Author: Neel Achary

ASSC Commits to Empowering Communities Through Education and Social Service Programs

New Delhi, May 28, 2026:

The Akhila Sevak Samaj Council (ASSC), a national-level social welfare organisation founded by Dr. Bhargav Mallappa, was officially launched at the Press Club of India in New Delhi on Thursday in the presence of social workers, community representatives and members of the media.

The launch event was attended by spiritual leader Yogi Dhananjaya Giri, Dr. Bhargav Mallappa and C Srinivasan, who addressed the gathering and spoke about the importance of selfless service, social responsibility and community welfare.

Speaking at the event, Yogi Dhananjaya Giri highlighted the concept of “Nishkaam Seva” in Indian culture and Hindu philosophy. He said that service to humanity is equivalent to service to God and stressed the need to strengthen values such as compassion, social justice, national integrity and “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” in society.

Founded on the principle of selfless service, ASSC aims to work in the areas of social welfare, humanitarian assistance, community development and public service initiatives across the country.

During the programme, the organisation also unveiled its vision and mission focused on inclusive development, social justice and citizen empowerment through public participation and humanitarian support. The Council stated that it seeks to act as a bridge between grassroots communities and welfare support systems.

Addressing the gathering, Dr. Bhargav Mallappa emphasised the need for dedicated social service platforms that work beyond personal interests and remain committed to humanitarian support, public participation and nation-building. The event also featured interaction with media representatives, where the Council shared its future roadmap and upcoming initiatives in the areas of education, healthcare awareness, social upliftment and humanitarian assistance.

10ZiG modernized zero clients strengthen cybersecurity and simplify cloud desktop management at Beesley & Fildes

Leicester, UK – May 28, 2026 – 10ZiG® Technology, a leading provider of thin and zero client hardware and software solutions for VDI, DaaS, and web application environments, today announced that Beesley & Fildes, one of the Northwest of England’s oldest independent builders’ merchants, has deployed 10ZiG modernized zero clients across its branch network to strengthen cybersecurity, simplify endpoint management and support the company’s long-term cloud computing strategy.

Established in 1820, Beesley & Fildes is a multi-million pound, family-owned builders’ merchant operating nine branches across the Northwest of England. The business supplies building materials to a wide variety of trades including construction, civil engineering, landscaping, plumbing and heating, kitchens and bathrooms, joinery and roofing. Today, the company employs around 300 staff and supports a hybrid IT environment spanning branch operations, remote workers and cloud-hosted applications. 

The deployment forms part of Beesley & Fildes’ wider investment in Microsoft Azure cloud infrastructure and secure endpoint management. The company currently manages more than 150 endpoints across desktops, laptops and zero clients, underpinned by technologies including VPN connectivity, multi-factor authentication (MFA), remote monitoring and management (RMM), mobile device management (MDM) and conditional access controls. 

The decision to move to 10ZiG resulted as Beesley & Fildes’ previous thin client endpoint supplier, AXEL, ceased trading which created concerns around cybersecurity compliance and the inability to receive future firmware and security updates. 

After reviewing solutions from various vendors, 10ZiG was selected following a successful proof-of-concept trial involving 10ZiG modernized zero clients running 10ZiG’s locked down Linux NOS software connecting to a Remote Desktop Services (RDS) environment in Microsoft Azure. The final deployment included the purchase of powerful 10ZiG 7048q Series and ultra compact 10ZiG 4648q Series devices, managed centrally through free 10ZiG Manager software. 

“We take cybersecurity extremely seriously and simply could not continue running endpoints that were no longer receiving firmware and security updates,” explains Rob John, Beesley & Fildes’ IT Services Manager. “Our original devices themselves were still working perfectly well, but we had to protect the business and ensure we remained compliant from a cybersecurity perspective.”

“We looked at multiple vendors, but 10ZiG immediately stood out because they actually engaged with us to understand our environment,” adds John. “Other bigger vendors largely treated us as just  another order number whereas 10ZiG worked with us closely throughout the entire procurement process. We trialed their devices, connected them to our Azure environment and quickly realised just how easy they are to deploy and manage.” 

Supplied by 10ZiG partner, Panacea Logic, the new endpoints enable staff across branch counters and sales offices to access core business applications including Microsoft 365 and Epicor BisTrack, the company’s specialist ERP platform designed for the building supply industry. 

Using 10ZiG Manager, Beesley & Fildes automated device naming, remote configuration and deployment processes, significantly reducing rollout times and simplifying ongoing endpoint administration.

