15, Oct 2025
TEAS Winner Meenakshi Debuts Solo Exhibition at Anupa Mehta Contemporary Art
Anupa Mehta Contemporary Art’s TEAS award recipient Meenakshi has launched her first solo exhibition
Mumbai: October 15, 2025 : To celebrate Mahatma Gandhi’s 156th birth anniversary, the Anupa Mehta Contemporary Art (AMCA) gallery is showcasing the debut project of its award-winning artist Meenakshi Nihalani till October 25. The art project titled ‘Seven Yards of Blue’ which is inspired by Gandhi’s letters around the Champaran Satyagraha and chronicles its impact on the farmers of India, is scheduled till October 13 at the art gallery.
Artist Meenakshi Nihalani was the recipient of AMCA’s first ever ‘The Emerging Artist Solo’ (TEAS) award that recognises emerging artists whose work focuses on subjects of socio-political and economic relevance. The exhibition is curated by Anupa Mehta and supported by Hampi Art Labs, where Meenakshi recently completed her residency.
The Champaran movement, led by Gandhi in 1917, was India’s first significant civil disobedience campaign focused on ending forced indigo cultivation. Meenakshi’s immersive installation works, combining textiles and sculpture, explore the plight of indigo farmers, chronicling their resilience amid colonial oppression and creating a nuanced dialogue between the past and present.
“We are very excited to display Meenakshi’s impactful work at AMCA as a tribute to Mahatma Gandhi during this very special month that celebrates his birth anniversary. This exhibition allows us to reflect on the enduring relevance of resistance, justice, and self-reliance. We look forward to having many more meaningful conversations in the years to come with the TEAS award and we hope to keep inspiring fresh new talent to express their views on relevant socio-political and economic events through contemporary art,” said Anupa Mehta, gallerist and curator.
As an annual event, the TEAS award and exhibition program aims to launch and nurture emerging talent, fostering vital cultural dialogues both within India and internationally. The highly anticipated opening is expected to attract artists, collectors, critics, and audiences eager to experience a powerful confluence of art, history, and activism.
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- By Neel Achary
15, Oct 2025
MATTER Expands Retail Network with a New Experience Hub in Attibele, Bengaluru – Powering Karnataka’s Electric Future
Bengaluru,15th October 2025– MATTER, India’s pioneering electric mobility innovator, today announced the grand opening of its newest Experience Hub in Attibele, Bengaluru. This expansion marks another milestone in MATTER’s rapidly growing retail presence, underscoring its commitment to drive India’s transition towards clean, connected, and sustainable mobility.
The MATTER Experience Hub located at Attibele, Anekal, Bengaluru , is designed as a futuristic destination where riders can explore MATTER’s cutting-edge EV technologies and experience first-hand the AERA—India’s first geared electric motorbike.
The inauguration was graced by MATTER’s leadership team, dealer partners, and EV enthusiasts from across Bengaluru, marking a vibrant step in Karnataka’s electric mobility journey.
Speaking at the launch, Mr. Saran Babu, Founder & Group CDO, MATTER, said:
“Attibele is one of Bengaluru’s fastest-developing growth corridors, strategically located to connect urban commuters and long-distance travellers alike. With our new Experience Hub here, we are enabling more people to discover and engage with MATTER’s world-class EV innovations. The AERA is not just about commuting—it is about redefining how riders experience performance, sustainability, and technology on Indian roads.”The Dealer Principal, Mr. Mahesh C., added:
“We are delighted to bring MATTER’s groundbreaking EV experience to Attibele. The community here is ready for a new era of mobility, and with the AERA, we are offering a unique combination of advanced engineering, performance, and sustainability that will truly redefine riding.”
AERA – Geared for Thrills, Built for the Future
At the heart of the Experience Hub is the AERA 5000+, the world’s first manufactured geared electric motorbike and MATTER’s flagship innovation. Equipped with HyperShift, a 4-speed manual gearbox, the AERA combines the thrill of gears with the efficiency of electric power—bridging tradition and future mobility.
Visitors to the Attibele Hub can explore a phygital environment—where immersive digital engagement meets hands-on product experience. From interactive displays to test rides, the Hub is designed to help riders understand MATTER’s in-house engineered innovations that are shaping the future of urban mobility.
