Author: Neel Achary

Karma Global Sparks National Interest with Labour Code Webinar Series

Mumbai, Dec 15:- Karma Management Global Consulting Solutions successfully concluded a three-part webinar series unpacking the four new labour codes announced on 21st November 2025 by the Ministry of Labour & Employment. The sessions were designed to help organisations understand the practical impact of the changes and prepare for a smooth transition. More than 2,500 participants from HR teams, compliance officers and business leaders attended the series, reflecting a strong demand for reliable guidance on the new regulations.

Speaking about the response, Pratik Vaidya, Chief Vision Officer and Managing Director of Karma Global, said;

“The new labour codes mark an important shift in how India looks at work, workers and workplaces. These changes call for awareness, not anxiety, and our goal was to help organisations understand the road ahead with clarity.”

The webinars covered key aspects of the reforms and addressed questions from employers, HR leaders, compliance officers and industry professionals. The interactive format allowed participants to understand both the intent of the codes and their practical application.

“The response to our three-part webinar series shows how strongly businesses want guidance. More than 2,500 participants joined us, which reinforces the need for simple, practical conversations around compliance,” Vaidya added.

Karma Global, known for its long-standing work in compliance, labour law support and people management solutions, aims to continue creating platforms that help organisations stay prepared and well-informed.

“As the country prepares for the transition, companies need support they can trust. We remain committed to helping organisations navigate these reforms with clarity, responsibility and readiness,” Vaidya said.

Nautika Marks 25 Lakh Passengers with 75% YoY Growth

Nautika Celebrates 25 Lakh Passengers: India’s Fastest-Growing Premium Ferry Service Achieves  75% YOY Growth

Port Blair, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Dec 15:   Imagine this—you’re sipping barista-made coffee, the Andaman Sea stretching endlessly before you, dolphins dancing in the distance, and the gentle hum of a modern catamaran beneath your feet. This isn’t a luxury cruise; it’s just another day aboard Nautika, and 25 lakh travellers have already discovered why the journey can be just as magical as the destination.

In less than four years, Nautika has become India’s youngest, fastest-growing, and most dynamic ferry operator, transforming island-hopping in the Andamans from a necessary transit into an experience that travellers actively look forward to. With 25 lakh passengers—that’s 2.5 million memories made, families connected, honeymoons elevated, and adventures begun—Nautika has redefined what ferry travel means for modern India.

Phenomenal Growth 75% Average YOY Growth

Since Inception Since launching in less than four years, Nautika has charted an extraordinary course, demonstrating market leadership through unmatched performance. The company has achieved an average annual growth rate of approximately 75%, establishing it as India’s youngest and fastest-growing premium ferry operator. This trajectory reflects an initial exponential surge in operations, sustained by strong, steady double-digit growth thereafter.

The significance of this growth extends beyond the metrics. Every passenger in the 25-lakh milestone represents a choice—a traveller asserting, “I deserve better”; a family prioritising comfort; a couple elevating their honeymoon; an adventurer believing the journey should be as magnificent as the destination itself. 

The Journey That Matches Your Dreams

For years, travellers planning their dream Andaman getaway would meticulously research the perfect resort, the best dive spots, the most pristine beaches—only to dread the ferry connections. Not anymore. Nautika recognised that in a destination as breathtaking as the Andaman Islands, every moment should feel extraordinary, including the journey between islands.

“When we started Nautika, we asked ourselves a simple question: Why should the travel experience drop the moment you step onto a ferry?” said Anoop Kumar, Director, Nautika, “Our 25 lakh passengers aren’t just numbers—they’re families who arrived at Havelock Island relaxed instead of exhausted, honeymooners who started their romantic escape the moment they boarded, professionals who stayed connected while crossing crystal waters, and solo travellers who found their ‘magic window’ moment watching the ocean. Our average year-on-year growth of approximately 75% shows that when you give Indian travellers a premium option, they don’t just appreciate it—they actively choose it. We’ve built Nautika to be an aspirational brand because we believe every Indian traveller deserves to feel like their vacation starts the moment they choose us, not when they finally reach their hotel.”

More Than a Ferry It’s Where Your Island Story Begins

Nautika has the newest fleet in the archipelago, and their premium catamaran is the biggest in the area. This sleek boat can hold 360 people and goes through waves at 26 knots. This makes connections between islands faster, smoother, and more fun. It’s not just the boat, though; it’s how Nautika makes you feel.

Pick Your Experience:
• Business Class: Your own private space on the water. You get 4-seat cabins with personal attendants, full meal service, premium drinks, and priority boarding. Great for people who value privacy, want to be productive, or just want to feel better when they get there.
• Royal Class: big, comfortable seats with lots of legroom, priority boarding, private areas, and free drinks. Go on trips that matter.
• Luxury Class: Higher comfort that makes travel an experience worth posting about on social media.

