Category Archives: News

Reap and Collinson International Enter Landmark Partnership to Bring Priority Pass Airport Experiences to the Stablecoin and Crypto Ecosystem

The collaboration connects digital asset customers to premium travel benefits, giving eligible cardholders access to Priority Pass’ global network of over 1,900 airport lounges and travel experiences.

SINGAPORE, Oct. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Reap, a global financial technology company that enables financial connectivity and access for businesses worldwide through stablecoin-enabled infrastructure, has entered a strategic partnership with Collinson International, the global leader in the provision of airport experiences, loyalty and customer engagement solutions, and owner and operator of Priority Pass.

The collaboration enables Reap’s clients in the digital-assets landscape, including leading global crypto exchanges, Web3 neobanks, private banks, and asset managers, to offer premium travel benefits to their customers. This will grant eligible Reap cardholders access to Priority Pass’ global network of over 1,900 airport lounges and travel experiences, including spa, sleep pods, dining, and more.

The partnership comes as meaningful travel benefits take on an increasingly central role in enhancing customer value and engagement. According to Collinson International’s research report, access to airport lounges is ranked as the most desirable travel benefit, while 92% of respondents in Asia Pacific agree that travel rewards and benefits encourage card use for everyday and travel expenses. The findings highlight how travel benefits, including access to airport lounges through Priority Pass, can help drive card use, customer engagement and loyalty.

“As the payments landscape continues to evolve, the ability to provide experiential value is becoming an increasingly important differentiator among financial products,” said Rom Remy, SVP Commercial, APAC at Collinson International. “Travel experiences, in particular, offer payment providers a powerful way to deepen customer engagement, build loyalty and lifetime value. We are delighted to partner with Reap as it expands across high-growth markets. Through access to Priority Pass’ global network of airport lounges and travel experiences, Reap can help its clients to broaden their offerings and deliver more seamless, premium journeys to travellers worldwide.”

The partnership extends Reap’s card issuing offering into lifestyle and travel benefits. By connecting onchain spending to real-world experiences, Reap enables its clients to reward everyday card usage and strengthen their customer retention, bringing the experiential value that has long driven engagement in traditional card programmes to stablecoin-linked cards.

“At Reap, our stablecoin-native infrastructure is built to create real-world value for the businesses we support and the customers they serve,” said Pablo Che Leon, Head of Customer Growth, Reap. “Stablecoins are becoming everyday money for millions of people, and the cards they spend with should carry the same benefits as any premium card. By bringing Priority Pass to Reap-issued cards, a cardholder in Hong Kong or Tokyo can now enjoy the same airport lounge experience as a premium cardholder in London or New York. For our clients, it’s a new way to differentiate their card offerings, reward everyday spending and keep customers engaged.”

For more information, please visit https://reap.global/products/reap-rewards.

About Priority Pass

Priority Pass is the world’s original and market-leading airport experiences programme. We provide travellers with access to over 1,900 lounges and travel experiences in 865 airports in 143 countries. Members can access an ever-growing range of premium experiences – from spas to sleeping pods to dining – that help elevate every journey into something special. By building partnerships with other leading brands, we help to bring a better travel experience to the world.

Priority Pass is owned and operated by Collinson International, part of The Collinson Group, a family-owned business. Formed over 35 years ago, it now has five distinct operating companies that generate a combined annual revenue of £2.1bn, employing more than 2,500 people across 14 countries.

About Reap

Reap is a global financial technology company that enables financial connectivity and access for businesses worldwide through stablecoin-native infrastructure. We transform the financial landscape through more efficient money movement by merging traditional finance with digital assets, bridging disparate economies and connecting key financial markets.

Reap was an early leader in Asia to incorporate stablecoins into our solutions. In 2025, Reap processed billions in stablecoin-funded transaction flows. From stablecoin-enabled corporate cards to cross-border payments, we streamline financial operations and empower companies to scale with our integrated business accounts and embedded finance solutions.

Founded and headquartered in Hong Kong, Reap employs 300 people worldwide.

More information about Reap can be found at reap.global.

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Dharmendra Pradhan Urges Sambalpur Residents to Join October 10 Cleanliness Drive

Sambalpur, Oct. 5 (UDN): Sambalpur MP and former Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has appealed to residents across the district to participate in a mass cleanliness campaign scheduled for October 10 under the Seva Sankalp Abhiyan.