Key Features of the AERA 5000+:
• HyperShift Gearbox – 4-speed manual transmission with Eco, City, and Sport ride modes
• Liquid-Cooled Powertrain – Engineered for India’s urban traffic and high temperatures
• 7” Smart Touch Dashboard – Navigation, ride stats, media, and OTA updates
• 5kWh Battery Pack – Certified 172 km range; IP67 rated for dust and water resistance
• Quick Acceleration – 0–40 km/h in under 2.8 seconds
• Enhanced Safety – Dual disc brakes with ABS, dual suspension, smart park assists
• MATTER Mobile App – Real-time tracking, ride history, remote controls
• Lifetime Battery Warranty – A first in India, ensuring long-term rider confidence
About MATTER
MATTER Motor Works, an electric mobility startup founded in January 2019 in Ahmedabad, is redefining the future of mobility with its “Innovate in India” approach. Committed to building an independent EV ecosystem, MATTER explores every facet of electric mobility to drive India towards a sustainable future.
Its flagship product, AERA, World’s first manufactured geared electric motorbike, has been recognized as the “Editors’ Choice Electric Motorcycle of the Year” by Top Gear India, alongside prestigious accolades like “EV Bike of the Year 2025” by ACKO Drive and “Innovation Startup of the Year” at the Outlook Business Spotlight Awards.
Powered by a team of over 600 innovators, MATTER is at the forefront of cleaner mobility through in-house technology and groundbreaking innovations. With over 375 patent filings and 82 granted patents, spanning powertrain, liquid cooling, battery management, gearbox technology, cyber security (EV), charging infrastructure, and manufacturing automation, MATTER is shaping the evolution of India’s EV landscape—driving the nation towards energy independence.
15, Oct 2025
Roots at Mahindra University reveals stellar line-up bridging tradition and youth
Hyderabad, 15th October 2025: Mahindra Group’s newest cultural initiative, Roots at Mahindra University – a one day festival bridging ancient traditions with today’s youth – has finally unveiled its line-up of diversely talented artists. With this new IP, Mahindra is breaking ground by empowering students to create a living, breathing ecosystem where heritage becomes an active, two-way dialogue. The festival will place the next generation at the very heart of cultural sustainability.
India’s cultural heritage is diverse, and shifting every few hundred kilometres. But what happens when this thriving culture faces the danger of becoming a niche? For a generation of digital natives, these traditions are not just about history but a piece of identity shedding away. So, they want to extend their efforts towards sustaining these traditions and confluence it into the mainstream. And from this desire, Roots at Mahindra University was born. The students’ mission is simple but profound: to give unique legacy art forms a stage in the here and now.
And the line-up of the festival reflects this very philosophy with: The Raghu Dixit Project, pioneers of India’s folk-rock movement who have redefined Kannada folk poetry for global audiences. Swarathma, who turns music into environmental, social and cultural activism with electrifying performances. Bringing a northern flavour is Alif, aka, Mohammed Muneem Nazir, a poet, singer
songwriter from Kashmir. His work on Coke Studio Bharat and Made In Heaven is steeped in ideas of identity, longing, and resilience. Not to forget Hamza Rahimtula + Rajasthan Folkstars’ rare dialogue between DJing and Manganiyar traditions led by Khartal virtuoso Jaisa Khan and Firoz Khan on the Bhapang and Morchang. It started as a spontaneous collaboration that has pushed Rajasthani folk into global dance circuits.
Meanwhile, there’s Gotte Kanakavva, the 65-year-old daily-wage worker and farmer who is now a folk icon, awarded and celebrated for keeping Bathukamma songs alive. Lastly, Arko and Friends ft. Gaboo’s fresh collaboration will bring together Bollywood with indie experimentation, bridging popular and alt music.
“Young people often express the need to reconnect to India’s artistic traditions, and believe they must shoulder the responsibility to both preserve and reinvent them. Roots is a manifestation of this belief. This is not nostalgia but a generational mandate. It is their way of saying that culture is not a museum exhibit but alive, and belongs in the present to the young. By bringing forgotten art forms through authentic acts in contemporary spaces, Roots is not just preserving traditions but evolving them,” said Jay Shah, Vice President, Head – Cultural Outreach, Mahindra & Mahindra
Dr. Yajulu Medury, Vice Chancellor of Mahindra University, added, “Roots is not a festival planned from the top down for the attendees. The very generation it endeavours to inspire is the one building it piece by piece from the ground up – not just as volunteers but as cultural entrepreneurs. And the line-up of the festival embodies this ethos of not just preserving the past but making it relevant for the future.”
