All posts by Neel Achary

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.

Contrails AI Raises Dolar 1M Pre-Seed to Advance Its Multimodal AI Engine for Tackling Growing GenAI Threats

Bangalore, October 9, 2025: Contrails AI, a Trust & Safety-tech AI startup, raised $1M in a pre-seed round, led by Huddle Ventures and IAN Group. Founded by Digvijay Singh (AI Researcher and Product Leader) and Amitabh Kumar (Global Trust & Safety Practitioner), Contrails AI is on a mission to safeguard internet companies in the age of GenAI.

The internet, once a space for connecting humans and sharing knowledge and experiences worldwide, is now flooded by bots and “AI slop,” leading to an explosion of machine-made, uncontrolled, and unrestrained content online.

This shift pushes us closer to a “dead internet,” where 99.99% of content is counterproductive or malicious AI-Generated Content (AIGC). Consequently, it will erode digital trust and accelerate threats like brand and identity theft, social engineering at scale, critical misinformation, online illegal abuse, and outright financial fraud.

Contrails AI is reimagining how platforms manage risk and govern GenAI content. Its proprietary Forensics & Manipulation Detection AI delivers real-time analysis with layered explainability, enabling platform review teams to detect, assess, and act on threats proactively. As AIGC proliferates beyond human-scale moderation, Contrails AI helps create walled gardens of trusted, safe environments, preserving user trust and platform integrity.

AI-powered cyberattacks are surging in both volume and form factor. Easy access to GenAI and media manipulation tools has led to over half of organisations seeing weekly phishing attacks, resulting in losses of dolar 17,700 every minute. Additionally, two out of three Fortune 500 company executives have encountered a deepfake or voice spoof attack.

Existing solutions are often limited to a single modality or locally limited coverage. Contrails AI tackles this threat with a multimodal approach across video, image, audio, and text, merging fraud detection with forensic DNA analysis and global data expertise.

This pre-seed funding accelerates the company’s zero-to-one journey by fueling the US and EU pilots running across industries such as marketplaces, media houses, financial firms, and leading digital platforms.

Commenting on Contrails AI’s mission to redefine digital content safety, Amitabh Kumar, Co-Founder, shared, “Trust & Safety is no longer a back-office concern; it has become a boardroom priority. At Contrails AI, we translate complex safety challenges into strategic advantages, spanning across policy, content moderation, and AI guardrailing. This allows us to build moderation and governance frameworks powered by AI, helping digital platforms scale while balancing automation and human oversight.”

“Digital content, online communities, and the internet are going to explode because of the acceleration brought on by GenAI technologies. We are on a mission to safeguard online spaces and ensure that these communities thrive in a safer, intended way. For the past decade, we’ve been closely monitoring the evolving tactics, tools, and emerging attack surface area of bad actors. Contrails AI is our answer, an enterprise-grade solution engineered to proactively safeguard the digital communities of today and tomorrow at scale,” added Digvijay Singh, Co-Founder, Contrails AI.

From 500,000 in 2023 to 8 million in 2025, deepfake files have grown 16-fold, prompting stronger investor and regulatory demands for user protection online.

“By rebuilding Trust & Safety on the internet, Contrails AI is solving one of the biggest challenges endured by today’s digital era. It is well-poised to build a product in an industry where the inflection point is arriving soon. The teams’ credibility within this space is crafted well to deliver a truly global solution. With a multimodal approach and founder-led vision, they are in a league of their own, and we wish the team the best in their ambitious endeavour,” said Sanil Sachar, Partner, Huddle Ventures.

Ajai Chowdhry, Board Member, IAN Group, and Co-Founder, HCL, pointed out, “The team at Contrails AI is tackling digital content risk with unmatched precision and enterprise-ready solutions, setting a benchmark for the industry.”

Contrails AI combines deep-tech innovation with multimodal AI expertise to engineer a compliance-ready safety infrastructure that safeguards digital ecosystems globally. By partnering with the world’s leading innovators in services and technology, the company is driving adoption of Trust & Safety solutions while building an interconnected, secure digital ecosystem.

