over 60% of national employment, particularly within MSMEs.
• India’s top 300 business families hold a combined net worth of ₹134 lakh crore (US$1.6 trillion), employing over two million people.
• The number of organised family offices in India could cross 1,000 by the next decade, reflecting the increasing need for structured wealth and succession management.

Said Dr Raj Krishnan Shankar, Lead Author of the report and Professor of Strategy & Entrepreneurship at Great Lakes Institute of Management: “Family businesses are the invisible backbone of India’s economy. They don’t just create wealth, they create continuity. As India’s business families collectively manage over a trillion dollars in private wealth, the real challenge is no longer growth, but governance. That’s where family offices come in, as strategic engines that preserve values, professionalise decision-making, and ensure that entrepreneurship doesn’t fade with succession but strengthens through it.”

The conclave featured Mr C.K. Ranganathan, Chairman & Managing Director, CavinKare, who delivered a powerful keynote address on creating entrepreneurial legacies. Drawing from his own experience, he emphasised that meritocracy must triumph over hierarchy in family-run businesses and that the value of money must be deeply understood, not merely enjoyed.

Said Mr C.K Ranganathan: “Money is a responsibility, not just a privilege.” He added: “Business acumen is about common sense, emotional intelligence, and sound math. Success matters, but learning matters more, because when families handhold too much, they take away the opportunity to learn. The real mantra is simple: fail fast, fail cheap, and keep learning.”

The conclave also hosted dynamic discussions with leaders from Mehta Hospitals, TSM Group, Sargam Metals, and Maya Appliances, among others, who shared their perspectives on succession planning, governance frameworks, and preparing the next generation to lead with purpose and accountability.

Said Sam Mehta, Director of Mehta Hospitals, sharing his perspective on evolving family business structures: “A family business is about stewardship, not just ownership. A family office isn’t a luxury; it’s a necessity for structure and longevity. You must prove yourself outside the family name, bring that experience back, and earn credibility as both an entrepreneur and an investor.”

Said Yash Merchant, Director – Brand Marketing & Alumni Relations, Great Lakes Institute of Management, in closing remarks: “At Great Lakes, we are building a community of family business owners and next-gen leaders through research, dialogue, and education. The goal is to help families professionalise, innovate, and stay entrepreneurial across generations.”

The event featured the launch of the Great Lakes Insight Dossier and engaging discussions on succession planning, family constitutions, and the evolving role of the next generation in business leadership.

New Delhi, October 9, 2025: Women in Aviation India, a dynamic movement for the women, by the women, driven by a shared passion to share their valuable insights & experiences and break gender barriers, continue their efforts to create a more inclusive aviation world by empowering the next generation.

Women in Aviation India (WAI) celebrated the 10th edition of its flagship initiative Girls in Aviation Day (GIAD) with an inspiring event in Gurugram. The landmark occasion marks a decade of empowering young girls to explore careers in aviation and aligns with the  Prime Minister’s vision of a Viksit Bharat, and his powerful belief that “When women prosper, the world prospers.”

Since its inception in 2016, GIAD has grown into a transformative movement, reaching over 50,000 girls across 30+ cities, from metros to remote towns, with the invaluable support of the Ministry of Civil Aviation. The initiative continues to bridge the gender gap in a sector long dominated by men by fostering awareness, education, and mentorship.

The Gurgaon program featured motivational sessions by women leaders including Capt. Anushree Varma, Chief Advisor, Top Crew Aviation and Capt. Poonam Gaur, Co-founder & Director, Air Taxi, and Ms. Sonia Kapila, Senior Soft Skill & Aviation Instructor, Bird Academy who inspired students from Diksha School with enriching stories of determination and success, and shared interesting insights about the opportunities in the industry. The interactive program introduced participants to aviation’s diverse career paths, highlighting the importance of STEM education, skill development, and mentorship. Watching the young students aglow with enthusiasm and curiosity was a heartwarming moment indeed as they penned their thoughts and dreams into essays.