The New Face of Indian Travel

The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are experiencing remarkable tourism growth, reflecting increasing interest in island and sea destinations. Official numbers from the Ministry of Tourism and the Andaman & Nicobar Tourism Department show that the number of domestic tourists rose sharply, from 2.35 lakh visitors in 2022 to 3.23 lakh in 2023 (37% growth), and then to an impressive 7.10 lakh in 2024 (120% growth). The number of foreign tourists who came also went up, from 4,461 in 2022 to 9,025 in 2023 and then to 11,497 in 2024.

This exponential growth in tourist arrivals—with the islands welcoming over 7 lakh visitors in 2024 alone—demonstrates the surging demand for premium island experiences. With the government projecting a further 25% increase in 2025, the opportunity for quality ferry operators is unprecedented. In a country where travel is becoming less about ticking boxes and more about creating moments, Nautika represents the new generation of Indian tourism: ambitious, quality-focused, and uncompromisingly passenger-centric.

Charting the Future: Nautika’s Vision for Market Leadership

With strong growth plans in place, Nautika is in a good position to take more than 75% of the market share in the high-end ferry segment over the next three to five years. The company is adding more ships to its fleet to handle the expected increase in tourist arrivals. It plans to add more high-end ships and improve inter-island connectivity across the archipelago.

“We’re not just responding to growth—we’re actively shaping the future of island tourism in India,” said Anoop Kumar. “With the government targeting a 25% increase in tourist arrivals for 2025 and infrastructure improvements opening new routes and destinations, we’re investing in the capacity, technology, and service excellence needed to serve over 3,000-4,000 passengers daily. Our goal is to make Nautika synonymous with premium island travel in India, setting standards that others aspire to match.”

Whether you’re planning your honeymoon, finally taking that family vacation, travelling solo to find yourself, or simply looking for your next weekend escape, Nautika invites you to discover why 25 lakh travellers chose to make their journey as memorable as their destination. Because in the Andamans, getting there really is half the experience. And with Nautika, it’s an experience you’ll want to have again and again.

Michael Brown, Senior Research Strategist at Pepperstone, Shares Today’s Market Analysis

Digest – Sentiment soured as last week drew to a close with stocks notching chunky losses amid renewed concern over the AI theme. Now, a bumper week awaits, including five G10 policy decisions, plus the latest US jobs and inflation figures.

Where we Stand – Here we go then, we’ve finally made it to the last full trading week of the year; and, what a year it’s been!

Frankly, so much has happened that it’s exhausting to even try and think back to the events that have dominated the last twelve months. We’ve had tariffs thrown around all over the place; trade ‘deals’ being done left, right, and centre; geopolitical tensions rumbling on; DM central banks continuing to ease policy; fiscal worries rearing their head; a relentless equity bull run, and equally relentless run higher in precious metals; and, much else besides, that I’ve probably forgotten about.

As for Friday, it had been shaping up to be one of those days where we were all set to just drift aimlessly into the weekend. However, it ended up being a rather more tumultuous affair than that, with sentiment souring rather significantly, amid another dose of scepticism when it comes to the broad AI theme. This scepticism was initially fuelled by Broadcom’s earnings on Thursday evening, where the firm refused to provide guidance for the quarter ahead, and then exacerbated by reports that Oracle’s data centres being built for OpenAI may be delayed by a year, to 2028, albeit with these reports later being denied.

In any case, the damage had been done, with that reporting enough to see the NQ slide around 2% to end the week, with spoos also slipping by around half that magnitude, resulting in both notching weekly declines. That said, not only do we continue to trade a mere whisker away from contract highs, when it comes to spoos at least, but we also remain north of the 50-day moving average as well. Hence, in keeping with the bullish view I’ve had for the last seven or eight months, this is a dip that I’d be viewing as a buying opportunity, with the fundamental case for further upside into year-end still a solid one, and favourable seasonality (aka the traditional ‘Santa Rally’) likely providing a helping hand as well.

Outside of the equity space, it was precious metals that again caught the eye, with both gold, and to a greater extent silver, putting in rather chunky intraday reversals, as souring risk appetite sparked a broad-based unwind of momentum trades. Still, bullion ended the week at 4,300/oz, and silver ended proceedings north of the psychologically key 60/oz mark, leading me to favour further upside in both, once calmer tones begin to prevail.

In keeping with that momentum unwind, we also saw Treasuries unwind a fair chunk of recent gains, with the benchmark 30-year yield ending Friday a chunky 10bp above the intraday lows seen just a day prior. It appears that those dip buyers who sought to lock in yield have now done so, giving way to edgier conditions ahead of this week’s NFP and CPI prints.

One interesting aspect of Friday’s trade, though, was the relatively calm nature of the FX space, despite the aforementioned fireworks elsewhere. G10s largely just meandered throughout the day, with the greenback marginally firmer, albeit conditions on the whole being somewhat directionless.