Gurgaon, India, October 9, 2025: MDI Gurgaon, one of the premier business schools in India, held a Leadership Lecture on the theme “Collaboration Across Countries: Roadmap for a Sustainable Future” at the MDI Gurgaon Auditorium, featuring Mr. Erik Solheim, Former Minister of Environment, Norway, and former Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Program. The lecture was facilitated by the Centre for Ethics, ESG Initiatives and Responsible Organisations (CERO), MDI Gurgaon’s institutional centre promoting sustainability, ethical leadership, and responsible management practices.

This session brought together students, faculty, and industry leaders to discuss the importance of collective responsibility and cross-border collaboration for a sustainable and inclusive future. Mr. Solheim delivered a powerful lecture about the need for a new global architecture for peace and development with respect for state sovereignty, saying that to change borders is a “recipe for war.” Mr. Solheim also added, no nation should interfere in another nation’s internal affairs, and there needs to be a global framework for trade in which all nations benefit, and suggested deep structural reform of global institutions to move from a culture of bureaucracy to a culture of delivering.

Reflecting on collective responsibility and sustainability, he said, “True progress comes when nations, organisations, and individuals come together to share a vision. Working across borders is not just an opportunity; it is our responsibility to build a sustainable future for all.”

The event also welcomed Mr. Nishaanth Balashanmugam, the CEO and Director of Green Hydrogen India (GH2 India), who is actively involved in catalysing India’s green hydrogen future, underscoring the vital link between global dialogue and national action on sustainability. He also addressed the gathering, discussing India’s rising leadership in the clean energy space, followed by how innovation and cross-border partnerships in green hydrogen can help accelerate the transition to sustainability and energy security at a global scale.

The lecture focused on how ethical leadership and ESG (environmental, social, governance) principles are essential enablers of global collaboration. Using case studies and discussion, speakers and participants examined the significance of responsible leadership in achieving sustainable business and civil society outcomes.

The gathering convened MDI faculty, students, alumni, and corporate leaders, reinforcing MDI Gurgaon’s position as a thought leader in responsible management education. Through global experts and conversation, MDI Gurgaon continues to advance sustainability, ethics and leadership for change in the real world.

Niti Gupta Marks Third Year of Curating Designers from India and UAE at Serbia Fashion Week’s 25th Anniversary Edition

India, 9th october 2025: Niti Gupta, continues to be a passionate advocate for emerging designers, dedicated to uplifting new talent and paving new pathways in the fashion industry. She is a master curator and a design alchemist who has been making waves in the Indian, Dubai and European fashion markets with her ground breaking initiatives and collaborations. Through her work, she creates space for fresh voices, champions innovation, and redefines what the future of fashion will look like. With the collaboration with Serbia Fashion Week, running into the third year, Niti continues to be the builder of bridges between bold new voices and the global fashion stage.

Serbia Fashion Week, in its silver jubilee this year is an annual event hosted in the picturesque and historic city of Novi Sad. Considered a hotbed of talent the event has been hailed for its emphasis on established and emerging designers and is considered a runway to prominent European fashion capitals. Svetlana Horvat, President of Serbia Fashion Week, has been the visionary force, opening doors for emerging designers and lighting the way for the next generation of talent in Southeast Europe.

“Global designers will showcase their designs on the Serbian runway, creating a unique fusion of cultural aesthetics. Most of the designers that I select from India and UAE, have never had access to the European stage before, so this collaboration opens the doors and opportunities for all the countries involved, furthering business possibilities in the fashion industry, be it designers, artisans, production houses or buyers. What makes this an especially memorable collaboration this year is the celebration of 25 years of Serbia Fashion Week,” observed Niti.

Through The AFRA World, Niti is forging strong links between global fashion communities and Serbia’s growing fashion scene. Having established a peerless reputation with her global vision and trailblazing commitment to empowering new talent, Niti is continues to dissolve barriers by bridging international talent to new markets and opportunities.