 Representational Image

In a video message shared on social media, Pradhan called upon citizens, youth, women, elected representatives and members of various organisations to come together and clean their villages, hamlets, wards, neighbourhoods and public spaces.

Call for Cleanliness to Become a Mass Movement

Pradhan urged people to transform the campaign into a sustained public movement aimed at making Sambalpur cleaner, healthier and more attractive.

He said cleanliness should not be viewed merely as a household responsibility but as a broader social value reflected in people’s everyday lives and conduct.

Cultural Traditions Linked to Cleanliness

Highlighting Odisha’s cultural traditions, Pradhan said cleanliness and purity have long held an important place in the state’s social and religious practices.

Referring to the Lakshmi Purana, he said the tradition associates cleanliness with the presence of Goddess Lakshmi and noted that religious rituals in Odia households traditionally place strong emphasis on cleanliness and purity.

According to Pradhan, the values associated with cleanliness have been passed down through generations and carry both social and spiritual significance.

Invokes Gandhi, Modi’s Swachhata Message

Pradhan also recalled Mahatma Gandhi’s emphasis on sanitation and cleanliness, saying Gandhi viewed cleanliness as essential to building a healthy society and improving quality of life.

He also referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Swachhata Hi Seva” message, stressing that maintaining clean surroundings is a form of service to society, the nation and future generations.

Sambalpur’s Heritage in Focus

Describing Sambalpur as an important centre of Odia literature, culture, art and tradition, Pradhan said maintaining the cleanliness and beauty of the region was a collective responsibility.

He urged citizens to actively participate in the October 10 campaign and contribute towards creating cleaner public spaces across the district.

The cleanliness drive is expected to cover villages, urban wards, localities and other public places as part of the Seva Sankalp Abhiyan.

EVIDENT Completes Acquisition of CrestOptics S.p.A.

NEEDHAM, Mass., Oct. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Evident announced today that it has completed the acquisition of CrestOptics S.p.A., a Rome-based developer and manufacturer of advanced optical imaging systems for spinning disk confocal and super-resolution microscopy. The acquisition broadens Evident’s life science imaging portfolio and deepens its capability in high-speed, high-content 3D imaging for research, pharma, and biotech applications.

Founded in 2011, CrestOptics designs and manufactures confocal spinning disk and structured illumination microscopy (SIM) modules that integrate with microscope platforms from leading manufacturers worldwide. Its portfolio includes the X-Light family of spinning disk confocal systems, featuring precise optical sectioning and uniform illumination across a class-leading field of view; the compact CICERO widefield and spinning disk solution, which brings highly capable entry-level confocal within reach of any lab; and DeepSIM, a Lattice SIM super-resolution module that delivers sub-diffraction imaging with the accessibility of a widefield system. Used in laboratories around the world, CrestOptics products are built to be universally accessible tools that advance discovery without barriers.

“Researchers are asking harder questions of increasingly complex biological models, and that demands faster, gentler, higher-resolution imaging,” said Wes Pringle, Evident CEO. “Our customers push the limits of science, and our role is to advance the optical technologies that make new discoveries faster and easier than ever. Evident and CrestOptics operate under a shared vision. After partnering with them, it was clear that their mission, their engineering capability, and most importantly their people, complement our own and together we can deliver more complete solutions to the scientists who depend on us.”

Evident and CrestOptics have collaborated as partners for several years, with CrestOptics spinning disk technology already integrated into Evident microscope configurations. The acquisition formalizes and expands that relationship.

“Joining Evident is a natural next step for CrestOptics,” said Renato Giacobbo Scavo, Chief Executive Officer, CrestOptics. “We share a commitment to advancing what microscopy can reveal. With Evident’s global reach, manufacturing strength, and applications expertise, we can accelerate our innovation roadmap and bring our technologies to many more laboratories worldwide. We are grateful to our previous investors, Apposite Capital and Primo Capital, as well as our Chairman, David Martyr, and the board of directors, for their support throughout this journey.”

CrestOptics will continue to operate from its Rome headquarters and R&D and manufacturing facility and maintain its existing partner and distribution relationships, continuing to be a technology provider for the entire microscopy industry.

Learn more about Evident’s confocal and super-resolution solutions. 

About EVIDENT

For over 100 years, Olympus set the industry standard for optical precision in microscopy. Today, Evident carries that legacy forward, helping scientists, physicians, and engineers illuminate the unseen with advanced imaging solutions that combine renowned optics with digital innovation.

