Category Archives: News

Child Care Aware of Missouri Welcomes Community Leaders to Board of Directors

Three new board members bring expertise in law, workforce development and nonprofit leadership.

(St. Louis, Mo., October 9, 2025) Child Care Aware of Missouri (CCAMO) recently announced the appointment of Ruth Binger, Sarah Kirschner, and Megan Price to its board of directors. Board members are eligible to serve up to three consecutive three-year terms.

Ruth Binger is President and Principal Attorney at Danna McKitrick, P.C., a mid-sized law firm, where she has served as a partner for 30 years. As a private practice attorney, she brings deep expertise in legal strategy, business management, and organizational leadership. Binger has been a board member of the Associated Industries of Missouri (AIM) for 23 years and facilitates multiple peer advisory boards for independent business owners.

Sarah Kirschner recently served as Executive Director of Central Reform Congregation. She brings knowledge of the nonprofit sector and of CCAMO when she previously served as a board member and Board Chair in 2009. Additional prior experience includes leadership positions as Vice President of Human Resources and Vice President of Operations at technology startups, where she oversaw management training, compensation strategy, and recruiting. Kirschner also contributes her time to the community as secretary for MERS/Goodwill and as a board member for the National Council of Jewish Women.

Megan Price is Executive Director of the Missouri Works Initiative, a nonprofit sponsored and supported by the Missouri AFL-CIO. She leads five Apprenticeship Ready Programs that have successfully placed more than 400 individuals into sustainable careers in the skilled trades through Registered Apprenticeships. Price previously served as Chief of Staff in the Missouri State Senate.

“We are thrilled to welcome Ruth, Sarah, and Megan to our board,” said Robin Phillips, CEO of Child Care Aware of Missouri. “Each of them brings a wealth of talent and experience that will strengthen our mission to ensure all Missouri families have access to safe, affordable, and high-quality child care.”

Founded in 1999, CCAMO is a statewide nonprofit that focuses on a comprehensive early childhood education experience through impactful programs and partnerships. The organization’s services include workforce development, child care business supports, advocacy and policy work, and its new Child Care Keeps Missouri Working, a regional campaign offering concierge solutions to businesses undergoing employee recruitment and retention challenges due to the overwhelming shortage of quality child care options. For more information, call (314) 535-1458 or visit www.mochildcareaware.org.

IndusInd Bank Strengthens Its Leadership Team With Key Appointments

Mumbai, October 09, 2025: IndusInd Bank has announced strategic leadership appointments as part of its broader vision to accelerate growth across its banking business. These appointments are aimed at strengthening the bank’s leadership bench, enhance core capabilities, and expand its presence across key business segments, supporting its long-term ambition of sustainable value creation.

The key leadership appointments at IndusInd Bank include:

• Mr. Viral Damania – Chief Financial Officer

Mr. Viral Damania is a seasoned finance leader with over 27 years of professional experience across global financial services. His expertise spans Controllership, Business Planning, Corporate Treasury, Treasury Product Control and Audits. Mr. Viral Damania is a qualified Chartered Accountant, Company Secretary, and Cost & Works Accountant. Till recently, he was the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for Bank of America India, where he oversaw the Bank branch entity and BofA Securities India Ltd. He served as a member of the country leadership team and was also a non-executive director on the board of BofA Securities India Ltd. Prior to Bank of America, he worked with Citibank N.A. in India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka and with Price Waterhouse Coopers. Mr. Damania also holds an ISACA certification in Information Systems and Audit and Control.

• Mr. Anand Vardhan – General Counsel

Mr. Anand Vardhan is a seasoned legal professional with over 26 years of expertise spanning legal documentation, dispute resolution, stressed asset management, regulatory compliance, and strategic partnerships. He has held senior legal leadership roles across Piramal Group, SUN-Apollo Ventures, HDFC Property Fund, ICICI Bank, and Tata Housing, bringing deep experience in handling complex legal and regulatory matters.

