Category Archives: Business

99 Pancakes Unveils All-New Waffle Cake Range with 7 Irresistible Flavours

Mumbai, June 2, 2025: 99 Pancakes, India’s leading quick-service restaurant (QSR) chain famous for its innovative dessert offerings and quality products, has introduced a new and exciting addition to its menu: the Waffle Cake. Available in two options, Single Layer and Double Layer, these cakes are offered in seven delightful flavours sure to captivate dessert lovers across the country.

From gooey and rich Choco Loco to nostalgic Boojee Banoffee, from indulgently playful Kit N Kat to whimsically sensual Velvet Crush, the Waffle Cake assortment has something for every taste. There are more mouthwatering flavours to note in the Love & Nutella, Oh-So Oreo, and rather cleverly titled Mr Pan’s Favourite. The Waffle Cakes begin at ₹359 and can be purchased through both online sites and offline outlets in Mumbai, Thane, Surat, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune, Ahmedabad, Jabalpur, etc.

The seven flavors to choose from are: Love & Nutella Waffle Cake, Kit N Kat Waffle Cake, Boojee Banoffee Waffle Cake, Mr Pan’s Favourite Waffle Cake, Velvet Crush Waffle Cake, Choco Loco Waffle Cake, and Oh-So Oreo Waffle Cake. Whether you’re into chocolate or something different, there’s a flavor to suit every taste bud. Whether indulged alone, savored with friends and family, or shared as a gift on special occasions, the Waffle Cake is poised to become a new dessert favorite among Indians.

The new range is available for purchase both in-store and online via Swiggy, Zomato, and the official website, giving consumers easy access to the Waffle Cake treat.

 Vikesh Shah, Founder of 99 Pancakes, said: At 99 Pancakes, the mission has always been to spread joy through food. We’ve innovated Indian taste buds over the years with exciting formats. With the Waffle Cake, we wished to break conventions and offer something that’s stunning to look at, texturally satisfying, and absolutely delectable. It’s not a dessert — it’s an experience.”

This newest product extension solidifies 99Pancakes’ position within the QSR dessert category. Expanding across several cities and boasting a fan base that crosses all age groups, the brand continues to innovate, setting new benchmarks in creativity, quality, and customer experience.

P4s Go Phygital with EQUIPPP & SMAAX

Hyderabad, 2nd June 2025: EQUIPPP (Expression of Equity Interest in Public and Private Partnerships) facilitates the evolution of Public-Private-People Partnerships (P4s), as the name suggests, between governments, organizations, local bodies, social impact investors, CSR foundations, and others by offering suitable and customized solutions powered by technology and finance.

SMAAX Digitech Pvt. Ltd. (“SMAAX”) is a high-impact IP-led media-tech company and the exclusive operator of South Indian International Movie Awards (SIIMA), Celebrity Cricket League (CCL), and several upcoming initiatives, including INCA and the Streaming Academy Awards.

EQUIPPP and SMAAX have partnered to combine their respective strengths to foster and evolve Public-Private-People Partnerships (P4s) in the domains of entertainment, sports, and the rural creator economy, further augmenting EQUIPPP’s ongoing efforts in the social impact ecosystem.

To strengthen this relationship—approved in principle by EQUIPPP’s Board at its meeting held on 30th May 2025—EQUIPPP will acquire a 51% equity stake in SMAAX and initiate a strategic infusion of ₹15 crore. This will help consolidate ownership and establish strategic control over SMAAX’s growing media-tech portfolio, which includes SIIMA, CCL, INCA (Indian National Cine Academy), and the Streaming Academy Awards. The enterprise value of SMAAX postconsolidation is capped at ₹150 crore, ensuring a structured and aligned growth roadmap for both entities.

EQUIPPP is now synonymous with P4, a framework that is gaining national momentum. Both the Telugu states, which boast a successful diaspora across the globe, are adopting the P4 approach to advance their holistic development goals. This is evident from Telangana’s recent “by the industry, for the industry” BFSI skill development program implemented in P4 mode and shaped by EQUIPPP, as well as initiatives like leveraging philanthropic and CSR capital through T-Fiber to connect 26,000 schools with internet access.