Evident’s life science portfolio spans brightfield and darkfield microscopy through advanced fluorescence, 4D analysis, and digital pathology. In industrial microscopy, the company delivers laser scanning, digital, and semiconductor systems for inspection, quality control, and manufacturing analysis.

Evident is headquartered in Tokyo, with R&D and manufacturing centers in Japan, the United States, Germany, and China, and sales and service operations worldwide. For more information, visit EvidentScientific.com.



About CrestOptics

Founded in 2011 in Rome, Italy, CrestOptics develops and manufactures advanced optical imaging systems for life science research. Its spinning disk confocal and super-resolution SIM technologies deliver high-speed, high-contrast imaging with low phototoxicity — enabling work with live cells, 3D models, and thick tissue that conventional techniques cannot resolve.

The portfolio includes the X-Light confocal spinning disk family, the CICERO integrated confocal solution, and the DeepSIM super-resolution module, each designed for broad compatibility with leading microscope platforms. CrestOptics also develops custom optical solutions for OEMs serving research, pharma, biotech, and industrial markets.

CrestOptics operates an ISO 9001-certified R&D and manufacturing facility in Rome and collaborates with research institutions including the Italian Institute of Technology.

For more information, visit CrestOptics.com.

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A LEGACY OF GIVING BACK: CARLSBERG CELEBRATES 150 YEARS OF THE CARLSBERG FOUNDATION

• Carlsberg marks the 150th anniversary of the Carlsberg Foundation, the world’s first enterprise foundation
• The milestone honours its legacy of curiosity, generosity, and long-term societal connection
• Almost 30% of Carlsberg’s yearly dividends go back to science, the arts, and youth communities through the Carlsberg Foundations

COPENHAGEN, Denmark, Oct. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Carlsberg Foundation is celebrating its 150th anniversary. Giving back has been central since its founding, established on the principle that commercial business should support local communities and invest in society.

Founded in 1876 by brewer J.C. Jacobsen, the Carlsberg Foundation is the world’s first enterprise foundation. Its primary purpose is to ensure long-term ownership of Carlsberg A/S and distribute funds for philanthropic endeavours, specifically supporting Danish basic research.

To mark the anniversary, Carlsberg is introducing a customised glass featuring a 30% mark. The glassware highlights the company’s ownership structure: through the Carlsberg Foundation, New Carlsberg Foundation, and Tuborg Foundation, almost 30% of annual dividends fund science, the arts, and youth initiatives.

As Carlsberg’s majority shareholder, the Foundation prioritises long-term value creation over short-term financial gains. Over 150 years, foundation-funded research has backed projects ranging from yeast chemistry and astronomy to archaeology, including several Nobel Prize-winning research.

Though Carlsberg operates across 150 global markets with 37,000 employees, its economic footprint remains deeply local. The Carlsberg Group indirectly supports approximately 1.1 million jobs worldwide, fostering sustainable social development where its products are brewed.

“In 2026, we proudly celebrate 150 years of the Carlsberg Foundation – a milestone that honours our legacy of curiosity, generosity, and societal connection,” said Jacob Aarup-Andersen, Carlsberg Group CEO.

“Our financial success translates directly into societal impact, and this new glass is a powerful reminder that our heritage is not just history, it’s a living force that continues to shape everything we do today.”

About the Carlsberg Foundation:

Founded in 1876 by brewer J.C. Jacobsen, the Carlsberg Foundation is the world’s first enterprise foundation. It was established to ensure the long-term, committed ownership of Carlsberg and to distribute funds for philanthropic purposes, with an enduring commitment to advancing independent basic research and creating long-term value for society.

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Hitachi High-Tech opens Advanced-Technology Innovation Center Mumbai, India which is predominantly focusing on analytical systems for chemical and industries including biopharmaceuticals

Building a two-site demonstration laboratory system together with the semiconductor-focused facility in Bengaluru, Hitachi High-Tech aims to strengthen the provision of digitalized assets in the India market and also accelerating HMAX Industry

TOKYO, Oct. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Hitachi High-Tech Corporation (“Hitachi High-Tech”), has established a demonstration laboratory Advanced-Technology Innovation Center Mumbai for analytical systems in Mumbai, India (“Mumbai Lab”) on October 1^st to respond to the increasingly sophisticated needs for R&D and quality control mainly in the biopharmaceuticals, environmental, material, and other chemicals and industrial fields. The Mumbai Lab is operated by Hitachi High-Tech India Private Limited, an Indian subsidiary of the Hitachi High-Tech Group, and it supports customers in solving their analysis and evaluation challenges through demonstrations using actual analytical systems, application proposals, evaluation of customer samples, and technical consultation.

