Category Archives: Business

Mosaics Fine Art Festival Secures $24,145 Grant from Missouri Arts Council

Funding supports the 31^st annual arts celebration in Historic St. Charles.

(St. Charles, Mo., Aug. 21, 2024) Mosaics Fine Art Festival has been awarded a $24,145 grant with public support from the Missouri Arts Council (MAC), a state agency that invests in the cultural, educational, and economic vitality of communities across Missouri. This marks the fourth consecutive year the festival has received nearly $25,000 in support from MAC.

The grant will fund the festival’s 31^st annual event, taking place Sept. 11 through 13, along several blocks of North Main Street in Historic St. Charles, Mo. The free three-day, family-friendly event welcomes all ages and will feature more than 70 juried artists representing 15 states. Attendees can browse and purchase original works while experiencing the charm of a district with more than 30 restaurants and over 75 shops.

MAC provides funding to nonprofit organizations through grants that deliver high-quality arts programming throughout Missouri. Applications are reviewed based on artistic merit, community engagement, and organizational capacity. MAC also prioritizes advancing cultural equity to ensure all Missourians have access to meaningful creative opportunities.

“We are deeply grateful to the Missouri Arts Council for its continued investment in our festival and the artists we serve,” said Denise Wulff, president of Mosaics Fine Art Festival. “This support allows us to expand access to the arts, welcome a diverse group of talented artists, and create an experience that brings people together while celebrating creativity in our community.”

The Mosaics Fine Art Festival is a nonprofit organization that showcases local and regional artists while educating the community’s children and adults on how art can enhance their lives. The festival features a wide array of artwork produced by a mix of emerging, mid-career and established artists in all media. For more information, call (314) 406-2067 or visit Mosaics Fine Art Festival.

CoverSure Enters Insurance Gifting Space, Target 1 Million Families and INR 100 Crore in 12 Months

Mumbai, Aug 20: CoverSure, a customer-first insurance platform and IRDAI-licensed Corporate Agent, today entered corporate, social, and personal gifting as a new route to insurance adoption, introducing a suite of Insurance Gift Cards built on a single conviction: that protection is among the most meaningful things one person can give another. The cards are co-branded with Oxymoney, an RBI-licensed Prepaid Payment Instrument (PPI) issuer.

Gifting in India has moved past the standard mithai box and generic hamper toward something more personal, chosen for what it says about how well the giver knows the receiver. Insurance, at its core a promise of protection and longevity, fits that shift naturally, yet has never been part of India’s gifting tradition the way gold or festive cash has. In simple terms, an Insurance Gift Card is a stored value a recipient can put toward the insurance cover that best fits their own life, chosen and timed by the person who will actually be protected, not the giver.

CoverSure is targeting ₹100 crore in insurance gifting value over the next 12 months, with the ambition of reaching 1 million families through this route, positioning gifting as a scalable, additional channel for insurance adoption rather than a one-off campaign.

“Insurance has always been sold, never gifted. We wanted to change that,” said Saurabh Vijayvergia, Founder and CEO, CoverSure. “Every other form of care in India- gold, sweets, blessings- has a place in how we celebrate the people we love. Protection deserves the same place. That is what we are making possible today, without having to say the words out loud.”

Rather than purchasing a pre-selected policy on someone’s behalf, the giver provides a stored value that the recipient can put towards insurance. The recipient retains full control over the insurer, policy, type of cover and timing, and can apply the balance towards a new policy or the renewal of an existing one. This resolves a quiet but persistent difficulty in gifting insurance: the giver rarely knows the recipient’s existing policies, financial responsibilities, protection gaps or renewal dates. The decision, as it should, stays with the person being protected.

