Britannia Launches Harry Potter Themed Biscuits with Warner Bros
Bhumika Lenka business
Britannia Launches Harry Potter Themed Biscuits with Warner Bros

National, 04 February 2025: Attention, witches, wizards, and Muggles alike! It’s time to fasten your seat belts and prepare to be spellbound—because Britannia is bringing magic to your snack time, giving you a chance to celebrate your love for Harry Potter in the most delicious way possible. Introducing Britannia’s Pure Magic Choco Frames – a Limited-Edition Harry Potter-inspired open choco biscuit crafted to delight your taste buds and transform everyday moments into indulgent celebrations inspired by the enchanting world of Hogwarts.

In a first-of-its-kind collaboration with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products (WBGCP), Britannia has curated a sensory experience to delight all Harry Potter fans. Each of the five biscuits in a pack is inspired by the world of Harry Potter, bringing back fond memories of Hogwarts and featuring intricate designs of the four iconic houses: Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff. But the magic doesn’t stop there— you may uncover a rare treasure: a biscuit embossed with the iconic Platform 9¾. With Britannia Pure Magic Choco Frames every bite takes you deeper into the world of choco indulgence.

Every Pure Magic Choco Frame is a delightful combination of textures and flavours—a crisp biscuit topped with a luscious bar of velvety chocolate. This limited-edition collection isn’t just a treat; it’s a collectible, perfect for gifting to fellow Harry Potter fans or indulging yourself.

Siddharth Gupta, General Manager – Marketing, Britannia Industries, says “At Britannia, we are committed to constantly innovating and finding new ways to delight our consumers while evolving our portfolio to meet changing preferences. Our collaboration with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products (WBGCP) marks a significant milestone as we bring a Harry Potter-inspired indulgence for fans through our Pure Magic Choco Frames. This strategic partnership is an attempt to bring the iconic legacy Harry Potter together with Britannia’s expertise in crafting indulgent treats for everyone. It’s more than just a product; it’s an opportunity to create a memorable moment, that resonates with fans across generations”

Harry Potter fans, don’t let this extraordinary opportunity vanish! The Britannia Pure Magic Choco Frames is available only for a limited time on Blinkit or your nearest Reliance stores. Grab your pack now, and let the magic unfold—because when it comes to Harry Potter, the magic is forever.

77% of Indian Shoppers in APAC Prefer Retailers Offering Tailored Recommendations: Zebra Study
Rutuparna Rath business
77% of Indian Shoppers in APAC Prefer Retailers Offering Tailored Recommendations: Zebra Study

New Delhi, India – February 04, 2025 – Zebra Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: ZBRA), a global leader in digitizing and automating frontline workflows, today announced the findings of its 17th Annual Global Shopper Study. The study clearly reflects Indian consumers’ expectations from retailers to embrace AI / GenAI to transform their shopping experiences. Retailers recognize the potential of this technology to revolutionize customer engagement and enhance personalization, highlighting a clear demand for innovative and tailored retail solutions.

Artificial intelligence (AI) technologies are currently viewed as the most helpful with loss prevention, closely followed by cameras, sensors, and RFID. A significant majority of retail associates (84% globally, 72% in APAC, including India) are concerned about the lack of technology to detect safety threats or criminal activity. In response, 78% globally and 80% in APAC (including India) are investing in technology tools to support frontline workers and monitor operations from behind the scenes.

While only 3-in-10 retailers (38% globally and in APAC, including India) currently use AI-based prescriptive analytics for loss prevention, more than half surveyed (50% globally, 52% in APAC, including India) plan to use it in the next 1-3 years for this purpose. Over three in 10 retailers say they also plan to use self-checkout cameras and sensors (45% globally, 52% in APAC, including India), computer vision (46% globally and in APAC, including India), and RFID tags and readers (42% globally, 38% in APAC, including India) within the next three years, specifically for loss prevention.

This should come as a relief to shoppers, as 78% say it is annoying when products are locked up or secured within cases. Adding to that frustration is that it is hard to find an associate while shopping in stores these days, according to 70% of consumers. This resonates with 79% and 70% of APAC shoppers, including India, respectively.