“The automation within 10ZiG Manager has been hugely impressive,” says Shaun Partington, Beesley & Fildes’ IT Systems Administrator. “We were able to configure the management platform so that devices automatically renamed themselves and pulled down the correct configuration profile as soon as they connected to the network.”

“In practical terms, that meant we could deploy devices incredibly quickly,” adds Partington. “Once the prep work had been completed, we literally plugged a zero client device into the network and within seconds it was configured and ready for the user.”

The rollout across nine sites was therefore completed easily by Beesley & Fildes’ two-person IT team, with no disruption to end users. Staff transitioned seamlessly onto the new endpoints while continuing to access the same cloud-hosted applications and services. 

“For us, one of the biggest successes was the simplicity and speed of deployment. Years ago, firmware updates involved physically travelling between branches with USB sticks,” says John. “With 10ZiG, everything is centrally managed and automated. That represents a massive operational improvement for a business like ours which operates across multiple sites. Users simply log in to access applications exactly as before. But behind the scenes, we now have far more modern, secure and manageable endpoint infrastructure.” 

Beesley & Fildes also sees the deployment as laying important foundations for future desktop virtualisation initiatives, including the potential future adoption of Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD). 

“Organizations increasingly need endpoint solutions that simplify management while supporting secure, cloud-based work environments,” says James Broughton, 10ZiG’s Sales Director EMEA. “Beesley & Fildes is an excellent example of how companies can update endpoint infrastructure quickly while improving security, operational efficiency and long-term flexibility and we’re delighted to support their ongoing cloud and digital workplace strategy.”

Vedanta’s INR1 Lakh-Crore Odisha Projects to Be Monitored Every 15 Days: CM

Bhubaneswar, May 28 (BNP): Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Wednesday assured that the progress of Vedanta Group’s proposed investment projects worth over ₹1 lakh crore in Odisha will be monitored through reviews every 15 days to ensure their timely execution and smooth implementation.

The assurance was given during a meeting between the Chief Minister and Vedanta Group Chairman Anil Agarwal, where discussions focused on accelerating the company’s planned investments and strengthening Odisha’s industrial growth trajectory.

According to an official statement, the State Government has committed to closely tracking the progress of the proposed projects to address bottlenecks, facilitate faster clearances, and ensure seamless coordination between departments.

The Chief Minister reiterated Odisha’s commitment to becoming a leading industrial destination and emphasised the government’s proactive approach towards supporting large-scale investments that generate employment, infrastructure growth, and economic development.

Vedanta Group’s proposed investments, estimated at over ₹1 lakh crore, are expected to significantly contribute to the State’s industrial ecosystem and create fresh opportunities across multiple sectors.

Majhi further stressed that regular monitoring at short intervals would help maintain momentum and ensure that the projects move forward within stipulated timelines.

Europe Reels Under Historic Heatwave as Temperatures Soar Across Britain, France and Spain

London/New Delhi, May 28 (BNP): Not only India, but several parts of Europe are also grappling with record-breaking summer heat as an extreme “heat dome” triggers unprecedented temperatures across Britain, France, and Spain, raising alarms over public health, infrastructure stress, and the growing impact of climate change.

 Representational image

Meteorologists said the severe early-summer heatwave has been driven by a high-pressure system trapping hot air originating from North Africa, resulting in unusually high temperatures across the continent and shattering decades-old weather records.

Britain recorded its hottest May day in history, with temperatures at London’s Kew Gardens soaring to 34.8°C, surpassing previous records and intensifying concerns over heat-related health risks. In Spain, temperatures in several regions climbed to a scorching 46°C, placing significant strain on power grids, agriculture, and water resources.

France has also witnessed unusually high early-summer temperatures, with major cities reporting sweltering conditions that prompted authorities to issue health advisories and emergency warnings for vulnerable groups, including the elderly and children.

Experts warned that the intensity and unusually early arrival of the heatwave underline a worrying climate trend, with extreme weather events becoming increasingly frequent and severe across Europe. Similar to the intense summer experienced in India, the European heatwave has once again highlighted the growing global challenge posed by climate change.

Authorities across affected countries have urged residents to remain hydrated, avoid outdoor activities during peak heat hours, and follow local weather advisories as the extreme conditions continue.