• Ms. Pragati Gondhalekar as Head – Internal Audit (HIA)

Ms. Pragati Gondhalekar brings over 27 years of global audit and consulting experience within the financial services sector. She brings wealth of expertise in strategic audit leadership, regulatory compliance, risk management, digital transformation, and Board governance. Prior to this, she served as Country Head – Group Audit, India at Deutsche Bank and has held leadership roles at L&T Financial Services, PwC and other reputed organizations. She is a Chartered Accountant from India and Canada, Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) and Certified Public Accountant (CPA) from USA.

• Mr. Pankaj Sharma – Head, Business Transformation

A seasoned banker with over 25 years of experience in the financial sector specializing in driving transformation, digital banking, and payments business, Mr. Pankaj Sharma will be leading the business transformation agenda across IndusInd Bank, ensuring scalable and sustainable growth of business. Previously, he served as Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer at Yes Bank and has held leadership roles at Axis Bank, RBL Bank & ICICI Group.

• Ms. Sheran Mehra – Chief Marketing Officer

Ms. Sheran Mehra is a veteran marketing leader with over 27 years of experience driving consumer growth and digital transformation across top global brands. Most recently, Sheran was Chief Business Officer at Tata Digital, where she spearheaded the launch and scale-up of Tata Neu, India’s first super-app, and led the pivot of acquisition and loyalty. Further, she has held senior leadership roles at DBS Bank, Barclays, HSBC, and Ogilvy.

Through these appointments, IndusInd Bank aims to reinforce the depth and diversity of its leadership team to drive efficiency, deliver wider pool of financial solutions, and create greater value for its customers and stakeholders. The Bank remains committed to building a future-ready organization anchored in trust, innovation, and customer-centricity.

Sanjay Dutt Launches Getepay’s ‘Vega’: A Next Gen Payment Switch Powering Digital Bharat

Mumbai, India, 9 October 2025: Bollywood legend Sanjay Dutt officially launched Vega, the indigenously developed payment switch by Getepay, at Taftoon Lounge, BKC, Mumbai. He was joined by Pravin Sharma, Founder and Managing Director, Getepay. Headquartered in Jaipur, Getepay is a leading payment aggregator committed to simplifying and strengthening India’s digital payments ecosystem.

Vega by Getepay is a certified next-generation payment switch that empowers banks, payment service providers, and merchants with seamless, scalable, and secure payment capabilities. Built on a robust microservices architecture, Vega enables high transaction throughput, real-time settlements, automated reconciliation, and intelligent merchant management, delivering reliability and speed at every stage.

Speaking at the launch, Sanjay Dutt said: “I’ve always believed in backing things that are real, solid, and made with heart and that’s exactly what Vega is. Launching Vega with Pravin and the Getepay team is special because this is about more than technology; it’s about giving every entrepreneur  from a street vendor to a shop owner the confidence to go digital. That’s the Bharat I want to cheer for.”

Pravin Sharma added: “Vega is a proud milestone for all of us at Getepay. It’s not just a technological leap; it’s a bridge for millions of micro and small entrepreneurs who power India’s economy. With Vega, we aim to simplify digital payments for banks and merchants alike, enabling every corner of India to participate confidently in the digital revolution. We chose Sanjay Dutt to launch Vega because he embodies resilience, strength, and relatability — qualities that resonate with small business owners across India.”

Designed for the future, Vega ensures instant transaction routing and processing even during peak load periods, while adhering to regulatory and banking standards for security and operational integrity. Its rapid deployment framework allows institutions to modernize without disruption.

With Vega, Getepay reinforces its commitment to Make in India, financial inclusion, and digital empowerment, enabling banks, fintechs, and payment partners to reach deeper into Bharat. The platform ensures that every entrepreneur, regardless of size, has access to world-class digital payment solutions.

Deposit Accounts Lead Financial Information Queries in India’s Account Aggregator Ecosystem: Finarkein Report

Deposit Accounts Dominate 88 Percentage of Financial Information Queries in India’s Account Aggregator Ecosystem: Finarkein Report 

Mumbai, India, October 09, 2025: Financial institutions primarily request deposit account information, representing 88.1% of all queries coming through India’s Account Aggregator (AA) framework. Investment products (equities and mutual funds) account for 10.7% of requests, demonstrating growing capital market integration, according to the Finarkein report, ‘AA in Action: How India is Using AAs’, released on the sidelines of the Global Fintech Fest 2025 in Mumbai. 