India, 9th october 2025: Acclaimed storyteller, actor and filmmaker Sudhanshu Rai is set to captivate audiences with his much-awaited live storytelling event “Bhaygatha with Kahanikaar Sudhanshu Rai”, presented by Oriole Entertainment. The show will be hosted on 11th October 2025 at Studio XO, Gurugram, bringing to life an evening of bone-chilling tales and haunting soundscapes.

Known for his captivating voice and evocative narration, Sudhanshu has redefined the mystery, thriller and horror genre, enthralling audiences across platforms. His recent sci-fi supernatural film Baida, released in March 2025 and available for rent on Prime Video, won acclaim for its originality and gripping storyline. With Bhaygatha, fans now have the long-awaited opportunity to experience the magic of Sudhanshu’s storytelling live on stage.

The immersive 90–120 minute Hindi show promises goosebumps, silences and collective gasps, an experience that lingers long after the night is over. Tickets start from INR 999 and are available on BookMyShow.

Event Details:

Date: 11th October 2025
Time: 5:30 PM
Venue: Studio XO Bar, Sector 29, Gurugram
Duration: 90–120 minutes

PVR INOX SETS THE STAGE WITH INDIA’S FIRST-EVER LUXURY DINE-IN CINEMA AT BENGALURU’S M5 ECITY MALL

National, 09 October, 2025: PVR INOX, after recently opening its newest 8-screen multiplex at M5 ECity Mall, Bengaluru, is introducing India’s first dine-in cinema—a first-of-its-kind experience where blockbuster films meet gourmet dining. This format transforms the cinema into a lifestyle destination, giving audiences the freedom to enjoy chef-curated meals in-seat, without stepping out of the auditorium or even purchasing a movie ticket.

The dine-in concept at M5 ECity Mall is built around the idea that cinema should be more than a film—it should be a complete evening of entertainment, food, and comfort. Guests can choose from a range of curated in-house F&B brands, each designed to enhance the cinematic journey:

• Crosta serves artisanal pizzas and baked delights, crafted with premium ingredients and care, inspired by Italian craftsmanship and modern urban cafés.
• Cine Café presents coffees, teas, and bite-sized treats in a café-style environment, creating a social hub for moviegoers before and after shows.
• Dine-In elevates cinema-going into a luxury hospitality experience, combining in-seat gourmet meals with films for a seamless entertainment journey.
• Steamestry offers healthy, light, and flavourful steamed delicacies, inspired by Asian dim sums and modern wellness dining trends.
• Wokstar specializes in quick, stir-fried Asian comfort food served hot and fresh, drawing inspiration from vibrant street food culture.
• In-Between offers wraps, burgers, sandwiches, and bowls for a quick yet satisfying meal, perfect for snacking between shows.
• Frytopia focuses on fun, indulgent fried foods with bold flavors, ideal for sharing and enhancing the movie experience.
• Dogfather serves creative, flavour-loaded hot dogs, turning a casual snack into a gourmet cinema treat.
• Local Street highlights regional flavors, bringing authentic local cuisine to the multiplex and ensuring there is something for every palate.

From the moment guests enter, the space encourages a social and lifestyle experience. Lounge-style foyers with café seating allow visitors to relax before or after a film, making it as much a destination for food lovers and friends as it is for movie enthusiasts. In-seat dining within the auditorium ensures that premium meals can be enjoyed without missing a moment of the movie, turning each screening into a fully immersive experience.

At the heart of this property is Youthification, PVR INOX’s future-ready approach for young, digital-first audiences who seek more than just films. This concept brings together gaming zones, kids-first formats, lounge-style foyers, and curated food experiences, creating a destination where cinema becomes a lifestyle. Whether it is enjoying interactive VR/AR stations, relaxing in CLUB – luxury auditorium, or exploring innovative dining options, every element is designed to connect with today’s audiences in meaningful ways.