In 2025, Hitachi High-Tech established the Advanced-Technology lnnovation Center lndia as a demonstration laboratory site focusing on the semiconductor field in Bengaluru (“Bengaluru Site”). Using the installed electron microscopes, including the state-of-the-art Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FE-SEM) SU8600, and various other devices and digital technologies, the laboratory provides efficient support as a smart laboratory for tasks such as sample evaluation, failure analysis and process verification, and promotes collaborative creation with customers.

At the Mumbai Lab, analytical systems such as spectrophotometers, liquid chromatographs, thermal analyzers and titrators are provided to facilitate solution proposals and collaborative creation to solve customer problems, mainly in the biopharmaceuticals, environment, materials, and other chemicals and industrial fields. With the Bengaluru site supporting the semiconductor field and the Mumbai Lab supporting the chemicals and industrial fields, Hitachi High-Tech maintains a two-site solution provision infrastructure in India that caters to the rapidly growing semiconductor, electronics, and chemicals and industrial fields, thereby expanding the points of contact and collaborative creation opportunities with customers.

By further strengthening the provision of digitalized assets that support HMAX Industry, Hitachi Group’s next-generation solution, we will contribute to solving customer issues and driving global industrial transformation through the use of physical Al.

Main Features

The Mumbai Lab is looking to collaborate with the Bengaluru site to provide the following values, mainly to customers in the chemicals and industrial sectors in India.

(1) Proposals and collaborative creation of solutions to problems in order to meet a wide range of analytical needs, and an environment for evaluation using actual equipment

To meet a wide range of needs from biopharmaceuticals to chemicals and materials, actual analytical products offered by the Hitachi High-Tech Group are installed in the lab, such as spectrophotometers, liquid chromatographs, thermal analyzers, amino acid analyzers, and potentiometric titrators. Comprehensive solutions are proposed for customer business issues by combining multiple devices, and through evaluation and verification using actual equipment on site. The laboratory not only showcases the equipment but also serves as a platform for collaborative creation with Hitachi High-Tech experts through proof of concept (PoC) using customer samples and application development before equipment deployment.

(2) Advantages of a full-fledged chemical analysis environment and location

The laboratory is located in the MIDC (Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation) area of Thane, an easily accessible city located approximately a 60-minute drive away from Mumbai Airport. Furthermore, as the facility meets the safety and environmental standards established by India required for analytical evaluation of chemical substances, customers can conduct evaluation and verification using actual samples with peace of mind.

Future Developments

Hitachi High-Tech aims to dramatically reinforce customer points of contact in growth markets by establishing and operating a two-site lab system in India, while enabling regions to autonomously deliver value. In addition to the collaboration between the two sites, the company will contribute to the development of science and technology in India and the development of next-generation human resources by holding regular hands-on workshops, collaborating with academic institutions, and receiving student internships. Hitachi High-Tech will continue to identify the real issues that affect customers and contribute to the advancement of R&D, quality control, and industry in India through cutting-edge analytical and analysis technologies and application proposals.

About Hitachi, Ltd.’s Connective Industries Sector

At Hitachi High-Tech, which belongs to the Industrial Solutions Business Unit of Hitachi, Ltd.’s Connective Industries (CI) Sector, and is focusing on HMAX Industry, a next-generation solutions group that combines domain knowledge and advanced Al with data from a rich installed base of products (digitalized assets). Hitachi High-Tech aims to become a leading company in physical Al, and through its core focus of providing industrial solutions centered on these technologies, aims to maximize lifetime value for our customers and transform industries globally to achieve a prosperous society.

Related Links

–  About Hitachi High-Tech India Private Limited

–  About Advanced-Technology Innovation Center India

Trademark Notice

All trademarks and product names are the property of their respective owners.