The Government of Andhra Pradesh has adopted P4 as a policy to alleviate poverty, while the Government of Madhya Pradesh is actively pursuing outcome-based funding models.

This partnership will initially focus on co-developing P4s across sectors such as entertainment, sports, and the rural creator economy through a Phygital model.

Vindhya Dronamraju, Wholetime Director, EQUIPPP, said: “EQUIPPP was registered as a trademark with GOI in 2015 as an online platform connecting people to intercommunicate and post interests and intentions regarding equity participation, grants, or donations for common social causes. Further, in 2019, we collaborated with Columbia University Press’s Social Value Investing Framework authors and launched their book in India, which explains the cross-sector collaboration approach.”

Further she noted that “I am happy to see that, after 10 years, there is finally light for this collaboration framework of P4 which is synonymous to EQUIPPP in thought and spirit. We are excited to join hands with SMAAX, as the verticals of sports and entertainment will bring greater visibility to P4s and make them truly Phygital.”

Vishnu Vardhan Induri, Director, SMAAX, said: “This partnership with EQUIPPP enables us to turn powerful ideas into tangible impact using the P4 model. We will jointly launch Balloon Theatres under the P4 framework where the cinema spaces will be operated in collaboration with local entrepreneurs and CSR partners, offering revenue-sharing models and community ownership.”

He further said that “In parallel, we will use the P4 approach to establish Rural Sports Leagues, in sports such as Kabaddi, Cricket, Volleyball, and Athletics. These leagues will be co-owned by private partners, supported by local governments, and managed by rural entrepreneurs.

Together, EQUIPPP and SMAAX aim to build the new operating system for P4s—powered by creativity, collaboration, and cultural capital—enabling sector-wise and geography-wise participation through truly Phygital formats.”

Shefali Shah Joins Karan Johar’s Tyaani Jewellery as Face of New Campaign

Bengaluru , 2 June 2025: Tyaani Jewellery by Karan Johar, one of India’s leading jewellery brands, has unveiled its all-new campaign, ‘Forces of Tyaani’, introducing acclaimed Bollywood actor Shefali Shah as the first brand ambassador in the series.

This marks a bold, new chapter in the company’s journey, with over 10 distinctive ambassadors. Tyaani Jewellery by Karan Johar is set to bring together celebrated actors who have redefined success on their own terms. With a new face introduced every week, each one a force in their own right, the campaign will unfold over the next few months across multiple platforms.

The first look of ‘Forces of Tyaani’ features Shefali Shah, her commanding presence is captured through powerful storytelling that inspires women to embrace and express their strength unapologetically. She appears magnetic in a classic Tyaani necklace—crafted in gold, precious gemstones, cut and uncut diamonds—an ultimate expression of fine jewellery that resonates with every woman’s rhythm, story, and spirit.

The campaign celebrates individuality as the rarest form of luxury, highlighting the entire spectrum of women who discover and wear their unique strength with pride.

Karan Johar, Founder, Tyaani Jewellery, shares his enthusiasm on this campaign:

“We are truly excited about this new chapter. ‘Forces of Tyaani’ lies at the very heart of our brand philosophy—redefining luxury not by uniformity or status, but by celebrating individuality. At its core, the campaign champions strength, authenticity, and innovation—the very pillars on which Tyaani was built. It’s a moment of pride and sheer joy to welcome Shefali to the Tyaani family”

Bringing the idea of Real Women, Real Stories, Real Jewellery to life, ‘Forces of Tyaani’ is more than a campaign—it’s a cultural movement. Every piece of jewellery becomes a personal talisman, rooted in craftsmanship, intention, and authenticity—moving beyond superficial gloss to celebrate inherent beauty.

Tyaani Jewellery by Karan Johar is currently present in seven cities – Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune, Lucknow and Chandigarh. The brand is also opening its first store in Ahmedabad on June 8th. Consumers can also shop online at tyaani.com.