Roots at Mahindra University promises not just performances but a cultural movement demonstrating how the youth has the power and the responsibility to keep the chain of memory alive, and become guardians of India’s cultural future.
15, Oct 2025
Agora Builds on Exotel’s AgentStream to Deliver Real-Time AI Voice Bots
Bangalore, October 15, 2025 : Agora, Inc. (NASDAQ: API), a global leader in real-time engagement and conversational AI technology, is building on Exotel’s programmable voice streaming platform to deliver intelligent AI voice bot experiences at scale. Exotel, a leading provider of AI transformation for customer engagement and experience, powers the streaming infrastructure that enables Agora’s Conversational AI Engine to deploy seamless, human-like conversations across multiple voice and digital channels without the complexity of managing telephony or connectivity layers.
Exotel AgentStream is a real-time voice streaming platform that connects AI bots to users across PSTN, WhatsApp, in-app, and WebRTC channels. Combined with Agora’s Conversational AI Engine, the solution empowers enterprises to deliver natural, real-time conversations at scale.
Trusted by more than 7,000 enterprises worldwide across industries such as BFSI, Logistics, Consumer Durables, E-commerce, Healthcare, and Education, Exotel handles over 25 billion annual conversations. With this collaboration, enterprises in India and the Middle East can leverage a reliable, secure, and intelligent voice AI infrastructure designed to boost customer satisfaction, streamline operations, and accelerate digital transformation.
Together, Agora and Exotel are targeting 50–100 million AI-led voice interactions annually across India and the Middle East, enabling enterprises to automate 30–40% of routine voice queries and reduce operational costs by up to 30%. These projections are informed by regional conversational-AI market growth and early enterprise pilot data, which show that voice automation can significantly lower handling times while improving customer experience.
“Enterprises today are seeking scalable and intelligent AI solutions that can deliver human-like customer experiences in real time. Our partnership with Exotel combines the strengths of Agora’s Conversational AI Engine with Exotel’s robust programmable voice infrastructure, making it easier for enterprises to deploy AI agents that enhance customer engagement and operational efficiency,” said Tony Zhao, CEO and Co-founder of Agora.
“Exotel’s programmable streaming infrastructure allows technology providers like Agora to focus on intelligence and experience, while we power the connectivity behind it,” said Sachin Bhatia, Co-founder and COO, Exotel. “This integration showcases how global AI players can build on Exotel AgentStream to bring reliable, high-quality voice interactions to market.”
This deployment marks a key milestone in advancing enterprise-ready voice AI adoption in high-growth markets like India and the Middle East, empowering organizations to unlock new levels of automation, personalization, and efficiency in customer engagement.
Agora’s conversational AI solutions are built to make AI feel less like a robotic tool and more like a trusted, knowledgeable helper. Agora’s Conversational AI Engine enables developers to build lifelike, real-time voice agents using any LLM. Powered by Agora’s real-time engagement (RTE) infrastructure, these agents can converse more naturally with ultra-low latency responses and intelligent interruption handling—even under poor network conditions and in noisy environments.
15, Oct 2025
Senco Gold & Diamonds Unveils ‘Shagun Collection’ Featuring Kiara Advani for Dhanteras
This Dhanteras, Senco Gold & Diamonds launches the ‘Shagun Collection’ with a wholesome Campaign with Kiara Advani
Mumbai, October 15th, 2025 : This Dhanteras, Senco Gold & Diamonds, India’s most trusted jewellery house, unveils the Shagun Collection – a carefully curated range of jewellery in yellow gold, diamond, antique, and polki, designed to add a meaningful touch to festive celebrations. Complementing the signature range are collections for every occasion, from the trendy Lotus Collection by Everlite to the contemporary Tattwa Collection by Gossip Silver and Fashion Jewellery, as well as the men’s Aham Collection and the Hearts & Arrows cut diamond pieces from the Perfect Love Collection.