Similar successful outreach programs were also recently in Noida and Hyderabad, and the GIAD 2025 series will continue to spread its wings across the length and breadth of the country in the coming weeks. The 10th anniversary celebrations of GIAD will culminate in December 2025 with the iconic ‘Giving Wings to Dreams Awards’, a national platform to recognize women who have made significant contributions in the field of aviation and have also helped empower other women.

Speaking on the milestone, Mrs. Radha Bhatia, President, Women in Aviation India said, “In the last decade, we have moved ahead, one determined step at a time and have grown from strength to strength every year. Our work is a testimony of great teamwork by our invaluable members, their unwavering passion and commitment to see women flying high and achieving milestones that once seemed impossible! I am eternally grateful for the constant support of Shri Rammohan Naidu Kinjarapu (Hon’ble Union Minister of Civil Aviation, Govt. of India), the Secretary, the Ministry of Civil Aviation, GoI and all its affiliated stakeholders. I am also grateful to the schools and colleges who welcomed us warmly to inspire and engage with their students. I am also very grateful to each and every member of Women in Aviation India, who stood by us and worked shoulder to shoulder. Today GIAD celebrations are not just events, they are a movement. We are proud that thousands of young girls across India have now met role models, flown drones, experienced an airport ecosystem and most importantly discovered that aviation is not a distant dream, it is a career within easy reach. Let’s together work towards breaking the barriers and advancing gender parity within the aviation industry. Tomorrow looks bright and promising for our young girls who will be a part of India’s epic growth story!”

With the invaluable support of likeminded partners like Millenium Aero Dynamics, Make My Trip, Bangalore International Airport, GMR Hyderabad International Airport, Blue Dart Aviation, Top Crew Aviation and TravTalk and the constant support of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India, the banner of Girls in Aviation Day will fly across more than 15 cities this year! We wholeheartedly invite aviation experts, institutions, corporate entities, students, teachers and academic institutions to come together to be a part of this mission.

Amit Badlani, Managing Director of Vihaan Clean & Green Tech and Go Green Mechanisms Pvt. Ltd., Honoured for his contribution towards sustainability by  Chief Minister Shri Bhupendra Patel

Ahmedabad, 9th October 2025: Amit Badlani, Managing Director of Vihaan Clean & Green Tech and Go Green Mechanisms Pvt. Ltd., has been felicitated by the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Gujarat, Shri Bhupendra Patel, for his outstanding contribution to environmental protection and sustainable industrial growth.

This honour acknowledges Mr. Badlani’s 17-year legacy of advancing cleaner, greener industrial ecosystems through innovative wastewater management and pollution control technologies. Under his leadership, Vihaan Clean & Green Tech, a subsidiary company of HyFun Foods, has developed world-class Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs) and Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) systems that have set new benchmarks in environmental responsibility and operational excellence.

The recognition also comes on the back of Vihaan’s consistent community-driven initiatives  including afforestation programs, sustainable infrastructure projects, and clean technology integration  all aimed at fostering environmental balance alongside industrial progress. Earlier this year, the company’s World Environment Day initiative, which saw the plantation of 400 trees in collaboration with the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB), was lauded by GPCB officials for its tangible environmental impact and long-term commitment to green development.

Speaking on the recognition, Amit Badlani, Managing Director of Vihaan Clean & Green Tech and Go Green Mechanisms Pvt. Ltd said, “This honour is a collective achievement  it belongs to every engineer, operator, and visionary who believes in building industries that coexist responsibly with nature. At Vihaan, we see sustainability not as a goal, but as a practice. Every project we execute is a step toward a cleaner tomorrow, where progress and preservation move together in harmony.”

The award ceremony, attended by senior government officials including Hon’ble Minister of State for Home, Sports, Youth and Cultural Activities Shri Harsh Sanghvi, along with policy-makers and industry leaders, underscored Amit Badlani’s leadership in championing sustainable industrialization, aligning closely with India’s Vision 2070 for Net-Zero Emissions.