Tyaani Jewellery by Karan Johar

Spearheaded by the creative genius of Karan Johar, Tyaani is a leading jewellery brand was founded 6 years ago. The brand came to life with the vision to introduce Indian audiences, for the first time ever, to a curation of handcrafted fine jewellery that’s as affordable as it is magnificent. The brand is currently present in 8 cities – Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune, Lucknow, Chandigarh, and Ahmedabad. The brand takes great pride in their authentic designs and craftsmanship, offering a wide range of fine jewellery in gold, uncut and cut diamonds.

Radisson Blu Hotel and Suites GRT, Chennai redefines wellness hospitality with its distinctive Biophilia Suites

Radisson Blu Hotel and Suites GRT, Chennai – a landmark address in the city’s hospitality landscape – continues to set benchmarks in wellness-forward hospitality through its thoughtfully reimagined Biophilia Suites. Conceptualized in collaboration with GRT Hotels & Resorts, these suites represent a unique confluence of nature, design and smart technology, offering a sanctuary for modern travelers seeking balance, mindfulness and purposeful rest.

Nestled within the hotel’s exclusive suite wing, the Biophilia Suites are a reflection of the hotel’s long-standing commitment to innovation and guest well-being. Rooted in the principles of Biophilia – the innate human connection to nature – the suites have been carefully designed as immersive spaces that blend sensory calm with intelligent living. The experience transcends typical hotel stays, focusing instead on how space, design, and functionality can foster mental clarity, relaxation, and rejuvenation.

Each suite features calming, nature-inspired interiors, sustainable materials, and smart systems that adjust to guests’ body temperature, activity levels, and circadian rhythms. Integrated lighting and environment controls support natural transitions between rest and focus, while the hotel maintains a consistently optimal air quality (AQI) across its premises. From verdant indoor terrarium corridors to AI-driven wellness amenities, every detail has been curated to create a living experience that aligns with the rhythms of modern life.

“Biophilia Suites reflect a growing shift in how people choose to travel – they want spaces that help them slow down, reset and reconnect. These suites were designed to create that experience through a combination of natural elements and intelligent design. It’s a meaningful step in our journey to offer more thoughtful, wellness-led stays in Chennai,” said Vikram Cotah, CEO, GRT Hotels & Resorts.

Radisson Hotel Group continues to command a leading presence in the Indian market and is one of the country’s largest international hotel operators with over 200 hotels in operation and development. It continues to be the largest hotel operator in a tier-1 market like Delhi NCR, while over 50% of its portfolio is in tier-2 and 3 markets. The Group has successfully introduced various brands to the growing Indian market, including Radisson Collection, Radisson Blu, Radisson, Radisson RED, Park Inn by Radisson, Park Plaza, Park Inn & Suites by Radisson and Radisson Individuals and its extension Radisson Individuals Retreats.

Aster Home Celebrates 15,000plus Home care Visits

Kochi, 02-06-2025: Aster Medcity’s Aster@Home, a home healthcare services celebrates completing over 5,000+ nursing care and 10,000+ doctor visits including physiotherapy and chronic disease management. From elderly patients to post-surgery care, Aster@Home offers a wide range of home care services for all age groups.

 Aster@Home delivers personalized and round the clock, high-quality care at people’s doorstep. It also offers a wide range of services, including home visits by doctors, paediatrician, nurses, physiotherapists, to name a few. Blood or urine sample collections for lab tests and medicines delivery are also done.

India to create 7.29 million green jobs by FY28, 35 million by 2047 – states NLB Services

With the growing dividend of our country’s green economy, which is on the trajectory towards $1 trillion by 2030, and $15 trillion by 2070; scaling green transformation is becoming a key priority for India Inc. On one hand the sector is aggressively investing into building green tech capabilities and streamlining green energy deployment. On the other arena, there is a major push towards building a robust workforce pipeline, as the sector continues to grapple with the challenges of a skilled resource pool. India’s green sector is expected to add close to 7.29 million green jobs by FY28 and about 35 million new jobs by 2047.

Incidentally, the new estimated employment outlook for the sector, now also precedes the projections called out in 2024 – which indicated a 15-20% Y-O-Y demand increase for the next 10 years. Organizations have also adopted a shift in their workforce strategy to strengthen the green talent pipeline – prioritizing skill based hiring and practical green competencies over traditional qualifications, forging partnerships with academia to equip youth with future sustainability skills and investing into inclusive hiring/re-skilling initiatives.