The Insurance Gift Card is available in four formats for different occasions and gifting needs. The Corporate Closed-Loop Gift is a customised card that can be redeemed exclusively on CoverSure across multiple insurance products, along with savings and wellness benefits. It is designed for employee rewards, festive gifting, customer engagement, and partner programmes. The Open-Ended Gift Card up to ₹1,000 allows recipients to use the value towards eligible insurance or non-insurance offerings on CoverSure, including in parts, making it suitable for personal gifting and employee appreciation. The Open-Ended Gift Card above ₹1,000 offers additional CoverSure benefits and access to its insurance management and protection services, making it suitable for family gifting and special occasions. The DIY Insurance Gift Card allows the giver to choose the insurance category, occasion and message, with options across Term, Health, Motor, Travel and Personal Accident insurance. Together, the four formats offer different ways to support the recipient’s insurance needs while leaving the final choice with them.

The launch is timed to a wider shift in how the country thinks about long-term wellbeing. In a nation widely regarded as the diabetes capital of the world, the Central Board of Secondary Education has directed schools to set up “sugar boards” educating children on the risks of excess sugar and encouraging healthier choices. CoverSure reads this as a sign that health and security are increasingly treated as things to protect deliberately rather than assume, at both a national and a household level, and sees gifting as a natural entry point for the same instinct.

India issued 41.84 crore insurance policies in FY2024–25, yet insurance penetration remained at 3.7% of GDP, against a global average of 7.3%. The gap points to the need not only for greater access, but for more reasons for people to act on their protection needs.

This mismatch is compounded by how differently the two industries are growing. India’s gifting industry, valued at an estimated $75 billion and expanding at roughly 14% annually, stands in sharp contrast to insurance, which continues to grow at only negative to low single-digit rates in policy volumes, a trajectory CoverSure believes can shift only if the industry attaches itself to larger, already-thriving traditions rather than standing alone as a financial product.

“We are looking at gifting as an additional route through which people can be introduced to insurance by the ambassadors of insurance, i.e. existing policyholders, rather than treating insurance as just another festive product,” Vijayvergia added. “A company, a family member or a friend provides the starting value, but the recipient decides whether it goes towards health, life or motor insurance, and when. It is a small gesture that can begin a lifetime of protection.”

The initiative follows CoverSure’s earlier awareness campaign, #ChitthiAayiHai, run with India Post, which sent more than 10,000 barcode-enabled inland letters to families across 15 cities, urging policyholders to share their insurance details with the people who would one day need them. The gift cards extend the same belief: that insurance grows not through advertising, but through care made visible.

CoverSure expects the corporate segment to be central to the initiative. Companies can build the cards into employee-reward and recognition programmes or extend them to customers and channel partners, reaching families who are often more financially exposed than assumed. For personal gifting, the cards suit festivals, birthdays, anniversaries and other milestones. The offering sits within CoverSure’s broader claim-first, customer-first model, where the claims experience is designed to be straightforward rather than buried in fine print.

S Hotels & Resorts Invites Travellers to Reclaim the Luxury of Time

‘It’s About Time’ celebrates slow travel, soulful discovery and nature-immersive escapes designed to restore what everyday life takes away. 

Bangkok, Thailand | Aug 20 – With so many demands on our time, S Hotels & Resorts is inviting travellers to reclaim that most precious of commodities, whether they’re burned out and ready for an end-of-year reset or simply looking to recharge before the festive season. The hospitality group’s ‘It’s About Time’ campaign serves as a tropical off-switch for the tired mind.

A lifestyle brand known for its soulful hospitality, SAii Hotels & Resorts brings its new campaign to life across its entire portfolio in Thailand and the Maldives, from the castaway allure of Phi Phi and Phuket’s family-friendly escapes to the adults-only hideaway of Koh Samui and the barefoot ease of the Maldives.