The comprehensive analysis examines query patterns across the ecosystem, which processed 145.6 million consent requests in 2025 alone. While financial institutions primarily access basic banking data, the growing integration of capital market information signals enhanced credit assessment capabilities.  

Regional adoption shows sharp disparities, with Maharashtra leading AA penetration at 12.31%, followed by Delhi and Telangana at 9.58% each. Four high-penetration states account for 40.36% of total AA distribution, while 16 northeastern states and Union Territories show minimal penetration below 0.5%, highlighting significant digital infrastructure gaps. 

The report, based on proprietary ecosystem data from Finarkein, supporting over 50 use cases across banking, lending, insurance and wealth management, reveals a mobile-first adoption pattern with 98% of users engaging through smartphones. Language patterns show English dominating at 94.94% of AA interactions, with Hindi representing the largest regional language at 3.82%.    

Dheeraj Kumar, CTO and Co-Founder, Finarkein, said, “The Account Aggregator journey has redefined how trust moves through data. What began as an RBI-led initiative is now a cornerstone of Open Finance, powering millions of verified, purpose-bound data flows monthly.”  

The ecosystem now encompasses 16 operational Account Aggregators, 180 active Financial Information Providers, and 748 Financial Information Users. Account linking reached 88.72 million accounts in 2025, representing a 501.4% year-over-year increase since April 2023.  

Performance analysis shows Anumati, Finvu, and Onemoney as leading AA providers based on API reliability, customer support, and feature coverage metrics. The framework targets 100 million monthly consents by 2027, positioning India as the global benchmark for Digital Public Infrastructure innovation in financial services.

40 Years of Digitizing Indian Drug Discovery: From Palm Leaves to ChemDraw

INDIA, 9th october 2025:For centuries, Indian chemists have visually communicated their ideas through hand-drawn illustrations—from ancient palm leaf manuscripts depicting herbs and minerals in Rasa Shastra texts to the detailed lab notebooks of pioneers like C.V. Raman at IISc Bangalore. This rich tradition reflects humanity’s enduring drive to record and share knowledge. As India has grown into a global pharmaceutical powerhouse, the methods of documenting chemical ideas have evolved dramatically, moving from manual artistry to digital precision.

Today, celebrating 40 years since ChemDraw’s invention in 1985, this software has become central to how Indian scientists conceptualize, design, record, and communicate complex chemical structures, thereby transforming the landscape of generics, biosimilars, and digital R&D workflows in India’s pharmaceutical sector.

The Pressure Cooker: Indian Pharma’s R&D Challenge

India’s pharmaceutical industry, valued at over $50 billion, operates in a high-stakes environment where speed, accuracy, and regulatory compliance are critical. The pressure to quickly launch complex generics and develop affordable biosimilars demands:

• Accelerated development timelines to meet growing domestic and global demand 
• Management of increasingly complex molecular and biologic structures 
• Comprehensive traceability aligned with CDSCO, GMP, and ICH regulations 

Traditional manual methods, hand-drawn molecular structures, scattered notes, and fragmented documentation, introduce errors, delay audits, and compromise data integrity, making it difficult for India’s pharma innovators to keep pace with evolving market and regulatory demands.

ChemDraw: 40 Years as the Digital Backbone for Indian Pharma

Inspired by the revolutionary shift ChemDraw introduced to chemical illustration globally in 1985, Indian scientists now leverage its digital capabilities to address several critical processes.

Streamline Molecular Design: ChemDraw enables seamless drawing, annotating, and sharing of complex chemical structures, reducing the frustration and errors of redrawing. Its precise, scalable templates accelerate research communication. 

Manage Biosimilar Workflows: As a leader in biosimilars, India’s pharma benefits from ChemDraw’s ability to depict large molecules and biologics, track modifications through development phases, and integrate structures with experimental data to ensure batch consistency. 