From a sectoral standpoint, majority of the new job creation is set to be fueled by industries like Renewable Energy, Waste Management, Electric Vehicles, Sustainable Textiles, and Green Construction; both across urban and peri-urban areas. While, metros like Mumbai, Bengaluru and Delhi continue to be sunshine locations for aspirants eyeing green jobs, there is a definitive spark across Tier II / III locations like Jaipur, Indore, Visakhapatnam, Indore, Ahmedabad, Coimbatore, Bhubaneswar, Chandigarh, which are steadily emerging as crucial hubs. The resurgence across industries like logistics, warehousing and sustainable agriculture is influencing the positive momentum across Tier II/III locations, which are already projected to host 35%-40% of the 7.29 million jobs by FY28.

Green job roles are also transcending beyond traditional sectors and the demand momentum for profiles like ESG analytics, green tech, and climate data analysts has already increased significantly as compared to last year, and is now projected towards a 20-30% annual y-o-y increase. Additionally, industry sentiments also indicate a dominance for hybrid profiles Demand for most roles to surge 4–6x higher, and ESG analysts to increase up to 13-20X higherthat blend sustainability expertise with digital proficiency. Green tech is additionally being fueled by innovations like precision farming, smart irrigation, and AI-driven climate modeling—while blockchain traceability is unlocking new roles in sustainable agriculture and clean tech. In fact, professionals skilled in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Artificial Intelligence (AI), remote monitoring systems and lifecycle assessment tools are in explicit demand and will continue to be in vogue in the coming years.

Interestingly, not only green jobs are on the rise, but salary Gemini_Generated_Image_mfq644mfq644mfq6range across profiles in the sector have also recorded an average increase of 20.3% over the past 1-2 years. In the coming years, salaries in Tier I can range up to 50% higher than Tier II, also influenced by cost of living across these regions.

While on one hand, green jobs are a promising proposition, the sector also faces challenges beyond talent availability, especially with regard to gender parities. Currently women account for just 11–12% of green jobs in India, primarily owing to unequal access to technical education, cultural constraints, and workplace safety challenges. However, forward-looking organizations are adopting inclusive hiring practices, investing in women-focused skill development initiatives, and collaborating with training partners to foster a more diverse and equitable green talent pipeline. And, it’s a step in the right direction, which is expected to improve parity by 12%-15% over the course of the next 5-6 years.

Prudent Insurance Brokers appoints Shantanu Saran as Chief Business Officer

Mumbai, 2nd June 2025: Prudent Insurance Brokers, India’s leading composite insurance broker, has appointed Mr. Shantanu Saran as Chief Business Officer. With more than two decades of experience in the insurance industry, Shantanu brings a wealth of expertise in insurance broking leadership, risk management, claims advisory, customer centricity, and business development. He has been able to deliver exceptional business results underpinned by a client-centric approach and a consistent track record of strategic leadership.

In his new role, he will take on the responsibility of strategically growing Prudent. This entails identifying new opportunities for expansion, fostering relationships with key stakeholders, and implementing innovative strategies to drive overall success and profitability.

Before joining Prudent Insurance Brokers, Shantanu spent about 17 years at Marsh India Insurance Brokers, where his last role was Managing Director – Sales & Claims. Prior to that, he worked at ICICI Lombard for over 4 years, where he was the Area Head – Corporate Solution Group.

Shantanu holds a degree in Economics from Ramjas College, University of Delhi, and a Business Administration degree from K.J. Somaiya Institute of Management Studies & Research. Throughout his career, he has consistently demonstrated a strong track record of performance, leadership, and delivering value across all his assignments.

Mr. Pavanjit Singh Dhingra, Joint Managing Director, Prudent Insurance Brokers, said, “Shantanu’s appointment marks an important step in the company’s growth journey. His track record in building stakeholder relationships managing P&Ls, and innovating strategic growth opportunities aligns well with our focus on delivering value and trust. He exemplifies leadership, innovation, and a strong commitment to client-centricity. We are confident that his vision and execution will accelerate our efforts to deliver differentiated solutions, foster stronger client relationships, and reinforce Prudent’s position as a trusted industry leader.”