The campaign’s themes capture the elements that turn a simple getaway into time genuinely well spent. Time for Adventure invites holidaymakers to step away from the clock and dive into kayaking through hidden mangrove forests in the Andaman or exploring technicolour reefs in the Indian Ocean. For gentler sun-drenched pursuits, Time for Nature revolves around long beachside lunches and sunsets without the crowds. Time for Yourself is the luxury of doing only what your heart desires, from disappearing into the spa to dedicating an entire afternoon to poolside reading. Meanwhile, authentic local cuisines and freshly caught seafoodtake centre stage with Time for Flavours, just as Time Together brings everyone closer over shared sunsets, family adventures or a friendly game of padel tennis or lively afternoons at SunRay Social & Swim Club.

Finally, Time to Exhale is Santiburi Koh Samui’s exclusive expression of the campaign. As guests step into the 23-acre sanctuary of tropical foliage and lotus ponds, any vestiges of today’s ‘do more’ travel culture fall away, giving them explicit permission to do less. Exhale into Stillness with peaceful moments on Mae Nam Beach, Exhale into Nature amid ancient coconut trees and tropical gardens, Exhale into Wellbeing at Santiburi Spa or the newly upgraded Technogym fitness centre, Exhale into Flavours with refined Thai cuisine at Sala Thai Restaurant, and Exhale into Connection through meaningful moments shared with loved ones.

Book early and save up to 30% at SAii Laguna Phuket, SAii Phi Phi Island Village, SAii Koh Samui Villas, SAii Lagoon Maldives and Santiburi Koh Samui, making it even easier to embrace the luxury of time with a rewarding island escape. For more information, please visit saiihotels.com/ and santiburisamui.com/

PhonePe PulsePro signs MoU with MeitY to power PM GatiShakti

Bengaluru,  Aug 20: PhonePe, today announced the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) to share insights from PhonePe PulsePro, its enterprise data intelligence platform, to support the PM GatiShakti mission for national infrastructure planning, economic analysis, and holistic urban and rural development.

PhonePe PulsePro transforms aggregated and anonymised transaction data into hyperlocal insights, providing a granular view of trends across geographies, categories and markets. Built on PhonePe’s extensive digital transactions ecosystem, PhonePe PulsePro enables organisations to identify emerging trends, understand market signals and derive actionable intelligence from real-world activity.

Under the MoU with MeitY, PhonePe PulsePro metrics will be integrated into the PM GatiShakti National Master Plan portal, managed in collaboration with Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geo-informatics (BISAG-N). By sharing granular transactional insights with the PM GatiShakti portal, PhonePe is making hyperlocal PulsePro data accessible for internal government use to enable them to make smarter, data-based decisions for national development planning.

Sharing his views on the MoU, Shri S. Krishnan, Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY), said,

“Data-driven intelligence can play an important role in enabling more informed planning and decision-making. The granular and hyperlocal insights available through PhonePe PulsePro can complement existing datasets and provide additional visibility into emerging trends across markets and geographies. We welcome PhonePe’s initiative to make these insights available through the PM GatiShakti framework and support India’s journey towards Viksit Bharat.”

Commenting on the MoU, Karthik Raghupathy, Head of Strategy at PhonePe, said,

“Since the launch of PhonePe Pulse, we have seen how transaction-led insights can help build a more nuanced understanding of markets and emerging trends. PhonePe PulsePro takes this intelligence further through granular, hyperlocal and near real-time market signals. By making these insights available to MeitY, we hope to contribute to a stronger data ecosystem and support more informed, evidence-based infrastructure planning. We are delighted to play our part in enabling the use of data for broader public good.”

The MoU builds on PhonePe’s broader commitment to making data and technology a force for the public good. PhonePe Pulse, the company’s open data platform launched in 2021, is a valuable resource for entrepreneurs, researchers, developers, policymakers and students. PhonePe PulsePro extends these capabilities through enterprise-grade data intelligence and deeper, more granular market insights. 

India’s REIT Market Stays Strong, 150 Million Sq Ft Office Space Could Join by 2031

New Delhi, Aug 20: India’s Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) sector is continuing to show resilience amid global uncertainties, supported by stable rental income, long-term leases and a diversified base of tenants, according to a recent report.