About Hitachi High-Tech

Hitachi High-Tech provides cutting-edge technologies, products and services to society and customers with its corporate vision of “Changing the World and Future with the Power of Knowledge” to contribute to a sustainable global environment, healthy, safe and secure lives, and the sustained development of science and industry. We manufacture and sell clinical analyzers, biotechnology products and radiation therapy systems in the healthcare field, semiconductor manufacturing and inspection equipment in the semiconductor field, as well as analytical systems and electron microscopes used in environmental fields and materials research. We are also engaged in a wide range of business areas globally, providing high added-value solutions in battery, communication infrastructure, railway inspection, digital and other industrial and social infrastructure fields. We provide solutions through a deeper understanding of the issues facing society and our customers to contribute to realizing a sustainable society. The company’s consolidated global revenues for FY2025 were approx. JPY 821.7 billion.

For further information, visit https://www.hitachi-hightech.com/global/en/

Business Contact 

Divyanshu Sharma

Marketing & Business Operation Dept., Business and Strategy Div.,

Hitachi High-Tech India Private Limited

Email: htin.customer@hitachi-hightech.com

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Stryker Launches Mako 4 SmartRobotics™ in India, Advancing the Next Generation of Robotic-Assisted Joint Replacement

NEW DELHI, Oct. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Stryker, a global leader in medical technologies, announced the launch of Mako 4 SmartRobotics™ (Mako 4), the fourth generation of Mako, bringing its latest robotic-arm assisted technology to India. Designed to support a more integrated clinical and operational experience, Mako 4 combines patient-specific planning, robotic technology and haptic guidance in a single system across three applications: Mako Total Knee, Mako Partial Knee and Mako Total Hip with Advanced Primary and revision.

Building on more than two decades of innovation, Mako 4 pairs 3D CT-based planning with AccuStop™ haptic technology to support surgeons in planning and executing procedures according to each patient’s individual anatomy. The platform provides real-time intraoperative guidance, helping deliver greater precision and control during joint replacement procedures^[1][2][3].

“India’s healthcare landscape is evolving rapidly, with growing demand for advanced treatments that support active, healthy lives,” said Aman Rishi, Vice President & General Manager, India, Stryker. “At Stryker, we are committed to bringing innovation that empowers surgeons and supports the future of healthcare in the country. We’re proud to bring Mako 4 to India, helping raise the standard of care and expand access for joint replacement patients nationwide.”

The launch builds on the global Mako platform, which has supported more than 2.5 million procedures across 47 countries, demonstrating its growing role in robotic-assisted orthopaedic surgery.

About Stryker

Stryker is a global leader in medical technologies and, together with its customers, is driven to make healthcare better. Stryker offers innovative products and services in MedSurg, Neurotechnology and Orthopaedics that help improve patient and healthcare outcomes. Alongside its customers around the world, Stryker impacts more than 150 million patients annually. More information is available at www.stryker.com.

^[1] Bell SW, Anthony I, Jones B, MacLean A, Rowe P, Blyth M. Improved Accuracy of Component Positioning with Robotic-Assisted Unicompartmental Knee Arthroplasty: Data from a Prospective, Randomized Controlled Study. J Bone Joint SurgAm. 2016;98(8):627-635.

^[2] Zhang J, Ng N, Scott CEH, et al. Robotic arm-assisted versus manual unicompartmental knee arthroplasty : a systematic review andmeta-analysis of the MAKO robotic system. Bone Joint J. 2022;104-B(5):541-548. doi:10.1302/0301-620X.104B5. BJJ-2021-1506.R1

^[3] Hampp EL, Scholl L, Faizan A, Sodhi N, Mont MA, WestrichG. Comparison of Iatrogenic Soft Tissue Trauma in Robotic-Assisted versus Manual Partial Knee Arthroplasty SurgTechnolInt. 2021;39:419-426.

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SleepyCat Expands Its Retail Footprint Across India

GURUGRAM, India, Oct. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — As India’s consumption landscape moves beyond the traditional metro markets, SleepyCat is taking its sleep experience to a wider audience with an expanded retail footprint across Indore, Jaipur, Zirakpur, Ludhiana, Visakhapatnam, Kakinada and Surat.

This expansion marks another step in the brand’s effort to make quality sleep products more accessible while bringing its experience-led mattress shopping journey closer to you.

For a category as personal as sleep, the ability to see, feel, and experience a mattress before making a purchase can make all the difference. With its growing network of Sleep Studios, SleepyCat is bringing this offline experience to more of India’s fast-growing cities, giving people the opportunity to move beyond online specifications and discover what actually feels comfortable for them.