Mr. Ajay Bijli, Managing Director, PVR INOX Limited “With the launch of our new multiplex at M5 ECity Mall, we are inviting audiences to experience cinema in an entirely new way. From India’s first dine-in auditorium restaurant to immersive technology and thoughtfully curated food experiences, this property brings everything our guests love under one roof. It is a space designed to celebrate films, lifestyle, and shared moments—making every visit a unique and memorable experience”

Mr. Aamer Bijli, Lead Specialist – Innovation, Film Marketing & Digital Programming, PVR INOX, added, “With M5 ECity Mall, we wanted to reimagine what a cinema can be. This is not just about watching films, it is about spending time well—sharing a meal, gaming with friends, relaxing in lounge spaces, and enjoying the best technology on screen. By bringing India’s first dine-in auditorium restaurant and a range of unique food formats under one roof, we are creating a destination where entertainment, dining, and lifestyle come together seamlessly.”

Beyond the food, the multiplex is equipped with state-of-the-art cinema technology. Every auditorium features Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, Dolby 7.1 surround sound, and 4K Laser projection. The Big Pix auditorium houses a large 4K Laser projection system integrated with RealD 3D, delivering visuals at a scale and clarity that few theaters can match and the Samsung ONYX LED screen takes the Dine-In experience even further. Luxury auditoriums like CLUB combine next-level comfort with advanced technology, creating spaces where the audience can fully lose themselves in the story on screen.

By combining innovative dining, immersive technology, and thoughtful design, the M5 ECity Mall multiplex is changing the way people experience cinema. It creates a destination where the audience can choose how they want to enjoy their time—whether it is a luxurious in-seat meal, a casual coffee and snack, or a night out with friends exploring multiple F&B formats.

This launch marks PVR INOX’s 580th screen in South India and adds to its total of 1,763 screens across 355 properties in India and Sri Lanka. With this dine-in cinema, PVR INOX continues to set a new standard, redefining the movie-going experience for the next generation.

Hyderabad, 9th October 2025: IIT Hyderabad (IIITH), India’s premier research-led institute in information technology has collaborated with TalentSprint, Part of Accenture, a leading global education company powered by AI, to offer advanced programs for professionals seeking to lead in the era of Generative AI (GenAI).

This enduring partnership of over 7 years brings together IIITH’s pioneering expertise in AI research and TalentSprint’s proven excellence in online program delivery to empower professionals with next-generation AI capabilities. Building on the success of legacy AIML programme, which has trained and transformed thousands of professionals in advanced AI and machine learning, the launch of this Certificate Programme in Generative AI and Prompt Engineering marks a decisive step forward in creating a future-ready AI workforce.

Generative AI is transforming the world today. From writing code and developing products to automating customer experiences, GenAI has become central to how industries innovate and scale. According to recent reports, over 78% of global organizations are actively exploring or investing in GenAI capabilities. However, there exists a significant gap between the demand and supply of skilled professionals equipped to work with advanced AI systems, particularly in areas such as LLM tooling, responsible AI design, and real-time engineering.

Recognizing this urgent need, IIIT Hyderabad, in collaboration with TalentSprint, has introduced a high-impact, research-backed programme designed to bridge this talent gap. The programme is further anchored by the No. 1 ML Lab at Kohli Center on Intelligent Systems (KCIS), IIIT Hyderabad – a center of excellence driving advanced AI research and innovation across India. The programme combines academic depth with industry-aligned learning, equipping participants with hands-on experience in building and deploying GenAI applications.

Prof Sandeep K Shukla, Director, IIITH emphasizes, “Generative AI represents one of the most transformative shifts in computing. Our curriculum goes beyond theory to offer participants deep insights into the GenAI stack; from prompt engineering to LangChain and vector databases. It empowers professionals to design, build, and deploy intelligent systems that drive real-world impact.”

Ideal for experienced professionals, this three-month immersive learning programme is delivered in a blended format, combining live interactive classes by IIITH faculty with mentor-guided labs and a capstone project. Participants will gain hands-on experience building applications using OpenAI and Hugging Face APIs, mastering LangChain and vector databases such as FAISS and Chroma, designing enterprise-level prompt engineering strategies, developing RAG pipelines and deploying intelligent systems in practice, and learning to create ethical and explainable AI systems.

The programme’s structure ensures flexibility for working professionals while maintaining academic rigor. Participants will also gain access to IIITH’s prestigious alumni network, opening doors to a lifelong learning ecosystem and leadership opportunities in AI-driven domains.