Increasingly over the past two years, the reason why one in five shoppers (21% globally, 22% in APAC, including India) left a store without getting what they needed was due to a lack of available retail associates to help. Other Issues Contributing to Associate Frustration, Decline in Shopper Satisfaction

Although consumers are still generally satisfied with their shopping experience and global consumer spending is holding steady, fewer shoppers overall are satisfied with their shopping experiences this year. In 2023, 85% were satisfied with both the in-store and online experiences – this stood at 81% and 80% respectively for APAC shoppers, including India. This year, only 81% are satisfied with the in-store experience and 79% with online shopping. Satisfaction similarly decreased for APAC shoppers, including India, to 78% for in-store experience and 75% for online shopping.

Generally, most shoppers expect retailers to offer easy click-and-collect and returns options, yet retailers (79% globally, 85% in APAC, including India) and associates (85% globally and in APAC, including India) admit challenges with both. Most retailers also say it is a struggle to confirm current inventory and pricing. Plus, with more shoppers returning to stores, lingering labor shortages and increasing loss incidents are having a greater impact on service levels. For example:

  • 78% of global shoppers (81% in APAC, including India) say self-checkout options improve their shopping experience, yet 68% of global shoppers (67% in APAC, including India) identify that self-checkout (SCO) lanes are lacking, with some reporting they have left a store without making a purchase because there were no SCO (shelf-checkout kiosks) or contactless payment options.
  • 71% of global shoppers (70% in APAC, including India) are concerned about the lack of help associates can offer, while 82% of global associates (76% in APAC, including India) say it is even difficult for them to find help or ask for timely support when needed.

Nearly 90% of retail associates believe they can provide better customer experience when they have mobile technology tools to help simplify real-time communication and prioritize tasks as well as check prices and inventory. Most retailers agree technology enables associates to do their jobs better, and as a result, 75% of global retailers (79% in APAC, including India) say they plan to increase their technology investments in 2025.

“Many retailers are laying the groundwork to build a modern store experience,” said Subramaniam Thiruppathi, Director of India sub-continent business, Zebra Technologies. “By investing in mobile and intelligent technologies to provide greater visibility, help inform operational decisions and enable great mobility for associates, this ladders up to elevate the customer experience for retail’s long-term longevity.”

Along with enhancing customer experience, the study shows retailers’ top priorities include improving mobile workforce efficiency and productivity along with inventory management. More than one-third of them (39% globally, 41% in APAC, including India) believe that GenAI will have an extremely significant impact on inventory management and demand forecasting. They will also be automating product locating and item-level RFID (46% globally and in APAC, including India), video monitoring (45% globally and 36% in APAC, including India), and stock-out alerts (45% globally, 49% in APAC, including India) to give associates and shoppers real-time inventory visibility, which is a leading profitability driver.

Retailers can exceed shopper expectations, drive profitability and empower engaged associates if they:

  • Get to know their customers. Three-quarters (75% globally, 77% in APAC, including India) of shoppers are more willing to try and buy items when retailers know their personal preferences and associates make recommendations.
  • Make it easier to find, pay for, and return items and find item–related information. Shoppers want associates to be available, and they are driven to retailers who can help them more easily find or return items.
  • Keep shelves stocked. While fewer shoppers are complaining about out-of-stocks, this remains the top reason why over half (57% globally, 49% in APAC, including India) of shoppers leave a store without items they want, and more associates (86% globally and in APAC, including India) are now struggling with real-time out-of-stock tracking.
  • Protect shoppers without over-indexing on loss prevention. Most shoppers (71% globally, 65% in APAC, including India) are concerned about the stores at which they shop are experiencing high levels of theft and crime. Like associates, they worry threats can’t be spotted or stopped. However, 77% of global shoppers (68% in APAC, including India) are also concerned retailers may raise prices to cover the cost of increasing theft and crime.
  • Avoid passing operational costs onto customers. Shoppers are more price sensitive than ever, with over three-quarters (between 71% to 86% of those surveyed) worried inflation will drive up the prices of both everyday essentials and big-ticket items and force them to reduce overall spending.
  • Give associates more technology. Most associates (85% globally, 82% in APAC, including India) feel strongly that their store needs more associates, and majority of retailers agree (81% globally, 85% in APAC, including India). Associates also believe stores that leverage retail technology and mobile devices attract and retain more associates, and shoppers have a better experience when associates use the latest technology to assist them.
Gopal Vittal appointed as Acting Chair of the GSMA Board
Sai Krishna news
Gopal Vittal appointed as Acting Chair of the GSMA Board

WhatsApp Image 2025-02-04 at 12.58.36 PM

Bangalore, February 3, 2025: Gopal Vittal, Vice Chairman & MD, Bharti Airtel and Deputy Chair GSMA has been appointed as the Acting Chair of the GSMA board following the resignation of José Maria Álvares-Pallete, Chairman & CEO, Telefónica from the company. By virtue of this resignation, he is no longer able to continue in the position of the Chair of the GSMA.