Through his ventures, Amit Badlani continues to redefine how industries approach environmental management — turning sustainability from a compliance mandate into a strategic growth driver for the future.

NEW DELHI, India, October 9, 2025: SolarWinds, a leading provider of simple, powerful, secure observability and IT management software, today unveiled the SolarWinds® AI Agent along with a range of expanded AI features aimed at speeding up the transition to autonomous operational resilience.

Modern IT environments are increasingly distributed and fragile, with nearly half of IT leaders reporting unexpected outages despite rating their resilience highly in this year’s SolarWinds IT Trends Report. SolarWinds AI Agent is built to bridge this “resilience gap” by giving IT teams an intelligent, context-aware system that predicts issues, automates responses, and reduces the cognitive burden on practitioners.

Built on AI by Design principles and expanding the company’s well-known Secure by Design framework into the AI era, the new offerings deliver conversational, agentic AI to daily operations enhancing detection, diagnostics, and remediation.

The SolarWinds AI Agent: A Digital Team Member for IT Ops

The AI Agent will function as a reliable teammate in observability, incident response, and service management, enabling IT professionals to:

• Resolve incidents faster. Automatically summarize outages, gather diagnostics, identify probable root causes, and suggest remediation steps.
• Use natural language. Ask questions about system health, compare metrics, get recommendations, and launch multi-step workflows—all with plain-language commands.
• Simplify observability management. Configure and manage SolarWinds Observability directly through the agentic interface.

“The SolarWinds AI Agent is more than a feature—it’s a foundation for a new way of working,” said Krishna Sai, Chief Technology Officer, SolarWinds. “By embedding intelligent, context-aware AI into IT workflows, we’re helping teams move beyond reactive firefighting to proactive innovation.”

Expanded AI Capabilities Available Now

Alongside the AI Agent, SolarWinds introduced new AI-powered features that deliver immediate impact:

• Root Cause Assist (Generally Available): Cuts troubleshooting time by generating clear root-cause analyses based on alerts and anomalies.
• Dynamic Threshold Enhancements (Available Now): Extends automated thresholding to additional metrics, decreasing noise and false positives.
• AI Query Assist (Tech Preview): Enhances database performance by analyzing query patterns and proposing faster, more efficient rewrites.

Coming in 2026

Looking ahead, more features are scheduled for 2026, such as incident correlation, automated runbook execution, and knowledge base creation to further improve autonomous resilience.

• SolarWinds AI Incident Correlation for Service Desk will automatically identify groups of related incidents and recommend opening a problem management workflow to address the root cause. 
• SolarWinds AI Knowledge Base Generation for Service Desk will utilize GenAI to produce new knowledge base articles based on the most common solved incidents, expanding the customer’s centralized knowledge repository and offering more self-service options for employees.
• Automated Runbook Execution will allow teams to automatically execute predefined standard operating procedure steps as part of first-touch response, diagnostics gathering, or suggested fixes before a human intervenes. 

“For the past year, we’ve focused on operational resilience—the ability to protect, maintain, and quickly recover systems even during disruptions,” said Sudhakar Ramakrishna, President and CEO, SolarWinds. “With the AI Agent and expanded capabilities, we’re taking the next step: helping customers achieve autonomous operational resilience, where IT runs smarter, faster, and more securely with minimal manual intervention.”

“Every IT leader is under pressure to do more with less, but outages and complexity continue to slow teams down,” Ramakrishna continued. “With the SolarWinds AI Agent, we are reducing the mean time to detect and resolve issues by putting automation, observability, visualization, and remediation into a single, intelligent cycle.  The result is stronger resilience, greater productivity, and more time for teams to focus on innovation.”

Availability

The SolarWinds AI Agent enters Tech Preview today in SolarWinds Observability SaaS, and broader availability across the SolarWinds portfolio is planned for 2026.