The sector is also entering a promising phase of expansion, with more than 150 million square feet of office space expected to become eligible for REITs by 2031. This potential addition could take the total asset value of the sector from around $33 billion to more than $50 billion, highlighting the significant growth opportunity ahead.

Strong demand for commercial office space is expected to remain one of the key drivers of this growth. Office leasing reached a record 29.9 million square feet in the first quarter of 2026, marking a 6 per cent increase from the same period a year earlier.

Demand from Global Capability Centres, technology companies and financial services firms is supporting the office market, with high-quality Grade A properties accounting for a large share of leasing activity.

The growing presence of Global Capability Centres is particularly important for the sector. Their expansion is creating sustained demand for modern office spaces in major business hubs and is expected to support the commercial real estate market over the medium term.

India’s flexible office segment is also expanding, with flexible workspace stock estimated at around 100 million square feet. The trend reflects changing workplace requirements and growing demand from businesses seeking adaptable office solutions.

The financial position of listed REITs has remained relatively strong. Six listed REITs had a combined gross asset value of nearly Rs 3.13 lakh crore and a market capitalisation of more than Rs 2 lakh crore as of May 2026.

Although combined debt has increased as REITs expanded their portfolios and acquired new assets, rising rental income has helped keep leverage under control. This provides a stronger financial foundation for further growth.

Occupancy levels have also improved steadily. Average occupancy across listed Indian office REITs increased from around 84 per cent in FY24 to 89 per cent in FY25 and nearly 92 per cent in FY26, reflecting sustained demand for quality commercial properties.

The outlook for the sector remains positive despite continuing global uncertainties. India’s growing role in global supply chains and the expansion of multinational companies and Global Capability Centres are expected to support demand for office space.

The potential addition of 150 million square feet of REIT-eligible office space over the next five years could further deepen India’s REIT market, providing more opportunities for institutional investment and allowing property owners to unlock value from mature commercial assets.

With strong occupancy, healthy leasing activity, growing rental income and a sizeable pipeline of future assets, India’s REIT market is positioned for continued expansion. The sector could increasingly become an important link between India’s growing commercial real estate market and long-term investors seeking exposure to income-generating assets.

MIDASX & MF Utilities India Partner to Bring AI-Powered WealthTech to MFDs Across Bharat

Mumbai, Aug 20: MIDASX, India’s first AI-Powered B2B2C Multi-Asset wealth technology platform, has entered into an exclusive strategic association with MF Utilities India to make its multi asset wealth platform available to all Mutual Fund Distributors across the country.

The association will enable MFDs to access and distribute Mutual Funds, International and Indian Equities, Corporate Fixed Deposits, Loans against Securities, Unlisted Securities, Bonds, MLDs and other financial products through MIDASX’s integrated technology ecosystem. The partnership is designed to give distributors a broader product suite; AI led technology capabilities and the ability to build scalable wealth businesses. MIDASX currently works with 2,000 plus MFDs, serving 7 lakh plus investors with assets of over ₹2.5 lakh crore across 160 plus cities spanning Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3 Bharat.

Aakash Bansal, CEO, MIDASX, said,

 “The next phase of India’s wealth creation will be driven by empowering the people who already have the trust of investors. MFDs have the relationships and reach. Our job at MIDASX is to give them the future ready, new age and affordable technology to take those relationships across products, markets and geographies. Our association with MF Utilities India is an important step towards making multi asset wealth technology affordable and accessible to the last mile MFDs across India.”

Ganesh Ram, MD & CEO, MF Utilities India, said,

 “The MFD community continuously plays an increasingly important role in expanding participation in financial markets across India. Our association with MIDASX brings together AI led technology and distribution capabilities for MF & SIF products. We are pleased to collaborate with MIDASX and look forward to supporting MFDs with technology enabled solutions that can help them serve investors and build their businesses.”