Gopal was recently re-elected as the Deputy Chair of the GSMA board. He has also served the board as a key member for the term 2019-2020.

GSMA represents the global telecommunications industry with over 1100 companies from the telecom ecosystem across the world including telecom service providers, handset and device makers, software companies, equipment providers and internet companies, as well as organizations in adjacent industry sectors.

ISCR’s 18th Conference Highlights Innovation and Patient Centricity
Bhumika Lenka health
ISCR’s 18th Conference Highlights Innovation and Patient Centricity

Mumbai, February 4th, 2025: Indian Society for Clinical Research (ISCR), an association of clinical research professionals, hosted its 18th Annual Conference at CIDCO Exhibition & Convention Centre, Vashi, Navi Mumbai on January 31 and February 1, 2025. Marking two decades of advancing clinical research in India, ISCR also celebrated its 20-year journey at the event. The conference welcomed participation from over 2100 delegates and featured 300 eminent speakers. It brought together a diverse group of experts to discuss key themes, including advancements in patient-centric approaches in clinical trials, ethics, artificial intelligence, innovations in data management, statistical reporting, medical writing, programming, and increased academic participation in research. All discussions revolved around the central theme: “Enhancing India’s Success in Clinical Research: Unifying Innovation, Technology, and Patient Centricity.” A key highlight of the conference was the launch of ISCR’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) paper during the inaugural session, highlighting the growing impact of AI and ML in clinical research.

Dr. Santosh Kadam, President of IMA Maharashtra, emphasized the importance of innovation and addressing unmet medical needs during his inaugural address. He highlighted how clinical research plays a pivotal role in ensuring that new medicines, vaccines, diagnostics, and devices are thoroughly tested for safety and efficacy. Prominent industry thought leaders and experts like Dr. Arijit Nag (Tata Memorial Center), Dr Rahul Purwar (IIT Mumbai), Dr Ganesh Dakhle (AIIMS, Nagpur), Dr Kshitij Jadhav (IIT Mumbai), Dr Anant Patil (DY Patil Medical College, Nerul) etc. were part of sessions which discussed the evolving role of clinical research in healthcare. Other speakers at the event included representatives from leading R&D organizations such as Sun Pharma, Dr Reddy’s, Biocon Ltd. as well as other Multinational R&D organizations . They enriched the dialogue with valuable insights on cutting-edge technologies, innovative methodologies, and patient-centric approaches shaping the future of the sector.

The conference also emphasized the importance of collaboration and innovation in enhancing clinical trial methodologies. Interactive sessions like “Revolutionizing Dose Decision Making” and “Harnessing the Power of Statistics in Cancer Care” provided attendees with practical strategies for improving trial outcomes and patient-centric solutions. The event concluded with engaging panel discussions on preparing effective regulatory submissions and bridging data gaps using advanced statistical tools.

Highlighting importance of clinical research in India, Dr. Sanish Davis, President of ISCR, said, “The 18th Annual Conference exemplifies our commitment to advancing the discipline of clinical research in India by fostering collaboration and innovation. As methodologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning, decentralized trials, adaptive designs, and patient-centric approaches rapidly evolve, this platform enables meaningful discussions on integrating these advancements into the Indian clinical research ecosystem. Together with academia , regulators, innovation driven R&D organizations and patients, ISCR aims to push the vision of Viksit Bharat to bring forth impactful healthcare solutions, prioritizing both quality and accessibility.”

In its journey to becoming a global leader in clinical research, India’s evolving policy landscape continues to play a pivotal role in shaping the research ecosystem. With ongoing regulatory advancements, the country is well-positioned to foster innovation, enhance patient outcomes, and establish itself as a hub for cutting-edge discoveries, innovations and clinical trials. Beyond the conference, ISCR actively builds public awareness about clinical research. In 2024, ISCR’s Run4Research engaged the public in discussions on its healthcare impact, reinforcing ISCR’s commitment to bridging knowledge gaps and fostering trust in clinical research.

Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Reports Sales of 4,44,847 Units in January 2025
Rutuparna Rath business
Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Reports Sales of 4,44,847 Units in January 2025

Mumbai, February 3, 2025: Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India today announced its sales numbers for the month of January 2025.

The company’s total sales for January’25 stood at 4,44,847 units, recording a 6% YoY growth. This includes domestic sales of 4,02,977 units and 41,870 units exports. The domestic sales for the month registered 5% YoY growth while exports grew 14% over the same period of last year.

It is worth mentioning that HMSI’s YTD FY25 (April’24 – Jan’25) total sales stand at 49,81,767 units. This includes domestic sales of 45,41,323 units and 4,40,444 units exports.

HMSI’s Key Highlights of January 2025:

  • Product: HMSI introduced the updated OBD2B compliant versions of the Activa, Livo, and Dio with advanced new features. Moreover, the company’s premium motorcycle portfolio has been further strengthened with the launch of latest editions of the CB650R and CBR650R.
  • Bharat Mobility Global Expo 2025: HMSI took the center stage at the Bharat Mobility Global Expo 2025, showcasing an exciting line-up of innovative and sustainable mobility solutions. The company announced the prices of the all-new ACTIVA e: and QC1. In addition, the CB300F flex-fuel, Honda’s portable electric scooter Motocompacto, Electric Racing Go-Kart and advanced battery swapping technology with the dedicated Honda Power Pack Exchanger e: were also on display.
  • Road Safety: Expanding road safety awareness in India, HMSI promoted campaigns in 11 cities across India – Zirakpur (Punjab), Bhopal & Vidisha (Madhya Pradesh), Bahula (West Bengal), Ongole (Andhra Pradesh), Chiplun & Ahmednagar (Maharashtra), Davanagere (Karnataka), Palakkad (Kerala), Rajkot (Gujarat), and Dhanbad (Jharkhand). Additionally, HMSI organized Road Safety Convention with school principals in Chennai (Tamil Nadu) as a part of ongoing project – Mindset Development for our Future Generation. HMSI also hosted an engaging Road Safety Kids Carnival for school students at its Global Resource Factory in Manesar, Haryana.
  • Motorsports: There was a double celebration in Saudi Arabia with a second consecutive Dakar Rally double podium for Monster Energy Honda HRC as Tosha Schareina and Adrien Van Beveren took 2nd and 3rd place at the 47th edition of this world-famous motorsport event.

Apollo Cancer Centres & CURE Foundation Kick Off Free Cervical Cancer Vaccination Drive for World Cancer Day
Rutuparna Rath news
Apollo Cancer Centres & CURE Foundation Kick Off Free Cervical Cancer Vaccination Drive for World Cancer Day

Hyderabad, February 4, 2025: Apollo Cancer Centres & CURE Foundation, in a major initiative to raise awareness and prevent cervical cancer, has launched a Free Cervical Cancer Vaccination Program. The program was officially unveiled by Ms. Meenakshi Choudary, Multi-Faceted Popular Actress, today at the hospital premises, on the eve of World Cancer Day, observed on February 4, 2025. The event was graced by Dr. Vijay Anand Reddy, Director of Apollo Cancer Centres, Hyderabad; Dr Padmaja Lokireddy, Sr. Consultant Haemato Oncologist & Bone Marrow Transplant, Apollo Cancer Centres, Hyderabad; Dr Rajeev Reddy, Consultant Orthopaedic Oncosurgeon and Sarcoma Specialist, Apollo Cancer Centres, Hyderabad; and, Dr SVSS Prasad, Sr. Consultant Medical Oncologist, Apollo Cancer Centres, Hospitals, Hyderabad.

This Free Vaccination drive being conducted throughout the month of February, will have free HPV vaccinations being administered to women between 9 AM and 6 PM, at Apollo Cancer Centres, Jubilee Hills. Additionally, the hospital has extended its support to young girls in orphanages across Hyderabad, ensuring they receive the vaccine at no cost.

Speaking about this crucial Step in the fight against Cervical Cancer, Dr. Vijay Anand Reddy, Director of Apollo Cancer Centres, emphasized the critical role of this initiative. He said, this is a significant step forward in our collective fight against cervical cancer. Through widespread vaccination, we aim to protect future generations and prevent unnecessary suffering.

