Author: Neel Achary

Hyatt Collaborates with Soha Ali Khan to Launch A Redefined Hyatt Dining Club

National, June 11, 2025: Reimagining the art of fine dining and elevated experiences, Hyatt, for the first time, has collaborated with acclaimed actor, author, and lifestyle influencer Soha Ali Khan to launch its redefined Hyatt Dining Club – an exclusive membership program designed to elevate guest experiences across its participating hotels in India. This exciting collaboration celebrates the art of culinary indulgence and memorable moments, perfectly aligning with Soha’s passion for refined, fine dining, and curated experiences that embody modern elegance and sophistication.

The new Hyatt Dining Club offers a world of exclusivity and privileges, offering members a blend of the finest dining and rejuvenating wellness privileges. The annual membership is available in three bespoke tiers— Platinum  Gold and Silver , —each designed to provide unique and elevated experiences.

Members of the Hyatt Dining Club can enjoy a wide range of exclusive privileges at participating hotels in India; up to 30% off on food and beverages, unparalleled brunch experiences, and buy-one-get-one offers on select drinks. In addition, members can enjoy suite upgrades, spa discounts, and even savings on an annual gym membership. Whether it’s a casual coffee, a celebratory brunch, or a rejuvenating spa day, Hyatt Dining Club ensures every moment for our members is filled with delight, pride and a touch of something extra.

The collaboration with Soha Ali Khan adds a graceful narrative to this exclusive dining journey. Known for her effortless elegance and genuine love for meaningful experiences, Soha embodies the spirit of the Hyatt Dining Club where every meal is more than just cuisine; it’s a connection.

“At Hyatt, hospitality is about creating unforgettable moments and story-worthy experiences,” adds Lokesh Sabharwal, Regional Vice President – Operations, India and Southwest Asia, Hyatt. “Hyatt Dining Club is our way of showing appreciation to our valued guests, with a programme designed to enhance their way of experiencing Hyatt, from dining and stays to wellness and more”

Deepa Krishnan, Head of Marketing – India and Southwest Asia, Hyatt, said “Our collaboration with Soha adds a personal, heartfelt touch to this celebration of togetherness. With Hyatt Dining Club, guests can `Own the Privilege` of fantastic experiences in F&B, Stays and wellness. Our Marketing campaign is targeting connoisseurs of food and lifestyle and aims at driving preference for Hyatt Dining Club”

“Dining out, for me, has always been about more than what’s on the plate,” Soha shares. “It’s about the laughter, the conversations, and those small, unforgettable moments that turn into cherished memories. Hyatt Dining Club reflects all of that elegance, warmth, and the magic of togetherness.”

Membership is available for purchase online and redemptions across participating Hyatt hotels in India, offering a new standard of lifestyle and privileges to diners and travelers. With its refreshed program and collaboration with Soha Ali Khan, Hyatt Dining Club is poised to take the world of fine dining and elevated experiences to new heights.

Benefits available at participating outlets at Hyatt hotels in India and are subject to valid membership and to program terms and conditions. Learn more at Hyattdiningclub.com. Dining discount listed applies to dining groups of 5 or fewer.

The term “Hyatt” is used in this release for convenience to refer to Hyatt Hotels Corporation and/or one or more of its affiliates.

Continental Tires Strengthens Commitment to India’s Passenger Vehicle Segment

Faridabad, June 11, 2025 – Continental Tires, one of the world’s leading premium tyre manufacturers, today announced a strategic investment to further strengthen its presence in India’s Passenger car and Light Truck (PLT) tyre segment. As part of its “in the market, for the market” approach, Continental plans to invest approximately INR ~100 crore (EUR 10.5 million) to enhance manufacturing capabilities in India and to expand its Passenger car and Light Truck Tyre product portfolio.

This expansion underscores Continental’s focus on producing tyres that are specially engineered for Indian consumer demands, with a strong emphasis on product performance and premium quality standards. With these initiatives, Continental Tires reaffirms its dedication to India’s mobility future, combining innovation, local manufacturing, and customer-centric solutions to drive sustainable growth.

“With our “in the market, for the market” approach, we’re aligning our portfolio to reflect the evolving lifestyle needs of Indian drivers, from daily commutes and long-distance travel to changing expectations around comfort, safety, and convenience,” said Samir Gupta, Managing Director of Continental Tires India.

Enhanced Product Offerings aligned with Market Trends

India is undergoing rapid infrastructure development, and consumer behavior is evolving just as quickly, especially with the surge in popularity of UVs, now one of the fastest-growing segments. Reflecting the same, the Indian passenger vehicle and UV market has experienced a significant shift in recent years in terms of consumer preference.

Continental Tires, with an increased focus on the PLT tire segment, sees strong growth potential in larger-inch and Ultra Ultra High Performance (UUHP) tires designed for SUVs, 4x4s, and sporty vehicles, aligning seamlessly with current market trends.