For more information, visit www.solarwinds.com

SolarWinds Day

SolarWinds Day provides a front-row seat to the future of IT operations, powered by AI, automation, and full-stack observability. Join SolarWinds for the keynote announcements of these latest innovations, and stay for the THWACKcamp sessions, where customers and experts get technical about optimizing systems, resolving tickets, managing databases, and responding to critical issues in your hybrid environments. Learn more and register at events.solarwinds.com/the-future-of-it-arrives..

• Americas: Wednesday, October 8 – 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. CT
• EMEA: Thursday, October 9 – 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. GMT

APJ: Thursday, October 9 – 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. SGT

Odisha, Bhubaneswar, 9th October, 2025: In its continued journey of spotlighting bold, original narratives from Odisha, AAO NXT, Eastern India’s leading OTT platform, proudly announces its latest original feature, Bhabantara, directed by celebrated filmmaker Anant Mahapatra. Known for weaving layered stories with emotional depth, Mahapatra returns with a powerful tale of love, sacrifice, and fate a film that promises to strike a deep chord with audiences while reaffirming AAO NXT’s commitment to bringing Odia storytelling to the global stage.

At the heart of Bhabantara lie three characters Sritam, Srabani, and Millan bound together in the most unexpected and challenging of circumstances. Sritam and Srabani marry, but Srabani’s heart remains with Millan, the man she truly loved. In an act of quiet resilience, Sritam agrees to play the role of a husband for the sake of his parents’ happiness, even as his wife refuses to let go of her past. When Srabani becomes a mother, the birth of a son brings newfound joy to the family, creating a bond that seems unbreakable. But Millan, reappearing in her life under the name “Subham,” stirs old emotions, forcing Srabani into a choice between the life she has built and the love she cannot forget. The story unfolds as a poignant exploration of duty, relationships, and the eternal pull of destiny.

Guided by Anant Mahapatra’s direction, Bhabantara combines theatre’s emotional richness with cinematic vision. The screenplay and dialogue, written by Anant Mahapatra and Dillip Choudhury, along with the story by Ajaya Mohapatra, form the backbone of this narrative. The film’s soul is elevated by the stirring music of Sakti Prasad Mishra, complemented by lyrics from the renowned Devdas Chhotray and rendered beautifully through the voice of Susmita Das.

The ensemble cast brings together some of Odisha’s finest talents: Abhishek Giri, Suryamayee Mohapatra, Bulu Panda, Saroj Nanda, Binayak Mishra, Rabi Narayan Tripathy, Mamata Mohanty, Sabita Sahoo, Pradipta Swain, Priya Bisoi, Suresh Sahoo, Umaa Saha, and Vedanshi Pattanaik. Their performances give life to characters who are flawed, vulnerable, and deeply human making Bhabantara a story that resonates across generations.

On the technical front, the film’s visual language is captured by Dhrubananda Panda (DOP), while the artistic world is shaped by Linkan Pattanaik (Art Director). The look and feel of the characters are crafted by Samaresh Pal (Make-up) and Jogi Sena (Costume Designer). The film’s editing by Biswajit Pradhan and Satyajit Pradhan ensures a seamless rhythm, while Anup Mukherjee’s sound mixing adds the sonic texture that makes the drama even more immersive. Supporting the vision is Ajaya Mohapatra (Associate Director), ensuring the story flows with consistency and emotional weight. Produced by Utkal Rangamanch Trust, the film carries forward a tradition of cultural excellence rooted in Odisha’s creative heritage.

Kaushik Das, Founder & CEO of AAO NXT, said: “Bhabantara is a beautiful reflection of life’s most difficult choices where love, responsibility, and destiny collide. For us at AAO NXT, it represents exactly the kind of storytelling we believe in: deeply rooted in Odia culture, yet universal in its themes. We are honored to collaborate with a visionary like Anant Mahapatra, whose craft has shaped Odisha’s creative landscape for decades. With this release, we continue our mission of giving Odia cinema the global recognition it deserves.”

Since its launch, AAO NXT has steadily built a reputation as a platform that values originality, authenticity, and innovation in regional content. From award-winning films to daring new originals, it has emerged as the cultural voice of Eastern India in the digital era. With Bhabantara, the platform once again brings together timeless storytelling and contemporary cinematic craft.