Dr Vijay Anand Reddy speaking on the occasion said, our guest and Actress Meenakshi Choudhary, a national badminton player, national swimmer and a dental doctor, has promised to help us by being our ambassador to help build cancer awareness and promote cancer charity initiatives that we undertake. Tomorrow is cancer care day, it’s essential we create enough awareness about cancer, that cancer is preventable, detectable early and above all curable. Such awareness programs help in removing the scare about cancer, encourage the people to go for early detection of cancer and get it treated, because cancer can be cured, specially if it’s detected early. Even for patients in late stages we are in a position to control cancer and ensure good quality of life. Cancer is going to be the most common disease in the days to come and it’s imperative that each one of us knows what are the symptoms and signs of cancer, so that we are alert to the disease and seek help as quickly as possible. Today we also took the initiative to prevent cancer by giving vaccination. Right now there are only two cancers which can be prevented by taking vaccine, the liver cancer and cervical cancer. We have taken up the project to do cervical cancer vaccination, we have also been requesting the government to do this vaccination free of cost. Last year Central government had agreed and announced that they will do cervical cancer vaccination free of cost for girls between 9 and 26 years of age. But it will take time to implement the program in the entire country, therefore we are taking the responsibility to initiate the program in the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad fir the underprivileged girls in orphanages and also to create awareness in the other strata of the society about the importance of vaccination to protect young girls from cervical cancer. Today we vaccinated 150 orphan girls, we will keep the program open till the end of the February month to vaccinate more.

Actress Meenakshi Choudhary said, its a matter of pride for me to be associated with this program for lot of things, because it’s something I hold extremely close to my heart. Among women the most common cancers are breast cancer and cervical cancer, most of which can be cured, but lack of awareness about these cancers being treatable is holding women back from leading a healthy lifestyle, that is where Apollo Hospitals, Cure foundation & these caring Doctors have been making a huge difference to many a lives. I know it’s tough to break the taboo about cancer, but we should but intensify awareness and help overcome this dreaded disease and come a step a closer to prevent & detect the disease early.

Cancer incidence is rising at an alarming rate, with a significant percentage of cases detected in advanced stages, limiting recovery prospects. Among women, cervical and breast cancers are the most prevalent, accounting for 50% of all female cancers. 20% of Indian women suffering from cancer are diagnosed with cervical cancer, a largely rural phenomenon; while 30% incidence of women cancers are breast cancer, which is more common in urban areas.

Globally, cervical cancer has been effectively controlled through the HPV vaccine, India continues to witness high incidence rates despite the availability of this simple preventive measure. Apollo Cancer Centres is determined to bridge this gap by increasing access to the vaccine and spreading awareness.

Dr. Reddy reiterated Apollo Cancer Centres commitment to eliminating cervical cancer as a public health concern, aligning with the World Health Organization’s (WHO) goal to eliminate cervical cancer by 2030. The WHO’s strategy calls for 90% of girls to be fully vaccinated with the HPV vaccine by the age of 15, a milestone that Apollo Cancer Centres is dedicated to supporting through this initiative, he adds.

With this vaccination drive, Apollo Cancer Centres continues to lead the fight against cervical cancer, empowering women with preventive healthcare and paving the way for a healthier future.

Union Budget 2025: Empowering SMEs, Gig Workers, and the EV Sector : Mr. Maxson Lewis, Founder and CEO of Magenta Mobility
Rutuparna Rath business
Union Budget 2025: Empowering SMEs, Gig Workers, and the EV Sector : Mr. Maxson Lewis, Founder and CEO of Magenta Mobility

 by Mr. Maxson Lewis, Founder and CEO of Magenta Mobility

“The Union Budget 2025 takes a big leap toward strengthening India’s economy while addressing the real challenges faced by SMEs and gig workers. MSMEs have long been the backbone of our EV industry, and this budget recognizes their role by offering targeted incentives, skill development programs, and infrastructure support—giving them the tools they need to scale and innovate.

At the same time, the expansion of the E-Shram scheme is a much-needed win for gig workers, ensuring they have access to social security, fair wages, and better upskilling opportunities. In today’s digital-driven world, these measures go a long way in creating a more inclusive workforce.