On his appointment, Shantanu Saran, Chief Business Officer, Prudent Insurance Brokers, said, “I am honoured to be part of Prudent Insurance Brokers at a time when the industry is evolving rapidly, and client expectations are continuously rising. Prudent’s strong foundation, client-centric culture, and clear strategic direction make it ideal to build meaningful and long-term value. I look forward to working closely with the leadership team to strengthen our market position, enhance our service offerings, and support clients in managing risk more effectively in a dynamic environment.”

Autodesk Appoints Ashish Mittal as Director of Public Sector in India and SAARC

India, June 02, 2025 – Autodesk, announced the appointment of Ashish Kumar Mittal as the Director of Public Sector for India and SAARC. With over three decades of experience in the IT industry, Ashish brings a deep understanding of government engagement, digital transformation initiatives, and strategic public sector partnerships. In his new role, he will lead Autodesk’s public sector strategy and execution across India.

His current remit includes leading the public sector sales team and driving business development activities across public sector initiatives. He will collaborate closely with stakeholders and leaders across India and APAC to enhance Autodesk’s presence and strategic partnerships in the public sector landscape.

“The public sector is a key focus area for Autodesk, and Ashish’s deep expertise in government modernization programs will be instrumental in strengthening our commitment to this segment. Ashish’s leadership will help us deepen our engagement and drive meaningful impact across India’s public infrastructure initiatives,” said Haresh Khoobchandani, Vice President, APAC & Japan, Autodesk.

Commenting on his new role, Mittal said, “Autodesk is an exciting place to be in, particularly at a transformative time like this. India’s public sector is embracing digital transformation at an accelerated pace, and I am thrilled to be a part of this journey. With Autodesk’s cutting-edge technology solutions, we aim to empower government institutions in advancing the Government of India’s Viksit Bharat agenda. Our focus will be on enabling the development of resilient, future-ready infrastructure that will continue to serve the needs of communities nationwide.”

Ashish holds a Bachelor of Technology in Computer Science and Engineering, providing him with a strong technical foundation that complements his deep expertise in government sales, business planning, partner management, and people development. Over the course of his career, he has held leadership roles at renowned organizations including Zenith, HCL, Oracle, Microsoft, Adobe, and ESRI India. His track record reflects a consistent ability to build and scale businesses, drive sustained profitability, and foster long-standing client and partner relationships, particularly within the public sector landscape.

Gartner Predicts by 2028, 80% of GenAI Business Apps Will Be Developed on Existing Data Management Platforms

MUMBAI, India, June 2, 2025 — Gartner Inc. predicts that organizations will develop 80% of Generative AI (GenAI) business applications on their existing data management platforms by 2028. This approach will reduce the complexity and time required to deliver these applications by 50%.

During the Gartner Data & Analytics Summit taking place in Mumbai this week, Prasad Pore, Sr Director Analyst at Gartner, said, “Building GenAI business applications today involves integrating large language models (LLMs) with an organization’s internal data and adopting rapidly evolving technologies like vector search, metadata management, prompt design and embedding. However, without a unified management approach, adopting these scattered technologies leads to longer delivery times and potential sunk costs for organizations.”

As organizations aim to develop GenAI-centric solutions, data management platforms must evolve to integrate new capabilities or services for GenAI development, ensuring AI readiness and successful implementation.

Enhancing GenAI Application Deployment With RAG

Retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) is becoming a cornerstone for deploying GenAI applications, providing implementation flexibility, enhanced explainability and composability with LLMs. By integrating data from both traditional and non-traditional sources as context, RAG enriches the LLM to support downstream GenAI systems.

“Most LLMs are trained on publicly available data and are not highly effective on their own at solving specific business challenges,” said Pore. “However, when these LLMs are combined with business-owned datasets using the RAG architectural pattern, their accuracy is significantly enhanced. Semantics, particularly metadata, play a crucial role in this process. Data catalogs can help capture this semantic information, enriching knowledge bases and ensuring the right context and traceability for data used in RAG solutions.”