MIDASX is also the Exclusive Strategic and Technology Partner to MACG, the Mutual Fund Distributor Association of Associations, a collective platform representing 50+ mutual fund distributor associations across India and working towards strengthening the interests, capabilities and technology adoption of the distributor community.

Together, the MF Utilities India and MACG partnerships strengthen MIDASX’s MFD-focused ecosystem by bringing together distribution, industry networks and technology to support the future of wealth distribution in India.

MIDASX has raised ₹35 crore to date from family offices and UHNIs and is currently raising an additional ₹200 crore to accelerate its growth.

With its growing distributor base, association led partnerships and expanding multi asset capabilities, MIDASX is positioning itself as a technology backbone for India’s next generation of wealth distribution. The platform enables MFDs to move beyond a single product approach and build comprehensive, technology led AI-Powered Multi-Asset wealth businesses.

iQOO Launches Z11 and iQOO Buds with AI-Powered Features and Long Battery Life

New Delhi, August 20, 2026: iQOO, the high-performance smartphone brand, today launched the iQOO Z11 5G, designed to make students’ day-to-day lives more productive, efficient, and seamless. From summarising live lectures to polishing assignments, working across documents, content consumption, and staying connected with friends, the iQOO Z11 5G brings together AI-powered productivity features with segment-leading performance, a large immersive display, and dependable full-day battery life, all wrapped in a slim, durable design.

The iQOO Z11 5G is priced at INR 34,999 for the 6 GB + 128 GB variant, INR 39,999  for the 8 GB + 128 GB variant, INR 44,999 for the 8 GB + 256 GB variant, and INR 49,999  for the 12 GB + 256 GB variant. The smartphone will be available in two colour options: Celestial Blue and Aurora Green. The sale will start from 25th August 2026 on iQOO e-store, Amazon.in, vivo exclusive stores, Reliance Digital, and select retail stores. Moreover, the iQOO Buds will be available at INR 1,899 and will be available for sale starting August 24th on Amazon.in.

Talking about the iQOO Z11, Nipun Marya, CEO, iQOO, said,

“At iQOO, every product we build starts with listening to our consumers, understanding how they use their smartphones, the challenges they face, and what can make their everyday lives better. Smartphones play an essential part of how students learn, create, connect, and get things done. With the iQOO Z11, we have combined the performance, display, and battery life they expect from iQOO with practical AI experiences designed to make everyday tasks smarter and more effortless. From managing information to creating assignments, these AI features are built to enhance productivity and help students make the most of their time. We will continue to listen, learn, and innovate around the evolving needs of our consumers, because that is what keeps us moving forward.”

Segment’s Brightest Display with an Ultra-Slim Curved Design

The iQOO Z11 5G features a large 6.83-inch 1.5K 144Hz AMOLED curved display with 2000 nits HBM, making it the brightest display in the segment and ensuring clear visibility even in bright outdoor environments. For extended screen time, it also brings Flagship-Grade Eye Comfort, designed to help reduce eye strain and provide a more comfortable viewing experience across online tutorials, reading, streaming, and researching.

Complementing the immersive display is an ultra-slim 7.99 mm design weighing just 199g. The smartphone will be available in Aurora Green, inspired by the vibrant glow of the northern lights, and Celestial Blue, inspired by the cosmos and night sky. The compact horizontal camera module adopts a Skyline Design, complementing the curved body while helping the smartphone sit more steadily on a desk – useful when students are reading, taking notes, or attending classes.

AI-Powered Features Built for Student Productivity

At the heart of the iQOO Z11 experience is AI-driven productivity, with intelligent features designed to help students learn, create, and manage everyday tasks more efficiently. AI Captions, powered by a multi-engine AI framework combining Google Gemini and Microsoft Azure, delivers faster, more accurate, and context-aware transcription and translation. Leveraging multimodal AI processing, it captures nuances such as pauses, rhythm, emphasis, and pronunciation, helping students capture and revisit key insights from lectures, workshops, and discussions more effectively.