What’s particularly exciting is the boost for manufacturing—especially in electronics and EV battery production—along with fresh investment incentives for startups. By focusing on clean energy, self-reliance, and innovation, this budget isn’t just about numbers. It’s about empowering businesses, workers, and entrepreneurs to build a more sustainable and globally competitive India”.

MoveInSync GCC Conclave 2025 to Shape Next Phase of Growth in Hyderabad
Bhumika Lenka health
MoveInSync GCC Conclave 2025 to Shape Next Phase of Growth in Hyderabad

Hyderabad, February 2025: Jayesh Ranjan, Special Chief Secretary of the Industries & Commerce (I&C) and Information Technology (IT) Departments of the Telangana government is set to preside over The GCC Conclave, hosted by Global leaders in enterprise commute, MoveInSync in collaboration with Humanize AI.

This exclusive conclave, scheduled on the 5th of February at Sheraton Hyderabad, will witness business leaders engage with the Government and discuss the roadmap for growth and acceleration of GCC in the State.

Commenting on the announcement of the conclave Cofounder and CEO of MoveInSync, Deepesh Agarwal said “India is set to record an accelerated growth in the GCC space, and the market is poised to double in another 5 years. There is no doubt that infrastructure, capacities, skill and talent will drive this growth and for this we need to prepare. A Deloitte study has reported that there are 1,600 plus Global Capacity Centres employing more than 1.5 million professionals and a projected market size of US$110 billion by 2030. This puts India-specially Hyderabad and Bengaluru as a cornerstone of global business innovation in the GCC ecosystem”

Deepesh further lauded Telangana’s efforts in building a vibrant ecosystem for growth of Global Capacity Centres, especially through Telangana’s ‘Vision for Life Science 2030’. However, he cautioned that on an average Indians are spending about 8.3 % of their day commuting for work which increased by about 1.6% in 2024.

Speaking about the conference, Jagdish Mitra, Founder & CEO of Humanize said, “We are seeing a paradigm shift in the Indian technology industry- GCCs, one of the fastest growing technology segments, are evolving beyond capability-driven hubs to become global centers of efficiency, automation and most critically, of innovation. AI, GenAI, and emerging technologies are not just enablers but we at humanize believe that they will be fundamental to redefining service delivery, talent orchestration, business impact and customer experience. Hyderabad is truly at the center (geographically and virtually) of the India tech revolution, with its dynamic ecosystem, is poised to lead this transformation – more than 120 GCCs have either set up or expanded in Hyderabad over the last 5 years. Telangana’s second ICT Policy – focusing on infrastructure, supporting innovation, promoting datacenters, IT parks and incubation centers, and emphasizing digital inclusion – has been instrumental in this growth. Having spent several years in Hyderabad, I’ve witnessed its remarkable progress firsthand. The GCC Conclave serves as a catalyst for collaboration, ensuring that technology, policy, and leadership converge to shape the future of enterprise evolution.”

Jayesh Ranjan, Special Chief Secretary of the Industries & Commerce (I&C) and Information Technology (IT) Departments of the Telangana government and Chief Guest at the GCC Conclave will deliver the keynote speech.

The GCC Conclave will further witness key business leaders and officials participating in panel discussions. Sirisha Voruganti (CEO &MD, Lloyds Technology Centre India), Mamatha Madireddy (MD & Head, HSBC India Global Service Centres) and Jagdish Mitra (Founder & CEO, Humanize) will be speaking at the event. This will be followed by 2 panel discussions. The first panel will explore how GenAI and emerging technologies enhance service deliveries in GCC. This will feature MD, Evernorth, Ashok Venkatachalam and VP and MD, CC Site Leader of Kenvue Solutions India GCC, Rajesh Puneyani. The final panel discussion will detail Hyderabad’s growth story and highlight the City’s initiatives on sustainability, CRE and mobility infrastructure. This panel will be attended by VP, Product and Growth, MoveInSync, Ujjwal Trivedi, Partner and CFP of Gloplax, Rakesh Singhania and MD, Sonoco, Arvind Chittora.