The film will stream exclusively on AAO NXT, staying true to the platform’s ethos of being “all about originals.”

From Food Security to Global Leadership: Union Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan Calls for a Self-Reliant and Value-Driven Agriculture

9th October 2025, New Delhi: Addressing the 120th Annual Session of the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers Welfare and Rural Development, Addressing the 120th Annual Session of the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan,Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers Welfare and Rural Development, said that the Indian ethos of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam — the world is one family” continues to guide the country’s approach to global development. This spirit of universal goodwill defines our civilization. It is not a philosophy of selfishness, but of collective well-being,” Shri Chouhan said.

“India has always believed that the entire world is one family. Yet, in this interconnected and volatile geopolitical environment, we must chart our own course — one that balances global friendship with national interest,” Shri Chouhan said.

Under the visionary leadership of our Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji, India is not being constructed — it is being reconstructed — as a proud, prosperous, powerful, and self-reliant nation,” the Minister affirmed.

He stressed that every citizen and institution must contribute to India’s journey towards Viksit Bharat @2047, adding that agriculture will remain the backbone of India’s economic and social fabric.

Highlighting that nearly 46% of India’s population is engaged in agriculture, the Minister underlined the Government’s focus on self-reliance (Atmanirbharta) in food production and farmer welfare.

“Food security must go hand in hand with farmer prosperity,” he said. “We must ensure that our farmers not only feed the nation but also earn with dignity and stability.”

To achieve this, he emphasized the need to enhance per-hectare productivity, strengthen seed quality through the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), and accelerate mechanisation to empower small and marginal farmers.

Highlighting the Government’s agricultural priorities, Shri Chouhan said the nation’s goal must go beyond food security to encompass nutrition security and Atmanirbharta in all aspects of agriculture. While India has achieved surplus production in rice and wheat, he said, the next frontier is achieving self-reliance in pulses and oilseeds.

He noted that the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and Indian scientists are working on advanced research in genome editing, hybrid seeds, and high-yield varieties to enhance productivity and reduce costs.

He identified food processing and value addition as national priorities and invited the Chamber to collaborate with the Ministry in this effort.

“I urge PHDCCI to partner with us in identifying models for value addition, Mechanisation suited for small and marginal farmers, Storage and shelf-life enhancement technologies and agri-startups tailored to the needs of small farmers,” he said, suggesting that a joint working team be formed between the Ministry and PHDCCI to develop actionable solutions.

The Minister also highlighted the Government’s continued support for initiatives such as the Dalhan Atmanirbharta Mission (Chana–Masoor) to strengthen pulse production, and reaffirmed that Indian farmers will be protected from unfair external pressures.

Encouraging innovation, Shri Chouhan said the Government has a strong policy framework to promote agri-startups and entrepreneurship, recognizing agriculture, commerce, and trade as key drivers of India’s economic growth.

He praised the Chamber’s proactive role in supporting India’s development agenda:

“PHDCCI and Indian industry are our true partners in growth. I deeply value the Chamber’s contribution to nation-building over the past 120 years,” Shri Chouhan said.

The Minister also urged industry support for the Government’s proposal on ‘One Nation, One Election’, noting that synchronized elections will enhance administrative efficiency and policy continuity.

He concluded with a call to embrace ‘Swadeshi’ with quality, blending indigenous strength with global competitiveness.

“Let us adopt Swadeshi, but with the highest standards of quality. Together, we can make India the food basket of the world,” he said, congratulating PHDCCI on completing 120 years of service to the nation.

Welcoming the Minister, Shri Hemant Jain, President, PHDCCI and Group Managing Director, KLJ Group of Industries, said, that Shivraj ji embodies the spirit of leadership rooted in service. His vision of rural empowerment and agricultural prosperity reflects the very essence of ‘Viksit Bharat @2047’ — where every farmer is an entrepreneur and every village a center of growth.