To mark the launch, Senco Gold & Diamonds brings alive the festivities through a sparkling campaign featuring Kiara Advani. The campaign unfolds as a poetic celebration of togetherness – where every shimmer of gold mirrors the glow of love, and every piece of Senco jewellery becomes a keeper of memories. Set against the luminous backdrop of Diwali and Dhanteras, the narrative brings alive intimate, heartwarming moments shared among families and loved ones – a husband’s surprise, a mother-daughter ritual, a grandmother’s diya tradition. Each story captures the gentle rhythm of festive life, where emotions glisten brighter than the lights themselves.
At the heart of these vignettes is Kiara Advani, as a silent observer – a symbol of Senco’s spirit. She moves gracefully through each frame, connecting one story to another like a golden thread of tradition and affection. Through her eyes, we see how Senco jewellery becomes part of life’s sacred rituals, transforming every gesture of giving into a timeless expression of love and blessings.
Speaking on the launch, Ms. Joita Sen, Director, Head of Marketing and Designs, Senco Gold & Diamonds, said, “Dhanteras is a time of joy, love, and new beginnings—a season that brings families together and turns simple moments into cherished memories. Through the campaign, we wanted to capture the heart of these celebrations – the excitement of giving, the warmth of family traditions, and the meaningful gestures that make this festival so special. The film tells these stories beautifully, showing how Senco jewellery becomes a part of life’s most intimate moments, carrying love, blessings, and memories from one generation to the next. Every piece in the Shagun Collection is crafted with this emotion in mind – true karigari that becomes an important part of the emotions families experience together at festivals.”
Adding to the festive cheer are exciting offers that make this season even more rewarding. Customers can enjoy ₹700–₹1,000 per gram cashback on gold jewellery and up to 15% off on diamond pieces, along with 100% value on old gold exchange.
15, Oct 2025
Apna.co Expands into Voice AI with Blue Machines Sees Rapid Enterprise AI Adoption
Mumbai, October 15, 2025 – Apna.co, India’s leading jobs and careers platform, today announced the launch of BlueMachines.ai, its new vertical an enterprise-grade Voice AI platform built for reliability and scale. It allows enterprises to deploy AI-powered voice agents in production. Within the first 45 days of operations, Blue Machines has already signed over $6 million in enterprise contracts momentum that places it among the fastest enterprise AI adoption curves in India. The platform is already powering deployments across industries such as lending, mutual funds, insurance, healthcare, recruitment, and edtech. As global workforces shift from human-only to human-plus-AI agents, Apna’s expansion into Blue Machines reflects its focus on empowering enterprises to hire talent and deploy AI agents within their workforce.
“Blue Machines marks India’s entry into the global enterprise Voice AI platform race. We’re winning because of the platform’s execution, speed, and reliability deployments go live in under a week, compared to the industry average of five to six weeks. The platform has delivered a 100% implementation success rate, a benchmark rarely matched in enterprise AI. Blue Machines is growing very rapidly and is a valuable addition to our current set of businesses, which themselves are growing at an impressive 52% year-over-year in 2025,” said Nirmit Parikh, Founder and Group CEO.
The Blue Machines platform is enterprise-grade and scalable, with round-trip latency under 300 milliseconds, multilingual fluency across Indian languages and dialects, and enterprise-grade data governance. Blue Machines operates on a platform-plus-people model, combining advanced AI infrastructure with dedicated Forward-Deployed Engineers (FDEs) to ensure every deployment moves smoothly from prototype to production
“Every company is experimenting with AI, but very few are running it in production,” said Kshitij Jain, COO of Blue Machines. “Blue Machines changes that by combining a global-scale architecture with forward-deployed engineering, enabling enterprises to go live in days, not months — fully operational, compliant, and proven at scale. It just works.” Blue Machines is rapidly scaling as an independent business unit, with a dedicated team focused on building a strong global enterprise contract pipeline. This strategic direction will fuel its growth, enabling the platform to expand its reach and strengthen its position as a leader in the enterprise AI space worldwide.