Folks House Names Smriti Papreja Principal to Drive Strategic Advisory, Governance, and Institutional Engagement

New Delhi, May 28 : Folks House, the strategic advisory and financial services platform within the wider Folks ecosystem, is pleased to announce the appointment of Smriti Papreja as Principal, Folks House, to represent the platform in strategic advisory, institutional positioning, governance, legal strategy and stakeholder engagement initiatives for Folks Funds and Folks Foundation.

Folks House has been established to help businesses, founders, family enterprises, institutions and growth-stage companies navigate growth, transformation and long-term value creation in an increasingly interconnected global economy. The platform operates at the intersection of strategic advisory, financial services, institutional development and legacy creation, with a focus on helping enterprises move beyond transactional growth toward institutional significance.

In her role, Smriti Papreja will support Folks Funds and Folks Foundation across advisory-led initiatives involving institutional engagement, fund positioning, governance frameworks, stakeholder communications, legal and regulatory perspective, ecosystem alignment and long-term value creation.

Folks Funds represents the investment engine of the Folks ecosystem, focused on enabling long-term capital deployment across industrial transformation, infrastructure, sustainability-linked sectors and emerging asset classes.

Folks Foundation represents the impact and purpose-led layer of the ecosystem, focused on advancing long-term social, ecological and institutional outcomes. Through this alignment, Folks House will support both platforms in strengthening credibility, governance, institutional readiness and stakeholder trust.

Smriti brings over six years of experience across Intellectual Property Rights, commercial matters and constitutional matters. A graduate of Campus Law Centre, University of Delhi, and Delhi Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research, she has advised and represented leading organizations including Delhivery and Metalman on matters relating to the protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights.

Her multidisciplinary experience across legal strategy, stakeholder engagement and complex commercial matters positions her strongly to represent Folks House in supporting the broader Folks ecosystem across capital, advisory, governance and impact-led initiatives.

Commenting on the appointment, Smriti Papreja, Principal, Folks House, said,

“Folks Funds and Folks Foundation represent two important dimensions of the Folks ecosystem, capital and purpose. Through Folks House, our role is to bring strategic clarity, governance thinking, legal perspective and institutional advisory depth to support both platforms. The future belongs to organizations that combine capital with responsibility, and growth with long-term institutional discipline.”

Folks House’s core philosophy is rooted in the belief that: Businesses create value. Brands create influence. Institutions create legacy.

Through this appointment, Folks House aims to further strengthen the institutional architecture of the Folks ecosystem by supporting Folks Funds and Folks Foundation in building a credible, governance-led and purpose-aligned presence across investors, stakeholders, partners and institutions.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Scripts IPL History, Smashes Record 65 Sixes

New Delhi, May 28 (BNP): Fifteen-year-old batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi of Rajasthan Royals scripted history in the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL), smashing the highest number of sixes ever recorded in a single edition of the tournament and surpassing a long-standing milestone set by Chris Gayle.

The teenage cricketer hammered an astonishing 65 sixes during the season, officially breaking Gayle’s 14-year-old record for the most sixes in one IPL edition. Gayle had previously held the record after blasting 59 sixes during a dominant season in 2012.

Sooryavanshi’s fearless stroke play and explosive batting emerged as one of the biggest highlights of IPL 2026, with the young Rajasthan Royals batter consistently dismantling bowling attacks through the tournament.

Cricket experts and fans have hailed the achievement as a landmark moment in IPL history, considering the record had stood untouched for over a decade despite the league witnessing some of the biggest power-hitters in world cricket.

The record-breaking feat has further cemented Sooryavanshi’s status as one of the brightest young talents in Indian cricket, with his remarkable consistency and attacking approach drawing widespread praise throughout the season.

PM Modi Pays Tribute to Veer Savarkar on Jayanti, Highlights Courage and Patriotism

New Delhi, May 28 (BNP): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday paid tribute to Veer Savarkar on his birth anniversary, remembering his courage, patriotism, and contributions to social reform through a post on social media platform X.

In his message, the Prime Minister said Veer Savarkar’s bravery and nationalist spirit would continue to inspire generations. He also highlighted Savarkar’s intellectual contributions and emphasis on social reform.

“Remembering Veer Savarkar on his Jayanti. His courage and patriotism will always inspire people. His intellect and emphasis on social reform are also noteworthy,” the Prime Minister wrote in a post on X.

The Prime Minister paid homage to Savarkar’s role as a freedom fighter and nationalist thinker, noting that his life and ideals continue to inspire people across the country. Tributes were also paid by leaders and supporters on the occasion of Veer Savarkar’s Jayanti.