AI Creation helps students quickly understand lengthy documents, refine assignments, brainstorm ideas and create content with ease. Through skill-based AI routing, different Gemini variants are assigned to specific tasks such as writing, summarisation, brainstorming, and social content creation, enabling each request to be handled by the model best suited for the task. A real-time streaming AI architecture progressively generates responses, captions, and translations, while stateful conversation memory allows users to refine AI-generated content through follow-up prompts without starting over. Together with Circle to Search 2.0, these capabilities help students research faster, communicate across languages, create and refine content, and manage everyday academic tasks more efficiently.

India’s First MediaTek Dimensity 7500 Turbo with First Vapor Chamber Cooling System in Z Series

The iQOO Z11 is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7500 Turbo, making it India’s first smartphone to feature the processor. Built on a 4nm process and achieving an AnTuTu benchmark score of over 1.2 million, the platform is paired with LPDDR4X RAM and UFS 3.1 storage to deliver responsive everyday performance. The smartphone also introduces a 3800 mm² Vapor Chamber Cooling System, the first in the Z series, offering nearly 6 times higher thermal conductivity and 2.5 times larger cooling area compared to the graphite plate used in the previous generation.

Massive 7050mAh Battery with 44W FlashCharge

It packs a 7050mAh battery, designed to keep students going through classes, entertainment, social media, and studying. It supports 44W FlashCharge and can charge from 1% to 100% in approximately 66 minutes. The phone also includes intelligent battery management features such as 5-Year Battery Health and reverse charging support, helping preserve battery performance over the years.

50 MP Sony Camera to capture Everyday Moments

It features a 50 MP Sony IMX882 main camera with OIS, paired with an 8 MP ultra-wide-angle camera, supporting optical image stabilisation for sharper photos and steadier videos. The 32 MP front camera is designed for clear, detailed selfies. Both front and rear cameras support 4K video recording at 30 FPS. It also includes Night Mode, Portrait Mode, and AI Erase 2.0.

Software Support and Everyday Durability

Built for long-term use, the iQOO Z11 offers 3 generations of Android upgrades and 5 years of security patches, helping deliver a secure and up-to-date experience for years to come. It also comes with a 60-Month Smooth Experience, backed by comprehensive software and hardware optimisation for sustained smoothness over time. Designed to handle the unpredictability of everyday student life, it features IP68 & IP69 dust and water resistance. It has also undergone military-grade durability testing against multiple drops and impacts.

iQOO Buds with 50-Hour Battery Life

Alongside the iQOO Z11 5G, iQOO also launched the iQOO Buds, offering up to 50 hours of maximum playback time with the charging case. The earbuds come with AI Call Noise Cancelling for clearer voice calls with fewer distractions and Bluetooth 6.1 Dual-Device Connection, enabling simultaneous connection to two devices with seamless switching across music, gaming, videos and calls. The iQOO Buds also feature Double-Tap Remote Camera Control, allowing users to capture a photo when paired with a compatible vivo or iQOO smartphone. With an IP54 rating, the earbuds are also designed for added protection during everyday use.

Continuing iQOO’s commitment to ‘Make in India’, iQOO Z11 5G devices and iQOO Buds will be manufactured at vivo’s Greater Noida facility. To offer a hassle-free after-sales service experience, iQOO customers can visit any 700+ company-owned service centres across the country.

Khyber Aquaculture Partners with J&K Government to Modernise Trout Farming

Ganderbal, Aug 20: Khyber Aquaculture, in partnership with the Jammu & Kashmir Department of Fisheries, has launched a specialised training programme to equip local trout farmers with modern, sustainable aquaculture practices. The initiative, part of the Project No 22 Implementation of Trout Cluster Programme covering Ganderbal and Anantnag, under Holistic Agriculture Development Plan designed to transform traditional trout farming into a more scientific, efficient, and resilient industry.