Support Regulatory Compliance: ChemDraw files integrate into compliant documentation systems, supporting 21 CFR Part 11 readiness, CDSCO inspections, and alignment with ICH Q10 quality standards—forming a foundation for audit-ready R&D records. 

Case in Point: Indian CROs Embracing ChemDraw

From Hyderabad to Ahmedabad, Contract Research Organizations (CROs) across India are adopting ChemDraw not just as a drawing tool, but as a strategic asset. Its use fosters:

• Shared molecular design 

• Clear communication across labs and partners 
• Reliable documentation supporting IP protection 

These capabilities enhance collaboration and data quality, strengthening India’s strategic position in the global pharmaceutical R&D landscape.

Real-World Success: Indian Pharma’s Transformative Use of ChemDraw

Indian pharmaceutical companies developing biosimilars and generics are increasingly turning to ChemDraw to overcome R&D challenges. According to recent case studies, Indian customers report significant benefits using ChemDraw:

• Accelerated Molecular Design: Teams experience reduced time spent on drawing and validating complex structures, speeding early-stage development and product formulations. 
• Enhanced Data Accuracy: ChemDraw is the only solution that supports the precise representation of chemicals, including those exhibiting complex stereochemistry, and sophisticated biopolymers using the HELM standard. Additionally, ChemDraw minimizes errors in transferring molecular structures, ensuring that analytical data and formulations remain tightly connected—an essential feature for regulatory submissions to CDSCO and other global agencies. 
• Streamlined Compliance: ChemDraw’s audit-ready features help maintain comprehensive, time-stamped records, easing adherence to ICH Q10 and GMP standards and smoothing regulatory reviews. 
• Improved Collaboration: Standardized drawings enhance communication between cross-functional teams, reducing iterations and fostering alignment during biosimilar development. 
• Augmented Security: In today’s world, where industrial espionage is a real threat, capturing and sharing chemical information in a secure environment is essential. Signals ChemDraw, the latest offering in the ChemDraw product family, addresses this critical need by providing a secure cloud platform for capturing, storing and sharing information with authorized users. 

The Future: From Traditional Drawings to Digital Decisions

From ancient palm-leaf manuscripts to ChemDraw’s precise molecular structures, India’s 40-year journey with digital chemical documentation reflects its evolution in science and technology. As Indian pharmaceutical science continues to advance, ChemDraw remains an indispensable tool, empowering chemists to reduce errors, enhance decision-making, and meet rigorous global regulatory standards.

As Indian pharma evolves, ChemDraw remains an essential tool, bridging tradition with digital transformation for the next 40 years of innovation.

NIT Team Wins First Place in IIMCIP-TIC Smart Dustbin Challenge

Kolkata, 8th October 2025: Team Alpha Entity from Narula Institute of Technology (NiT), a JIS Group educational initiative emerged as the winner of the prestigious Smart Dustbin Challenge organised by IIM Calcutta Innovation Park (IIMCIP-TIC). The team clinched the top spot for their one-of-a-kind innovation, a smart dustbin equipped with advanced sensors for automated waste segregation, marking a proud moment for both the students and the institution.

The winning project stands out for its innovative & intelligent system that can automatically identify and segregate metal, wet and dry waste. By leveraging sensor-based technology, the innovation significantly enhances the efficiency of waste management ingeniously, minimizing manual labor and exposure to hazardous materials besides promoting better recycling practices.

The Smart Dustbin Challenge, organised by IIMCIP-TIC, was aimed at encouraging creative and practical solutions in the realm of waste management and sustainability. The initiative provided a platform for young innovators to translate their technical knowledge into meaningful real-world applications, driving progress toward a cleaner, more sustainable future.

Team Alpha Entity, led by Anirban Saha (Final Year), included members Ankita Debnath (2nd Year), Anuja Mondal (2nd Year), and Prachi Shaw (3rd Year) all students of Electronics and Computer Science. The team’s efforts were guided by Dr. Bikas Mondal, Assistant Professor, Department of Electronics and Computer Science, and Mrs. Sanghamitra Layek, Assistant Professor, Electronics and Computer Science, Narula Institute of Technology.