Continental will also expand its all-terrain product portfolio with the introduction of the CrossContact AT2 this year.

Committed to sustainable and long-term business growth, Continental aims to further strengthen its market position in India as the trusted premium tyre partner. The company is present with sales and distribution activities headquartered in Faridabad (Haryana), manufacturing operations for passenger and light truck tyres in Modipuram Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, a network of over 200 brand stores across India, and has recently opened an IT Hub in Bengaluru.

Cyient Foundation and AICTE Sign MoU to Build Innovation Cluster in Visakhapatnam

Amaravati, India, June 11, 2025: Cyient Foundation, the CSR arm of Cyient Ltd., and the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish an innovation cluster in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. The MoU was signed in the august presence of Hon’ble Minister for Human Resources Development, IT Electronics and Communication, Shri Nara Lokesh here today.

 This landmark partnership is aimed at strengthening the regional innovation ecosystem by empowering educational institutions to become epicentres of innovation, entrepreneurship, and intellectual property creation.

 Under the MoU, the pilot program will focus on transforming higher education institutions in and around Visakhapatnam into vibrant hubs of innovation by fostering collaboration between academia, industry, startups, and investors. The initiative will deploy a structured ecosystem comprising iCARE (Innovation Creation and Research for Entrepreneurship) centres, iCAFE (Idea Creation and Auxiliary Facilities for Entrepreneurship) centres, and IPR-TT (Intellectual Property Rights and Technology Transfer) cells across mentor and mentee institutions.

 Speaking on the occasion, Dr. BVR Mohan Reddy, Founder Chairman of Cyient and Chief Patron, Cyient Foundation, said, “The partnership with AICTE is a significant step towards realizing India’s potential as a global innovation powerhouse. By nurturing entrepreneurial mindsets and building institutional capacities, we are creating a self-sustaining model that empowers youth, encourages IP creation, and promotes meaningful collaboration between academia and industry.”

 The collaboration will also include boot camps, innovation fairs, hackathons, and mentoring programs, all designed to equip students and faculty with the skills and resources necessary for real-world innovation and start-up development.

 Dr. Abhay Jere, Vice Chairman, AICTE, added, “At AICTE, we are committed to building a robust and inclusive innovation culture across the country. This partnership with Cyient Foundation exemplifies the kind of industry-academia collaboration that can transform the way educational institutions contribute to India’s innovation economy. By strategically leveraging the collective strengths of educational institutions, industry, and the creative youth talent, these innovation clusters aim to generate a broad and lasting impact on regional innovation, entrepreneurship, and economic growth. The city innovation cluster in Visakhapatnam will serve as a model for future clusters across the nation.”

 AICTE and the Ministry of Education’s Innovation Cell implement a variety of national-level initiatives, such as organizing the Smart India Hackathon—the world’s largest open innovation model—and establishing Institution’s Innovation Councils (IICs) in more than 15,700 higher education institutions (HEIs) across India. These efforts are significantly reshaping the culture of innovation and entrepreneurship within HEIs. In Andhra Pradesh alone, over 1,137 IICs have been established in both technical and non-technical institutions, actively driving campus innovation ecosystems. Cities like Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Guntur, Tirupati, Kakinada, Nellore, and Anantapur have a high concentration of these institutions, giving them substantial potential to develop into city-level innovation clusters.

 The MoU envisions a three-year roadmap, with Cyient Foundation providing CSR grant support and infrastructure for the initiative. This initiative also aligns with the Government of India’s vision of Atma Nirbhar Bharat, emphasizing innovation-led growth and regional empowerment.

JARVIS by Staqu Technologies Helps Sylcon Retail Drive Smarter, Data-Led Store Operations

Kerala, India, 11th June 2025: Staqu Technologies, India’s leading AI-powered video analytics company, has announced the successful deployment of its flagship platform JARVIS at Sylcon, one of Kerala’s most recognized retail chains with a widespread network of Sylcon Shoes and Sylcon Hypermarkets. This collaboration marks a significant step in Sylcon’s digital transformation journey as it leverages artificial intelligence to drive smarter store operations, enhance customer experience, and unlock operational agility.

 With the integration of JARVIS, Sylcon now receives daily footfall analytics across all its retail outlets, enabling managers to plan staffing, product placement, and promotional campaigns based on customer movement patterns. The platform also offers real-time conversion tracking—allowing the retailer to monitor performance at store, department, and even shelf-level, ensuring faster response times and data-informed decision-making.

 “JARVIS has empowered us to extract valuable operational insights from our existing CCTV infrastructure,” Faizan Mohamad, Executive Director at Sylcon .“With real-time visibility into footfall trends and customer movement patterns, we are optimising staffing, product placements, and promotional campaigns more effectively. This AI-enabled intelligence is helping us deliver a sharper, more responsive in-store experience while improving operational efficiency.”