Sleep Shopping, Now Closer to You

Buying a mattress is different from buying other home essentials. One can compare dimensions, materials and features online, but comfort is something one ultimately needs to experience for themselves.

That is where SleepyCat’s growing network of Sleep Studios comes in.

As the brand expands beyond India’s major metros, the aim is to give customers an opportunity to walk into a SleepyCat Studio, explore different mattress options, understand their features and, most importantly, try them out.

Whether one’s moving into a new home, upgrading their existing mattress or simply looking for better sleep, having a physical space to explore options can make the process more comfortable and informed.

Bringing the SleepyCat Experience to More Cities

SleepyCat’s retail expansion now reaches several cities that are seeing changing lifestyles, growing urban communities and increasing demand for convenient, experience-led shopping.

The brand’s expanding presence includes:

• Indore
• Jaipur
• Zirakpur
• Ludhiana
• Visakhapatnam
• Kakinada
• Surat

For customers, that means the SleepyCat experience is becoming easier to access without necessarily having to travel to a larger metro.

Why Try a Mattress Before Buying One?

Think about one’s usual shopping experience. One might spend time comparing products online, read reviews and look at specifications before making a purchase.

But with a mattress, there’s another question that matters: “Does this feel right for me?”

At a SleepyCat Studio, customers can actually lie down and experience different mattresses for themselves. They can explore different comfort levels, understand the materials and speak to the SleepyCat team about their sleep preferences.

If a person sleeps on their side, prefer a firmer surface, want additional support or simply don’t know where to begin, the in-store experience gives an opportunity to explore rather than simply choose from a screen.

Designed Around the Way One Sleeps

There’s no universal definition of a perfect mattress.

One’s sleeping position, preferred firmness, body type, room environment and even whether one shares their bed can influence what feels comfortable to them.

SleepyCat’s mattress range is designed to offer different comfort experiences, including memory foam, latex and hybrid options. The expanding retail network allows to experience these options in person and understand the differences before making a decision.

The experience can be particularly useful if this is the first time one’s buying a mattress or upgrading after several years and aren’t sure what has changed.

Beyond the Mattress

The SleepyCat retail experience extends beyond mattresses. Customers can also explore products designed to complete their sleep environment, including pillows, mattress protectors, toppers, bed frames and other sleep essentials.

This gives an opportunity to think about the sleep setup as a whole rather than treating the mattress as an isolated purchase.

A Retail Expansion Built Around Experience

SleepyCat’s expansion across Indore, Jaipur, Zirakpur, Ludhiana, Visakhapatnam, Kakinada and Surat represents a move toward making its physical retail experience available to more people across India.

As shopping habits evolve, the line between online convenience and offline experience is becoming less distinct. One may discover a product online, research it on their phone and then want to experience it in person before making the final decision.

SleepyCat’s growing network of Sleep Studios brings these two parts of the journey together.

So, whether in Indore or Jaipur, Zirakpur or Ludhiana, Visakhapatnam or Kakinada, or Surat, take a more hands-on approach to choosing your next mattress.

Because when choosing something, you’ll spend roughly a third of your life using, sometimes the best way to know if it’s right is simple: try it, take your time, and see how it feels.

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A unique Jain prayer, Namoththunam, with 1,200 couples held

Hyderabad, Oct 05: A unique Jain prayer with a difference, Namoththunam, brought together around 1,200 couples at Imperial Gardens, Secunderabad, on Sunday morning. Couples from different walks of life from Hyderabad and neighbouring towns, cities and states participated in the collective prayer. All together, more than 3000 devotees joined in it stated Manoj Kothari, Prachar Manthri for the event in a press note issued. 

The programme was organised under the guidance of Jain monk 1008 Pujya Acharya Sri Gyanchandra Ji Marasab Sahib by Shri Vardhaman Sthanakvasi Jain Shravak Sangh, Greater Hyderabad, Kachiguda.

Namoththunam, in simple words, is a prayer—but a prayer with a difference. Across religions, prayer can be a way of seeking, thanking, remembering or transforming oneself. Namoththunam is distinctive in the way it combines reverence with an aspiration to cultivate the qualities of spiritually accomplished beings.

“We often approach prayer with a wish: ‘Give me strength, give me success, give me happiness.’ Namoththunam offers another dimension of prayer: ‘Let me recognise greatness, learn from it and cultivate those qualities in myself.’”