Speaking on the achievement, Sardar Simarpreet Singh, Director, JIS Group, said, “This accomplishment truly embodies the spirit of innovation and excellence that defines JIS Group. Our students consistently push the boundaries of creativity and technical expertise, developing sustainable solutions with meaningful real-world impact. We are immensely proud of Team Alpha Entity for bringing this well-deserved recognition to the institution.”

Team MRF Tyres clinches the FIA ERC 2025 Team Championship in Croatia

Cais, Joona and Tempestini secure a decisive team effort in the last round of the season, sealing the third crown for MRF Tyres after 2022 and 2023.

October 8th, 2025: Team MRF Tyres secured the prestigious FIA European Rally Championship team title during the Croatia Rally. This victory marked a remarkable milestone for the team, which is from India’s No 1 tyre manufacturer, MRF Tyres. The season was highly competitive and intense, culminating in a dramatic finale that was decided only in the final round, underscoring the team’s resilience and skill throughout the championship.

Following victories in 2022 and 2023, the ERC championship has been reclaimed by Team MRF Tyres, a testament to the collective effort and dedication of their drivers and co-drivers. Throughout this period, the team demonstrated exceptional teamwork and resilience, successfully representing their colors across various European events. The team’s success is attributed to a diverse roster of talented individuals from multiple countries, each contributing their skills and determination to achieve outstanding results.

The Team MRF Tyres lineup included Erik Cais and Igor Bagigal from the Czech Republic and Slovakia, respectively. Miklós Csomós, alongside Attila Nagy and Krisztián Kertészfrom Hungary; Callum Devinewith Niall Burns from Ireland. Chris Ingram from Great Britain paired with Alexander Kihurani from USA, Lauri Joona and Kristian Temonen from Finland, along with Roope Korhonenand Anssii Viinikka, also from Finland. Benjamin Korholafrom Finland, and the Norwegian duo Frank-Tore Larsen and Lars-Håkon Lundgreen, Stéphane Lefebvre with Andy Malfoy from France, Max McRae paired with Cameron Fair from Great Britain, and Mārtiņš Sesks with Renārs Francis from Latvia, and Jan Solans and Rodrigo Sanjuan from Spain, along with Simone Tempestini and Sergiu Itu from Romania, completed the diverse and talented roster.

Their collective effort underscores the importance of teamwork, strategic planning, and international collaboration in achieving success in competitive motorsport. The team’s ability to unify drivers from different backgrounds and harness their collective talent has been instrumental in reclaiming the crown and setting a high standard for future competitions.

The season was marked by strong performances, with team victories in Hungary and Poland and a one-two finish in Sweden, supported by consistent results on both tarmac and gravel. At the Croatia Rally, the final round of the series, the crews gave everything they had to secure the decisive points.

The event itself was a demanding challenge. The route was already tough and technical, and heavy rain on the final day made conditions even more complicated. Still, all three Team MRF Tyres crews finished inside the overall top ten, showing determination, resilience and strength from the technical package.

The best result came from Lauri Joona and Kristian Temonen (Škoda Fabia RS Rally2), who finished sixth overall. Making their debut on MRF Tyres, the Finnish crew drove a clean rally without mistakes, focusing on rhythm and consistency. They completed all ten special stages without issues, a strategy that paid off.

“It’s a big thanks to Team MRF Tyres. We had the chance to take on a really tricky rally, and we experienced everything you can face on a tarmac event. It was a big learning weekend and I’m happy to have contributed to earning the points that secured the Teams’ Title. Thanks to everyone involved,” Joona said.

Erik Cais and Igor Bacigál, also debuting on MRF Tyres with the Hyundai i20 N Rally2, finished seventh overall. The driver from Zlín showed the pace to fight for the podium, but setbacks on both legs cost him time. Despite this, Cais kept pushing to the end and played a key role in the final outcome.

“I am really happy with the Team title. Thanks to MRF Tyres we did a great job with strong support, and I am proud to be part of this. This was a really tough rally that brought many ups and downs. What matters most is the final result – a real team success,” Cais said.