 “Retailers like Sylcon are embracing JARVIS not just to monitor what’s happening in their stores—but to understand why it’s happening. The true power of AI lies in its ability to uncover hidden patterns, inform smarter decisions, and ultimately transform the way businesses think about efficiency and experience. With JARVIS, we’re enabling retail leaders to move from intuition to intelligence—seamlessly, and at scale,”

 — Atul Rai, Co-Founder & CEO, Staqu Technologies

 This partnership adds to Staqu’s growing roster of retail clients and underscores the versatility of JARVIS across sectors like retail, manufacturing, hospitality, and smart cities. Built to seamlessly integrate with existing CCTV networks, JARVIS provides a scalable, plug-and-play AI solution that turns video data into a strategic asset.

Version 1 Appoints Roop Singh as Chief Executive Officer

“We are pleased to appoint Roop as Chief Executive Officer for Version 1,” said Brian Humphries, Chairman of the Board at Version 1. “Since he joined six months ago as Chief Commercial Officer, Roop has consistently demonstrated the strategic acumen, commercial expertise, customer centricity and leadership qualities that are essential to guide the organisation forward. He brings the energy, drive and values that reflect who we are and where we’re headed. The Board has great confidence in his ability to lead the company and build on our significant commercial momentum.”

Commenting on his new role, Roop said, “It is with pride and enthusiasm that I am stepping into the role of CEO at Version 1 at such a pivotal time. It’s an honour to lead a company with such a strong foundation, exceptional people and a deep commitment to delivering innovation and value to customers. We stand at the crossroads of innovation and opportunity, and I am committed to leading with integrity, passion and a steadfast focus on delivering the excellence and quality that our customers deserve.”

IIM Kozhikode & Emeritus Launch Applied Finance Programme for Market Mastery

Mumbai, June 11, 2025 – The demand for skilled financial professionals is surging, with more than 2,100 fintechs operating currently, India is positioned to become one of the largest digital markets with rapid expansion of mobile and internet as per the India Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF). As markets shift and financial strategies evolve, professionals must go beyond traditional expertise to stay competitive. This creates a need for a focused programme that helps professionals strengthen their financial knowledge, enhance analytical skills, and drive informed decision-making in a dynamic business landscape.

Addressing the need for skilled professionals in applied finance, IIM Kozhikode, the first institute in Asia to offer an extensive management programme for working executives, has announced the launch of Professional Certificate Programme in Applied Finance in partnership with Emeritus. The IIM Kozhikode institute is ranked 68th globally in the Financial Times Masters in Management 2024 and 3rd in the Ministry of Education’s NIRF 2024 Rankings. This programme offers a high-impact learning experience for finance professionals aiming for leadership roles empowering them to integrate financial expertise with strategic decision-making.

As global finance roles are undergoing a fundamental shift, finance professionals are responsible for driving business strategy, mitigating risk, and seizing growth opportunities in an unpredictable market. The rise of fintech, AI-driven analytics, and algorithmic trading has intensified the demand for professionals who can interpret complex financial data, optimize capital structures, and make high-stakes decisions with precision and therefore, mid-to-senior professionals must strengthen their strategic and analytical capabilities to lead with impact.

Tailored to meet these industry demands, the Professional Certificate Programme in Applied Finance is designed for professionals looking to strengthen their financial expertise. The programme is well suited for mid-career managers, business leaders, finance, commerce, and accountancy professionals, as well as individuals from broking, security analysis, consulting, and chartered or cost accountancy backgrounds. It also caters to cross-functional professionals in non-finance roles.

The programme stands out by moving beyond conventional learning, equipping participants with the skills to analyze complex financial data, anticipate risks, and make strategic decisions. By mastering valuation techniques, portfolio strategies, and risk management, participants gain the confidence to navigate financial challenges and capitalize on emerging opportunities. It offers live online sessions led by IIM Kozhikode’s renowned faculty and industry experts. It features ten modules that blend theory with practical application through activity-based learning and hands-on sessions. A two-day campus immersion at IIM Kozhikode offers direct engagement with faculty and industry leaders. Covering corporate strategy, risk management, M&A, and digital business models, the curriculum equips professionals to navigate the evolving financial landscape. Participants also gain access to IIM Kozhikode’s executive alumni network, fostering industry connections and career growth.

Speaking on the launch of this programme, Prof. Debashis Chatterjee, Director, IIM Kozhikode said, “In a fast-changing financial landscape, professionals must go beyond conventional skills to make decisive, high-stakes financial calls. The Professional Certificate Programme in Applied Finance them to navigate uncertainties, manage risk, and drive business growth with confidence.”