This thoughtfully curated programme will help participants not only understand GenAI fundamentals but also build solutions with purpose—transforming them into practitioners capable of leading enterprise-scale AI adoption.

IIT Roorkee, Uttarakhand, India,09 October 2025: The Department of Design, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee, in collaboration with the International Centre for Frugal Innovation (ICFI), the Netherlands, and the Transdisciplinary Research Cluster on Frugality Studies (TRCFS), Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), successfully organized a three-day international workshop on “Heuristics in Frugal Innovation”.

The workshop brought together a diverse group of participants, including academicians and scientists from universities and research institutions, entrepreneurs, software developers, and experts from social enterprises and user-driven communities. It served as a truly transdisciplinary platform, with participation from India, the Netherlands, Kenya, and Mexico, as well as representatives from leading institutions such as the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), IIT Guwahati, Adobe, and Galgotias University.

The primary objective of the workshop was to build a shared understanding of heuristics in frugal innovation and to deliberate on the development of theoretical frameworks in this emerging field. The discussions also explored pathways for future collaborations, joint research projects, and publication initiatives including a proposed book series documenting the proceedings.

Prof. Kamal Kishore Pant, Director, IIT Roorkee, addressed the gathering and underscored the role of frugal innovation in shaping sustainable futures in his welcome speech. He remarked, “Frugal innovations and transdisciplinary research are critical for sustainable development and essential to achieve the vision of Vikshit Bharat.”

Prof. Peter Knorringa, Academic Director, ICFI, Netherlands, emphasized the long-term significance of the collaboration, noting: “This workshop will help us move closer to our goal of developing a heuristics laboratory for frugal innovation, built through the joint efforts of academicians from India and the Netherlands.”

Prof. Naveen Kumar Navani, Dean of Academic Affairs, IIT Roorkee, announced that the institute will soon introduce new academic courses on frugal innovation, ensuring that students are equipped with the knowledge and skills to contribute to this emerging field, thereby setting a precedent for institutions across India.

Prof. Saradindu Bhaduri, Coordinator, TRCFS & Professor, Centre for Studies in Science Policy-JNU, added that JNU and IIT Roorkee will work together to develop new academic programs related to frugal innovation, further strengthening institutional partnerships.

Prof. Apurbba Kumar Sharma, Head of the Department of Design, IIT Roorkee, reaffirmed IIT Roorkee’s commitment to nurturing frugal innovation, noting that student groups are already engaged in projects under faculty guidance.

The workshop concluded on an optimistic note, with a shared vision of advancing frugality studies as a cornerstone of sustainable, socially inclusive, and globally relevant innovation.

Guwahati – 9th October 2025 –The Indian Supercross Racing League (ISRL) proudly announces its partnership with Bisleri, India’s leading packaged drinking water brand, as the Official Hydration Partner. This collaboration brings together the thrill of motorsport and the trusted legacy of Bisleri, ensuring athletes, teams, and fans stay refreshed and energized throughout the season.

Speaking on the partnership, Eeshan Lokhande, Co-Founder of ISRL, said: “Hydration plays a crucial role in a sport as physically demanding as Supercross and this season we are joined by athletes who are some of the best across the sporting world. This partnership with Bisleri reinforces our commitment to catering to world-class riders, keeping athletes, fans, and the entire team working relentlessly for ISRL hydrated, up to speed, and totally energized throughout. We are delighted to welcome Bisleri and look for this partnership to grow in the coming years as well.”

Adding to this, Tushar Malhotra, Director – Sales & Marketing, Bisleri International. “Indian Supercross Racing League is a platform that celebrates speed, endurance, and passion. At Bisleri, hydration is at the heart of performance, and through this strategic partnership, we aim to fuel the energy of racers and fans alike. This association reflects our commitment to supporting emerging sports and delivering hydration where it’s needed most, while also helping us strengthen our connect with Gen Z consumers.”

With this collaboration, Bisleri reinforces its commitment to supporting sports and high-energy events, while ISRL continues to elevate the Supercross experience in India with world-class standards and fan engagement.