Proposing the Vote of Thanks, Shri Rajeev Juneja, Senior Vice President, PHDCCI & Vice Chairman and Managing Director, Mankind Pharma Ltd., expressed gratitude to Shri Chouhan for his inspiring address and reaffirmed PHDCCI’s commitment to working closely with the Government of India to strengthen India’s agricultural ecosystem and global competitiveness.

The session was also graced by Shri Anil Gupta, Vice President, PHDCCI & Chairman-cum-Managing Director, KEI Industries Ltd.; Shri Sanjeev Agrawal, Immediate Former President, PHDCCI & Group Chairman, MMG Group; Dr. Ranjeet Mehta, CEO & Secretary General, PHDCCI; former Presidents; members of the Managing Committee; and distinguished dignitaries from industry, academia, and the diplomatic corps.

Marking 120 years of legacy, leadership, and partnership, the Annual Session of PHDCCI, themed “India’s Rise as a Trusted Global Partner,” reaffirmed the Chamber’s commitment to advancing India’s economic transformation through innovation, inclusion, and collaboration.

India, 9th october 2025: This Diwali, Flipkart went beyond its Big Bang Diwali Sale and the campaign message of “Yeh Diwali Smartphone Wali” to deliver something far more meaningful, transforming not just how people upgrade their lives, but where they live them.

In a heartfelt extension of its campaign narrative that celebrates how a smartphone upgrade can elevate everyday life, Flipkart took this message to the streets of Dharavi, Kamathipura, and Malvani, bringing real-world transformation to communities often overlooked.

Armed with brooms, lights, and a sense of purpose, Flipkart volunteers turned neglected lanes into festive spaces filled with colour and joy. Through cleanliness drives, beautification efforts, health camps, and the distribution of hygiene and feminine care kits, they ensured that the celebration reached every corner. Flipkart partnered with sociowash, to bring this vision to life, turning the campaign from a concept into real-world impact on the streets of Mumbai.

“Going on ground was tougher than expected, the people were full of apprehensive emotions, as no one had done this for them before. We painted 5,000+ houses, cleaned streets and their smiles made it all worth it. It was truly a transformative experience, not just from a campaign standpoint, but from an impact standpoint as well.”

• Shubham Chawla, Youthbeat Business Head, SW

We started with a vision of adding impact and value 10 years ago. After hearing the joy and gratitude the campaign brought to the team and people of the area, it reminded me why we started this journey. Truly grateful for what we were able to achieve with the brand

• Raghav Bagai, Founder, SW

What began as a campaign about upgrading lifestyles evolved into a movement about upgrading lives, showing that the true spirit of Diwali lies in illumination that goes beyond our screens and homes.

With this initiative, Flipkart reminded us that the smartest upgrade this festive season was not just technological, it was human

Bengaluru, 9th October 2025: Aster Volunteers Mobile Medical Services (AVMMS), in association with Aster RV Hospital, successfully organized a Mega Blood Donation Camp for residents and employees at VBHC Palmhaven Apartments, Bangalore. The initiative witnessed the enthusiastic participation of 60 generous donors, each contributing towards saving lives and supporting the healthcare system’s ongoing need for blood.

The camp was part of Aster Volunteers’ continuous efforts to promote community health and encourage citizens to participate in life-saving causes. The medical team from Aster RV Hospital ensured that the entire process was conducted under strict medical supervision, maintaining the highest standards of hygiene and safety.

Speaking about the initiative, Mr. Parashuram, Deputy manager Aster RV, Aster Volunteer said, “Blood donation is one of the simplest yet most powerful acts of kindness. Every unit of blood can help save multiple lives, and we are grateful to all the volunteers who came forward today. Their compassion reinforces the spirit of community care that Aster strives to promote.”

This initiative reflects Aster’s ongoing mission to create healthier and more connected communities through accessible healthcare and volunteer-driven outreach programs. By joining hands with residential communities like VBHC Palmhaven, Aster Volunteers continues to spread awareness about the importance of regular blood donation and collective responsibility in healthcare.