Avnish Singhal, Executive Vice President, India & APAC, Emeritus, added, “Emeritus is proud to partner with IIM Kozhikode to offer the Professional Certificate Programme in Applied Finance, empowering professionals to strengthen their financial acumen and thrive. With a comprehensive curriculum and a focus on contemporary financial strategies, this programme equips participants to make sound financial decisions, manage risk effectively, and seize growth opportunities in a dynamic market.”

Renalyx Launches World’s First Indigenous AI based Smart Hemodialysis Machine, Makes Renal Care Accessible and Affordable

Mumbai, 11th June 2025: Renalyx Health Systems Pvt. Ltd., a pioneering technology innovation company in renal care, has launched RENALYX – RxT 21, World’s first fully indigenous, AI and cloud-enabled smart hemodialysis machine with real-time remote monitoring and clinical connectivity facility. Price starting at INR 6.70 lakh – significantly lower than the imported machines – RENALYX – RxT 21 will make dialysis affordable and accessible to a larger population and bridge the demand-supply gap in the renal care across semi-urban and rural regions.

Completely designed and manufactured in India, RENALYX – RxT 21 leverages latest technologies including cloud-based telenephrology platforms to offer safety and quality care to kidney patients, end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients especially those with cardiovascular, pulmonary and acute kidney injury-related issues.

RENALYX – RxT 21 makes Renalyx the sixth company globally and first in India to produce an advanced dialysis machine with EU CE certification.

Renalyx has plans to invest INR 800 crores in the next four years to build the manufacturing capacity of 5,000 machines by FY25-26 and will develop additional capacity of 1500 machines by FY27-28. The company also have plans to manufacture consumables indigenously. The company has manufacturing facilities at Bengaluru and Mysuru in Karnataka and at Mumbai in Maharashtra to support its scale-up plans and meet the growing demand.

The company plans to raise funds through the sale of equity, backed by strong interest from prominent Indian and international investors. In addition, it will raise debt, and the promoters will also invest capital. Renalyx also has plans to go public within the next three years.

With initial deployments of the machine planned in Maharashtra and Karnataka, Renalyx will go for rapid pan-India distribution of RENALYX – RxT 21 with its partners as well as exports to other countries. The company has successfully penetrated international markets, securing orders from South Africa, the USA, and Europe.

Commenting on the launch of Rx T21, Dr. Shyam Vasudeva Rao, Founder & Director of Renalyx Health Systems said, “Our cutting-edge hemodialysis machine will revolutionise the renal care by making dialysis facility affordable and accessible, thus strengthening the kidney healthcare infrastructure of the country. By bringing dialysis services closer to patients’ homes, RxT 21 will help in addressing the rising Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) burden and ESRD patients. Our indigenously developed hemodialysis machine will play a game-changing role in reducing dialysis expense, thus ensuring better healthcare impact. Going forward, we have plans to scale up our manufacturing capacity and reduce the Total Cost of Ownership of RxT 21 by 40% compared to that of imported machines. We have plans to develop a broader range of technologically advanced machines over the next three years, including a home dialysis model. In line with the government vision of ‘Make in India Make for the World’, we aim to export our machine to various countries to make a larger impact on renal care infrastructure globally. We aim to become one of the world’s leading producers and exporters within the next five years.”

The Indian CDSCO approval of the machine is in its final stages and is expected by July 2025, while the U.S. FDA approval process is underway and anticipated by March 2026.

The RENALYX – RxT 21 machines are equipped with advanced features such as Integrated Nephrology Information System (NIS) on the cloud, AI based smart algorithms, Electronic Medical Records (EMR) integration, remote diagnostics and alerts through real-time telemetry, Advanced image processing, Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) capabilities for continuous performance monitoring and clinical oversight. Thanks to these advanced features, doctors can remotely access patients’ EMR, current settings of the dialysis machine and patients’ critical event history to take action and advise necessary treatment and care.

Renalyx plans to install RxT 21 at primary health centres (PHC), community health centres (CHC), private dialysis centres and hospitals to make renal care available to a large number of people. The company has set up local service teams and created technician training programs to ensure smooth roll-out of the smart machines. The company will set up franchisee centres across India along with its partners

The company, in collaboration with its partner, will set up franchise centres across India and in international markets.

In addition, Renalyx has awarded manufacturing license to Bharat Electronics Ltd. (BEL) to produce 6,000 RENALYX – RxT 17 in the next three years. RENALYX – RxT 17 is a previously launched dialysis machine by Renalyx which comes with standard features and facilities. With RENALYX – RxT 21 and RxT 17, Renalyx aims to play its role in making dialysis services affordable and accessible to the rural areas due to the recurring nature of the treatment. According to Pradhan Mantri National Dialysis Program (PMNDP) data, approximately 2.2 lakh new cases of End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) are reported in India each year, creating an additional demand for 3.4 crore dialysis sessions annually.