The training brought together progressive farmers from Ganderbal, Bandipora, and Srinagar for an intensive session on “Sustainable Trout Aquaculture and Fish Health Management.” Experts guided participants through practical modules on biosecurity, water-quality management, responsible aquaculture, early disease detection, and Recirculating Aquaculture Systems . A key focus was shifting from reactive treatment of fish diseases to proactive prevention – emphasising routine water monitoring, stress reduction, and early warning systems to safeguard fish health.

The interactive format also allowed farmers to share real-world challenges and explore practical solutions to improve survival rates, growth, and overall farm efficiency.

Mr Umar Tramboo, CMD, Khyber Aquaculture stated

 “Capacity building is the cornerstone of a resilient trout sector. By fostering collaboration between farmers, government institutions, and technical experts, we can build a sustainable cold-water aquaculture ecosystem that supports livelihoods, food security, and rural enterprise development in Jammu & Kashmir.”

With its natural mountain conditions, Jammu & Kashmir is uniquely positioned to become a hub for cold-water trout production. By equipping farmers with modern scientific tools, this initiative aims to boost productivity, strengthen value chains, and create new opportunities for rural communities.

This effort reflects Khyber Aquaculture’s broader vision to advance India’s cold-water fisheries sector through innovation, robust biosecurity systems, and internationally aligned best practices – ultimately positioning India on the global trout and salmon aquaculture map.

Urbounce Puts Emotion on the Fitness Map with Emoscape

Mumbai , Aug 20: Premium fitness brand Urbounce has integrated Emoscape, the medical-grade Emotion AI platform developed by Nihilent Ltd., into its member fitness journey, introducing emotional state tracking as a new dimension of holistic fitness. The integration brings emotional state alongside physical fitness parameters, marking a significant step towards holistic fitness that recognises the relationship between emotional state and physical performance.

For decades, the fitness industry has measured progress through visible metrics such as calories burned, weights lifted, workout duration, step count and heart rate. While these indicators provide valuable insights into physical activity, they capture only one part of the fitness journey. The body’s internal emotional environment plays an equally important role in influencing performance, recovery, resilience, motivation and consistency. Through the integration of Emoscape’s advanced Emotion AI platform, Urbounce members will now be able to understand and track their daily emotional states, gaining deeper insights into how emotions impact their overall fitness progress. Following the assessment, the findings will be interpreted by a psychologist, with the psychologist and fitness counsellor recommending appropriate interventions aligned with the member’s emotional state and fitness goals.

Emotional states have a significant influence on fitness outcomes. Emotional imbalance and chronic stress affect cortisol levels, sleep and recovery, while lower energy and consistency disrupt fitness routines and limit progress. These emotional factors influence key outcomes such as fat loss, muscle building, performance, recovery and injury risk. By making emotional state measurable, Emoscape helps members better understand how their emotions influence their fitness journey.

Dipak Sanghavi, Co-Founder, Urbounce Gym, said,

“When we started Urbounce, our ambition was never to just create another gym. We wanted to build a community that inspires people to take ownership of their health and sustain that commitment over time. Today, as we bring Emotion AI into the fitness journey, we are taking that philosophy to a deeper level. Physical fitness is only one dimension of human wellbeing; our emotions, mindset, and psychological resilience influence how consistently and meaningfully we pursue a healthier life. Technology can give us a new level of awareness, but the real value lies in what people do with that awareness. By combining technology with human expertise, professional psychological support, and a strong community environment, Urbounce is moving towards a more complete understanding of fitness. For us, the future of fitness is not simply about building stronger bodies, it is about enabling healthier, happier and more resilient human beings.” 

Anand Pandya, Co-Founder, Urbounce Gym, said,

“At Urbounce, we have always believed that true fitness extends far beyond the physical. Our emotional support vertical, supported by experienced professional counsellors, reflects our commitment to addressing the person as a whole. The integration of Emotion AI takes this philosophy further by creating greater awareness around an often-unseen aspect of fitness: an individual’s emotional state. Emoscape creates a bridge between awareness, professional guidance and action. By helping people better understand the relationship between emotional wellbeing and physical health, we aim to encourage a more conscious, preventive and sustainable approach to holistic fitness, where physical fitness, emotional state and emotional resilience are considered together as interconnected dimensions of human performance.”