To effectively navigate the complexities of GenAI application deployment, enterprises should consider these key recommendations:

Evolve Data Management Platforms: Evaluate whether current data management platforms can be transformed into a RAG-as-a-service platform, replacing stand-alone document/data stores as the knowledge source for business GenAI applications.

 Prioritize RAG Technologies: Evaluate and integrate RAG technologies such as vector search, graph and chunking, from existing data management solutions or their ecosystem partners when building GenAI applications. These options are more resilient to technological disruptions and compatible with organizational data.

 Leverage Metadata for Protection: Enterprises should leverage not only technical metadata, but also operational metadata generated at runtime in data management platforms. This approach helps protect GenAI applications from malicious use, privacy issues and intellectual property leaks.

Gartner clients can learn more in “Predicts 2025: 4 Ways AI Will Disrupt Data Management Markets and Solutions.”

Learn how to ensure that your data is ready for use in the specific AI initiatives you plan to pursue in the complimentary Gartner AI-Ready Data Essentials Roadmap.

Gartner Data & Analytics Summit

Gartner analysts are providing additional insights on the evolving landscape of data, analytics and AI, focusing on adeptly balancing opportunity and risk while ensuring business value at the Gartner Data & Analytics Summit in Mumbai this week. Upcoming conferences include June 17-18 in Sydney. Follow news and updates from the conferences on X using #GartnerDA.

Tata Steel Special Economic Zone’s Gopalpur Industrial Park joins World Economic Forum’s Transitioning Industrial Clusters Initiative

Chandigarh, June 2, 2025: Tata Steel Special Economic Zone’s Gopalpur Industrial Park (GIP) joins the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Transitioning Industrial Clusters Initiative that brings together public and private sector stakeholders from industrial clusters to reduce their CO2 emissions while driving economic growth and creating jobs. This global initiative, implemented in collaboration with Accenture and Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), seeks to accelerate large scale decarbonisation by fostering industrial ecosystems that promote sustainability, energy efficiency, and green innovation.

Located in the Ganjam district of Odisha, GIP is fast emerging as a hub for green hydrogen/green ammonia and green energy equipment manufacturing. With a clear focus on sustainability, GIP will bring together its own development goals and India’s National Green Hydrogen Mission, which aims to position the country as a global leader in the production, utilisation, and export of green hydrogen and its derivatives.

Manikanta Naik, Managing Director, Tata Steel Special Economic Zone Limited, said, “Gopalpur Industrial Park is proud to be part of this transformative initiative by the World Economic Forum. The ongoing rapid industrialisation of Odisha, which includes large clusters like GIP, is also offering new opportunities to dedicate our infrastructure and expertise, to create a decarbonised future. GIP’s focus on green hydrogen and renewable energy clusters reflects our unwavering commitment to sustainable industrial development. By leveraging global best practices and innovative partnerships, we aim to contribute significantly to India’s clean energy targets. We expect few more projects of similar nature to come up in GIP shortly.”

Around 25% of GIP’s available land has been earmarked for green hydrogen/ammonia and renewable energy sectors, aligning with national sustainability goals. GIP has also signed land leasing and blocking agreements with multiple green hydrogen players, facilitating a total capacity of >2 million tonnes per annum of green ammonia with an estimated multi-phased investment of more than Rs. 27,000 Crores. With these investments in place, GIP will be able to contribute around ~10% of India’s green hydrogen/ammonia production target by 2030 under the National Green Hydrogen Mission. GIP’s infrastructure master plan has several key components including a 2.5 km long, 60 m wide exclusive utility corridor connecting GIP to Gopalpur Port to ensure secured and efficient transportation of green ammonia for global exports. GIP has already collaborated with Gopalpur Port to facilitate seamless shipment of green ammonia to international markets, supporting India’s export ambitions.

Further, to ensure sustainable, round-the-clock water availability, GIP has a provision to set up a desalination plant, addressing critical industrial water needs while safeguarding local resources. GIP is also working to facilitate reliable green power transmission from the western regions of India that will strengthen its commitment to providing clean energy solutions. GIP is also working towards setting up a Common Effluent Treatment Plant for safe disposal of industrial wastewater.