15, Oct 2025
HCLTech partners with GSMA to accelerate telecom innovation through the GSMA Open Gateway initiative
Recognized as the first global technology company to join initiative, strategic alliance will fast-track the adoption of programmable networks and unlock new monetization opportunities for CSPs worldwide
NEW YORK and NOIDA, India, Oct. 15, 2025 — HCLTech, a leading global technology company, and GSMA, a global organization unifying the mobile ecosystem, are collaborating to advance the GSMA Open Gateway initiative, which works toward enhancing customer experiences, streamlining application development and unlock new revenue streams for the global telecoms industry. As the first and only global technology company to join the initiative and a trusted technology partner in the Open Gateway ecosystem, HCLTech reinforces its commitment to fostering openness, driving monetization and accelerating innovation across the telecom network.
By enabling ‘Network as a Platform’ models, the GSMA Open Gateway initiative is redefining how Communication Service Providers (CSPs) expose and consume network capabilities through standardized APIs. As one of the fastest-growing global SIs in the telecom industry, HCLTech will contribute its cutting-edge solutions, deep domain expertise and extensive system integration (SI) experience to scale the initiative globally.
HCLTech’s contributions will include:
A converged network monetization platform to unlock new revenue streams.
A secure and scalable network API layer to enable autonomous networks.
Agentic AI solutions integrated with native network APIs.
End-to-end implementation and integration services tailored for Open Gateway environments.
Industry-specific use cases across 10+ verticals, including manufacturing, energy, government, automotive, travel, healthcare and financial services.
“We are not just joining an initiative — we are shaping the future of telecom,” said Anil Ganjoo, Chief Growth Officer, Global Technology, Media and Telecommunications at HCLTech. “Our alliance with GSMA reflects our commitment to empowering CSPs with agile, programmable networks. With our proprietary IP, AI capabilities and global scale, we are positioned to deliver real-world impact across the telecom value chain.”
“We are delighted to welcome HCLTech to the GSMA Open Gateway partner community,” said Henry Calvert, Head of Networks at GSMA. “With their proven expertise across 200+ CSPs globally and broad digital transformation capabilities, HCLTech will play a key role in accelerating adoption and delivering innovative, real-world use cases.”
With participation from over 79 mobile operator groups, representing 291 carrier networks and nearly 80% of mobile connections around the world, Open Gateway is becoming a foundational pillar of the future telecom architecture. This partnership underscores a pivotal shift in the industry—where collaboration, openness and innovation converge to create the networks of tomorrow.
14, Oct 2025
PhonePe announces exciting cashback offers on 24K Digital Gold this Dhanteras
October 14, 2025: PhonePe, today announced exciting cashback offers on 24k Digital Gold on the occasion of Dhanteras. Users can avail flat 2% cashback (up to INR 2000) on purchasing a minimum of INR 2000 worth of digital gold from PhonePe. The offer is applicable on October 18, 2025 for one-time transactions only.
Users can purchase 99.99% purity-certified 24K Digital Gold on the PhonePe platform, from leading and trusted players in the digital gold space like MMTC-PAMP, SafeGold and Caratlane. Over 1.6 Crore customers across India have bought high purity 24K gold on the PhonePe platform.
Apart from one time purchase, PhonePe also empowers users to invest in Gold digitally via Daily or Monthly SIPs and helps customers invest long term systematically. Customers also have the flexibility to invest any amount (starting as low as Rs. 5) and sell their gold holdings anytime, with the money credited to their bank accounts.
Here is a step-by-step guide to avail this special cashback offer while buying Gold on PhonePe:
- Click on the ‘Digital Gold’ icon on the PhonePe Homepage.
- Click on ‘Buy Digital Gold’
- Proceed by selecting “Buy in rupees” and add a minimum Rs.2000 worth of 24K Gold
- Check the final details of your Gold purchase and click on ‘Proceed to Pay’, and it’s done.
Offer is valid from 18th October 2025, 00:00 AM to 18th October, 2025, 11:59 PM only on one-time transactions. Minimum order value is Rs. 2000. Valid once per user.
14, Oct 2025
MMRC and Cityflo launch feeder buses to bridge last mile gap for Metro Line 3
Mumbai, 14 october 2025 : The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) and Cityflo today announced a strategic partnership to introduce dedicated feeder bus services for Mumbai Metro Line 3, with its 3rd phase launched on 8th Oct. The collaboration marks a significant step in addressing one of the city’s most persistent transit challenges of first- and last-mile connectivity, and is expected to play a critical role in driving higher metro adoption across the city.