 As part of the collaboration, Emoscape’s Emotion AI-powered emotional state tracking will be introduced across multiple Urbounce fitness centres in Pune, including Baner-Pashan, Hinjawadi, Punawale, Pimple Saudagar, FC Road, Kharadi and Kothrud. The rollout will enable members to better understand the relationship between their emotional state and physical fitness, bringing a holistic dimension to their overall health and fitness journey.

 Mr. Sandeep Pendurkar, Business Director of Emoscape at Nihilent, said,

 “The future of fitness is about understanding the complete human experience, physical and emotional. Emoscape introduces a powerful new dimension to holistic fitness by helping individuals recognise how their emotions influence motivation, recovery, resilience and performance. Through our collaboration with Urbounce, we are bringing objective emotional assessment into the fitness journey, with professional interpretation and appropriate interventions creating a pathway from emotional insight to action. This collaboration demonstrates how objective emotion detection brings an important new dimension to holistic fitness and contributes to the evolution of the fitness industry.”

The integration further strengthens Emoscape’s growing presence across healthcare, education, sports, and human performance, reinforcing its vision of making emotions measurable and actionable in every part of our lives.  By bringing Emotion AI into mainstream fitness, the collaboration places human emotions at the centre of better decision making, holistic fitness and enhanced performance.

IHCL Unveils Taj Palace Lucknow Expanding Its Presence in Uttar Pradesh

Mumbai, Aug 20: Indian Hotels Company, India’s largest hospitality company, announced the opening of Taj Palace, Lucknow. The hotel was inaugurated by Shri Yogi Adityanath, the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh.

Mr. Puneet Chhatwal, Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, IHCL,

“As India’s economic and tourism landscape continues to expand, cities such as Lucknow are emerging as important centres of growth, driven by infrastructure development, rising investment and increasing visitation. The opening of the second Taj hotel is reflective of the state’s growing prominence and our commitment to the region.”

He added,

 “IHCL has a long-standing presence in Uttar Pradesh, which has today grown to a strong 60-hotel portfolio across more than 20 cities. Through its diverse brands, IHCL showcases the state’s rich spiritual and cultural heritage while expanding into its emerging commercial hubs.

Located in the heart of Gomti Nagar, the 181-key Taj Palace, Lucknow offers a contemporary expression of the city’s enduring character. In a city layered with history and tradition, Taj Palace, Lucknow offers a quieter, modern counterpoint. Set amidst expansive landscapes in Gomti Nagar, the rooms and shared spaces are shaped by light, foliage and a sense of ease. Culinary experiences include Bistrot, a contemporary café serving artisanal teas, handcrafted coffees and light bites; authentic Chinese flavours at House of Ming; Machan, an all-day dining destination offering a selection of local and international cuisines; and Shadow & Oak, the whiskey bar.

Guests can also rejuvenate at J Wellness Circle, Taj’s signature wellness offering rooted in the principles of Ayurveda and holistic wellbeing along with the state-of-the-art fitness centre or the rooftop swimming pool. The Chambers, Taj’s exclusive members-only business club, debuts in the state, providing a private setting for meetings. With versatile banqueting spaces, the hotel is the ideal choice to host conferences and social occasions in the city. 

Mr. Santosh Shetty, General Manager, Taj Palace, Lucknow, said

“Taj Palace, Lucknow reflects the city’s evolving character, blending contemporary elegance with nature-inspired design. We look forward to welcoming guests with the warmth of Tajness in this modern sanctuary of new Lucknow.”

Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh, is renowned for its rich cultural heritage, architectural landmarks and celebrated traditions. The city today stands as a dynamic centre for commerce, education and tourism, seamlessly blending history with modern progress.