K2 Infragen Limited Wins Highway Project Contract in Gujarat
Rutuparna Rath news
K2 Infragen Limited Wins Highway Project Contract in Gujarat

Gurgaon, 4th February, 2025 – K2 Infragen Limited, one of the fastest-growing players in India’s infrastructure and EPC sectors, has secured a road project contract worth INR 142.14 Crores for the “Strengthening and Maintenance works/activities on the section from Km 0.00 to Km 123.454 of the Jetpur-Somnath Section (excluding Junagarh Bypass, 103 Km) in the state of Gujarat, under a Performance-Based Maintenance Contract (PBMC).” The contract was awarded by NHAI to M/s SRM Contractors Ltd. and will be executed by K2 Infragen Ltd.

This order further strengthens K2 Infragen’s credentials and enhances its ability to bid for direct contracts from NHAI in the future. With this addition, the company’s total order book under execution now stands at INR 550 Crores, providing strong growth visibility.

Commenting on this milestone, Mr. Pankaj Sharma, Managing Director at K2 Infragen, stated:, “We are honored to have secured this landmark project-our largest single order in the Roads & Transport infrastructure domain. While the scheduled completion is set for September 2026, we expect to complete most of the construction within this year. The company continues to secure significant contracts of NHAI while diversifying into the Transmission & Distribution (T&D) and Railways sectors. We have developed in-house expertise across design, procurement, and construction supervision, delivering comprehensive EPC solutions spanning roads, railways, water supply, and civil construction. By integrating AI-driven solutions to optimize efficiency in turnkey projects, we are reinforcing our position as a leader in multi-sector infrastructure development. Additionally, we are also actively exploring opportunities in the solar EPC space, anticipating a major breakthrough soon and are actively engaging in discussions with financial institutions to enhance fund-based and non-fund based credit limits.”

Additionally, K2 Infragen is actively engaged in discussions with large financial institutions to enhance its banking limits, which will enable the company to:

  • Execute the current order book efficiently.
  • Continue bidding for attractive opportunities across various infrastructure verticals to further expand its order pipeline.

With a continuously expanding sales pipeline and enhanced execution capabilities, K2 Infragen is on track for consistent, sustainable growth over the next three years, driven by strategic expansion across India. The company is also making steady progress towards its vision of becoming a multi-sector, diversified infrastructure EPC player. Earlier this year, K2 Infragen secured significant orders in the Transmission & Distribution (T&D) and Railways sectors. Additionally, the company is actively exploring opportunities in the solar EPC sector and expects a major breakthrough soon.

Ishita Ganguly’s Chamkeeli Set to Be the Next Icon After Komolika
Bhumika Lenka news
Ishita Ganguly’s Chamkeeli Set to Be the Next Icon After Komolika

Some characters in Indian television leave a lasting impact—be it their iconic style, cunning ways, or memorable dialogues. One such unforgettable character is Komolika, played by Urvashi Dholakia, who redefined the on-screen vamp with her glamorous and bold persona. Now, actress Ishita Ganguly is stepping into the spotlight with a character that promises to rival such legends. As Chamkeeli in Shemaroo Umang’s Badi Haveli Ki Chhoti Thakurain, Ishita is ready to set the screen on fire with her fierce and mesmerizing presence.

Chamkeeli is not an ordinary character. With her striking scorpion tattoo, bold earrings, ring on her lips, and dazzling maangtika, she demands attention. Ishita herself is thrilled about playing this role, she said, “Chamkeeli is bold, fierce, and unapologetic. She believes every ruthless action she takes is justified to achieve her goals. I drew inspiration from Urvashi Dholakia’s Komolika, who made vamps glamorous and iconic. While Komolika is a benchmark, I’m hopeful that Chamkeeli will leave her own mark. Her look, her personality, and her dialogue ‘Chamkeeli jab chamake hai na, tab ache ache ka bulbva fuse ho jaave hai’ make her fun to play. From her mangtika to her tattoo, every detail of her look has me excited—the stylist and the makeup team have done a fabulous job!”

For Ishita, Chamkeeli’s look and persona have been a unique experience. “I’ve done many shows before, but none of them excited me as much as this. Everything about Chamkeeli, from her appearance to her personality, is fascinating. Even the makeup room is fun because the process of getting into Chamkeeli’s look is a whole vibe!”

At the core of Badi Haveli Ki Chhoti Thakurain is the intense rivalry between Chamkeeli and Chaina for the haveli’s legacy. While Chaina fights for justice and tradition, Chamkeeli uses cunning and manipulation to achieve her goals. This clash of right versus wrong creates a rollercoaster of drama, emotions, and shocking twists that will leave audiences hooked