India’s metro systems have expanded rapidly over the past decade, growing from 248 kilometres across five cities in 2014 to over 1,000 kilometres across 23 cities today. In Mumbai, elevated Metro Lines 2A and 7 have already carried more than 200 million passenger journeys in over 3 years, with daily ridership averaging over 300,000. This type of 1st and last mile commute will further enhance the metro ridership
The MMRC – Cityflo partnership is designed to directly address this friction point. Services will be launched at high-demand stations including Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC), Worli, and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), with buses running every 10 minutes during peak hours to ensure minimal waiting time. The initiative will feature integrated ticketing through both the Cityflo app and the Metro Connect 3 app. Over time, deeper integration will allow commuters to book Cityflo feeder services directly within the metro application and vice versa creating a seamless digital journey. Introductory fares are expected to be set at ₹29 per single ride, with a monthly pass option at ₹499 to encourage daily use and build habitual adoption.
Commenting on the partnership, Mr. R. Ramana, Director (Planning & Real Estate Development / NFBR), MMRC, said: “With Metro Line 3, Mumbai is entering a transformative phase in its mobility journey. However, the true success of the metro system will depend on how easily people can access it from their homes to workplaces and back. Through our feeder networks, we are solving this, by ensuring that commuters benefit from a reliable and convenient extension of their metro journey.”
Jerin Venad, CEO, Cityflo added: “We’re excited to partner with MMRC to bring feeder buses to the metro network. This is a natural extension of our mission to make urban commutes frictionless, whether through our direct bus network or by integrating with public transit systems to provide a seamless experience for everyone. Our goal has always been to facilitate a shift from private cars to mass transit, and we’re confident this service will become a catalyst for millions of commuters to embrace a more sustainable way to commute.”
This initiative represents a structural shift in how Mumbai’s transit ecosystem functions, which seeks to unify rail and land urban mobility into a coherent, technology-driven network. By closing the last-mile gap, the partnership aims to improve commuter convenience but also accelerate modal shift away from private vehicles, contributing to reduced congestion and a more sustainable urban environment.
14, Oct 2025
Hamdard Honey: The Golden Standard of Assured Quality
Delhi, 14 October, 2025: For over a century, Hamdard Foods India has stood for purity, trust, and wellness. At the heart of its portfolio is Hamdard Honey, a product that has become a symbol of natural goodness and health. Carefully sourced from the finest apiaries and processed, Hamdard Honey is packed with the assurance of Quality & Food Safety Standard. making it an everyday refined sugar replacer that fits seamlessly into today’s fast-paced lifestyles.
A natural replacement for refined sugar, Hamdard Honey is more than just a sweetener it’s a home essential. Whether drizzled over breakfast, stirred into teas, blended into smoothies, or simply consumed with warm water, Hamdard Honey offers a great way to start the day. Backed by stringent quality checks, it ensures every drop has assured quality and trust, true to Hamdard’s uncompromising legacy.
Speaking about the brand’s focus, Mr. Hamid Ahmed, CEO of Hamdard Foods India, said: “Hamdard Honey represents everything we stand for quality, trust, and safety standards. Consumers today are looking for natural alternatives to ultra processed foods, and Hamdard Honey delivers exactly that. It’s not just about taste, it’s about life with the goodness of nature. At Hamdard, we remain committed to bringing products that inspire smart choices without compromise.”
With the association of Aditi Rao Hydari with Hamdard Honey, she strengthens the brand’s legacy and promise with her natural elegance and genuine lifestyle. Aditi embodies the “No Compromise” philosophy, reflecting how purity and quality are non-negotiable when it comes to health and well-being.
Sharing her thoughts, Aditi Rao Hydari said: “For me, wellness is all about simple, pure choices and Hamdard Honey represents that perfectly. It’s versatile, natural, and something I can trust completely. Whether I use it in my morning routine or in recipes, Hamdard Honey assures me that I’m making the right choice for my health.”
With its blend of trust and innovation, Hamdard Honey continues to inspire families to adopt wiser lifestyles. As the best form of nature’s sweetness, it remains a trusted ally for taste, and well-being ensuring that when it comes to honey, there is simply no compromise in terms of Quality & Food Safety Standards.