Simone Tempestini and Sergiu Itu (Škoda Fabia RS Rally2) also placed in the top ten with tenth overall. The Romanian had to cope with issues that limited his ambitions but recovered positions in the heavy rain of the final day. He also came close to winning the Power Stage, missing the podium by only six tenths.

“For sure it was not our year. Sometimes we made mistakes, sometimes we were really fast, but we missed a bit of luck. A big thank you to our partners, MRF Tyres, the team and all the people who follow us every rally. Even if this was not our best event, I am happy to have contributed to the success. Let’s move on to the next one” Tempestini said.

2025 FIA European Rally Championship – Teams Championship

1. Team MRF Tyres pt. 208;

2. M-Sport Ford World Rally Team pt. 206;

3. TRT Rally Team pt. 133;

4. Kowax DST Racing pt. 120;

5. J2X Rally Team pt. 82;

6. Proformance Service KFT – Team Staff House pt. 66;

7. Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy pt. 55;

8. MRF Tyres Dealer Team pt. 37;

9. ADAC Opel Rally Junior Team im ADAC e.V. pt. 34;

10. F.P.F. Sport pt. 30

2025 FIA European Rally Championship – Drivers Championship

1. Miko Marczyk (Škoda) pt. 154;

2. Jon Armstrong (Ford) pt. 148;

3. Andrea Mabellini (Škoda) pt. 131;

4. Mads Østberg (Citroën) pt. 104;

5. Roope Korhonen (Toyota) pt. 60;

6. Isak Reiersen (Škoda) pt. 60;

7. Romet Jürgenson (Ford) pt. 50;

8. Mille Johansson (Škoda) pt. 49;

9. Simone Tempestini (Škoda) pt. 36;

10. Mārtiņš Sesks (Škoda) pt. 35

Maharashtra’s GCC Policy 2025 Poised to Drive 4 Lakh Jobs, Expand Innovation Hubs Beyond Mumbai and Pune

BY: Yogesh Singh, Partner- Corporate Practice, Trilegal.

 “The Maharashtra Global Capability Centre Policy-2025 is a timely and forward-looking blueprint for India’s next growth decade. By targeting 400 new GCCs and creating 4 lakh high-skilled jobs, it directly supports India’s journey towards Viksit Bharat @2047 and the vision of a INR 30 trillion innovation-led economy. What makes the policy particularly significant is its inclusive geographical design.  It deliberately extends the GCC story beyond Mumbai, Pune, and Bengaluru to cities like Nagpur, Nashik, and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. The policy will connect local talent and regional infrastructure with global enterprise demand, bridging the urban-rural opportunity divide. This also aligns with the Union Government’s broader push to empower emerging cities, as reflected at the time of budget discussions. Equally noteworthy is sectoral depth of the policy; prioritizing industries such as aerospace and defence, life sciences, automotive, renewable energy, logistics, IT/ITES, and textiles, promoting specialised GCC clusters that leverage Maharashtra’s diverse industrial base and research capabilities. Maharashtra is positioning itself as a global centre for innovation, analytics, and digital transformation. The combination of fiscal incentives, infrastructure readiness, and policy convergence is likely to make Maharashtra a future-ready GCC destination.”

Western Digital to showcase its storage solutions at the India Mobile Congress this October

India, 7th october 2025:Western Digital is showcasing its products to address the evolving storage needs across different sectors at India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2025, scheduled to take place from 8th to 11th October 2025 at Yashobhoomi, New Delhi. 

At booth D23, Western Digital is presenting a comprehensive product portfolio that empowers businesses and consumers to capture, preserve, access, and transform data efficiently. Alongside its Ultrastar® DC HC590 26TB HDD and Ultrastar DC HC580 24TB HDD for hyperscale cloud and data center environments, the company will be showcasing its WD Purple and WD Purple Pro HDD portfolio as well as its WD Red Plus and WD Red Pro drives, optimized for NAS.  

Western Digital is looking forward to insightful conversations with partners, customers, young talents,  and more attending this year’s India Mobile Congress 2025. Furthermore, visitors will be able to experience firsthand howW estern Digital’s innovations are shaping the future of data storage as the brand continues to meet the evolving demands of a data-driven world.