Still, the pound once again underperformed, with cable pulling back below the 1.34 figure, after the latest GDP data pointed to the economy having unexpectedly contracted by 0.1% MoM in October, as pre-Budget uncertainty acted as a drag on overall activity. While the monthly GDP series is incredibly noisy, that does now make it four months in a row of either no, or negative, GDP growth, with November hardly likely to be much better, and with overall risks to the outlook still tilting to the downside, not least considering that the Budget contained zero policies to boost growth. Cable still looks rather too lofty to me.

Look Ahead  A jam-packed week lies ahead.

On the policy front, we’ll almost certainly be getting a 25bp cut from the Bank of England on Thursday, as well as a 25bp hike from the Bank of Japan on Friday, while the Riksbank, Norges Bank, and ECB are all set to stand pat at their final meetings of the year.

Meanwhile, the data docket is busy too, highlighted by Tuesday’s US employment figures, and Thursday’s US CPI report. Both of these datapoints, though, are likely to be very noisy indeed, owing to data collection issues stemming from the government shutdown. Also on the docket this week is a busy week of UK releases, highlighted by November’s CPI figures on Wednesday, as well as the latest ‘flash’ PMI surveys from most major economies.

Besides that, a fairly busy week of central bank speakers awaits, while speculation over who will be named as the next Fed Chair continues too, especially after former Governor Kevin Warsh appears to have become a more serious contender for the role, per WSJ reporting on Friday.

Lastly, on the earnings front, figures from Micron (MU) will be watched closely amid increased jitters around the AI theme, while reports from both Nike (NKE) and FedEx (FDX) will be useful bellwethers of the economy at large.

Begum Parween Sultana Receives Aditya Vikram Birla Kalashikar Puraskar

Aditya Vikram Birla Kalashikar Puraskar Bestowed Upon Padmabhushan Vidushi Begum Parween Sultana

Bengaluru, Dec 15: Addressing the august gathering at the glittering 29^th edition of the Sangit Kala Kendra’s (SKK) Awards. Rajashree Birla, President of the Sangit Kala Kendra in her welcome address, traced the genesis of the Sangit Kala Kendra. 

Speaking on the occasion, she stated, “The Sangit Kala Kendra Awards, year after year stir, a lot of beautiful memories.  Traditionally, this evening we pay homage to our beloved founder of the Sangit Kala Kendra – the legendary Aditya Vikram Birla, my husband whose life symbolised, the triumph of creativity and imagination. I would like to share snatches of conversations on his philosophy: his timeless values, from thoughts of his Father, as expressed by my son Kumar Mangalam.”

It goes like this. “There is so much one can learn from his life.  That you can be successful without having to negotiate on your values and principles, and on your own terms.  With hard work, passion, and unfailing commitment.  That at the same time there is more to life than work alone.  Live life to the fullest – work with undivided focus and play with unbridled passion too.  Follow your dreams – there is nothing you cannot learn or achieve if you put your mind and heart to it.  That you can touch the lives of many people, more than you can perhaps imagine, through your genuine concern for their well-being, through small gestures and by being a role model to so many.  We all realise that he is always with us and that he really never left us.”   Unquote.

Today and every day, I feel that Adityaji never truly left us.  His aura, his legacy of values, his desire to live life to the full and yet be a complete karmayogi continues to be his legacy bestowed upon us.  It is also the rock solid principle at the core of the Sangit Kala Kendra.”

This year, the focus was on Indian Classical Music. Padma Bhushan Pandit Ajoy Chakrabarty was the Chief Guest. The distinguished jury comprised of eminent theatre exemplars pan India with the renowned Pandit Ulhas Kashalkar, as the jury chair. Pandit Venkatesh Kumar, Vidushi Ashwini Bhide Deshpande, Kavita Krishnamurthy Subramaniam and Devaki Pandit, were the other esteemed members of the jury.

The Sangit Kala Kendra has immortalized glorious moments of Aditya Birla’s life. The SKK Awards celebrate the memory of its visionary founder.  Kumar Mangalam graced the occasion.

The coveted Aditya Vikram Birla Kala Shikhar Puraskar, its premier award was conferred upon Padma Bhushan Vidushi Begum Parween Sultana by Rajashree Birla. The versatile genius is known for her creativity across all genres- ranging from Indian Classical Music to Film Music.

The high voltage evening saw the crème de la crème from maximum city in full attendance. Spectacular performances by legendary actress Rekha, Shreya Ghoshal, Aditi Mangaldas, and Raghav Sachar, had the audience on their feet, screaming for an encore.

Earlier luminaries upon whom the Kala Shikar Puraskars were bestowed included Lata Mangeshkar, Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, Naseeruddin Shah. Ustad Zakir Hussian, Pt. Shivkumar Sharma, Pt. Vijay Raghav Rao and Pt. Ram Narayan 

The Aditya Vikram Birla Kala Kiran Puraskar was conferred on Sammehan Kashalkar, Kumari Ankita Joshi, and Sagar Morankar.

For more than twenty-five years, the Aditya Vikram Birla Puraskars bear testimony to the evolution and tremendous growth of performing arts in India.