According to Annraj Bafna, President, and Pavan Katariya, Mahamanthri, of Shri Vardhaman Sthanakvasi Jain Shravak Sangh, Greater Hyderabad, Kachiguda, “Namoththunam is a prayer that doesn’t ask, ‘What will I get?’ but ‘What can I learn and become?’”

Unlike prayers centred primarily on seeking material benefits, Namoththunam encourages self-reflection and self-improvement, cultivating qualities such as patience, compassion, humility, discipline and control over anger and ego. “This gives the programme a strong human-interest and social relevance,” said Dr. Archana Ranka, Gynaecologist and participant.

The message, they said, goes beyond the Jain community. At a time when families and individuals face stress, impatience, anger and increasing individualism, the idea of husbands and wives coming together to pause, pray and reflect on the qualities they wish to cultivate in themselves has wider relevance to contemporary society, said Siddharth Pokarna, who is into corporate gifting.

Jainism encourages people not merely to admire someone, but to understand the qualities that make that person worthy of admiration. “We often teach children whom to admire; perhaps we should also teach them what qualities to admire,” said Suresh Sisodiya, Chief Convenor, and Ashok Tated, Chief Convener of Chaturmas.

The programme was therefore more than a religious gathering or a recitation. It became a collective experience of prayer, self-reflection and the aspiration to become better human beings.

Trishla, a newly married 24-year-old Gen-Z participant attending Namoththunam for the first time, said, “It was so calming. I felt as if I was seated next to God and facing Him while praying.”

Mrs. Lalita, a homemaker from Jalgaon, Maharashtra, who participated in the prayer along with around 90 other women, said, “Bhakti mein shakti hai.” (There is power in devotion.)

For IT professionals Prateek Jain and Raksha Jain, both working with multinational IT companies, Namoththunam offered a different perspective on prayer. “We usually pray for something. Namoththunam makes us ask: ‘What can I become?’ It teaches us to admire good qualities in others and consciously cultivate those qualities in ourselves,” they said.

“We usually pray for what we want. Namoththunam reminds us to become what we admire.”

The learning from Namoththunam, participants said, is wide-ranging. Humility, self-control, patience, compassion, discipline, contentment, detachment, self-reflection, choosing better role models and the shift from ‘getting’ to ‘becoming’ were among the qualities highlighted by Surender Jain, Mahender Kumar Jain and Jyothi Lalwani from Jalgaon, Maharashtra, along with Mrs. Shakuntala Pokarna and Harsh Jain from Bengaluru.

The gathering of around 1,200 couples praying together created a powerful visual and spiritual experience, while also highlighting a simple message relevant to everyone: prayer can be not only about what we seek, but also about who we aspire to become.

Odisha Launches MICE Incentive Portal to Attract Global Business Events

Bhubaneswar, Oct. 5 (UDN): Odisha has taken a major step towards strengthening its position as a destination for business events, conferences and experiential tourism with the launch of a dedicated MICE Incentive Portal.

The digital platform was inaugurated by Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida during a high-level roundtable on developing the state’s Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) ecosystem.

The session was organised jointly by the Odisha Tourism Department and FICCI at Mayfair Sanctuary as part of Odisha Travel Bazaar 2026.

One-Stop Digital Platform for MICE Sector

According to the Tourism Department, Odisha has become the first state in India to introduce a dedicated digital platform focused on promoting destinations for corporate events and facilitating applications for financial incentives.

The portal is expected to make it easier for event organisers, tourism operators and investors to explore opportunities, access incentives and navigate the application process.

Faster Approvals, Investment Support

Addressing industry representatives, Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida said the state government was committed to creating a transparent and investor-friendly environment for MICE events.

She said the government would work with the private sector to identify administrative hurdles, streamline approvals and consider targeted capital subsidies to encourage investment.

The support will extend beyond corporate conferences to areas such as destination weddings, sports events and cultural and heritage-based programmes.

Odisha’s Heritage as a Tourism Advantage

Parida highlighted Odisha’s rich cultural and historical assets as key attractions for the growing destination-events market.

She said Bhubaneswar’s temples, heritage sites, traditional culture, cuisine and scenic destinations could provide distinctive experiences for corporate groups, wedding planners and younger travellers seeking immersive tourism.

Tourism Commissioner-cum-Secretary Balwant Singh outlined investment opportunities under the Odisha Tourism Investment Policy, emphasising government support for heritage, sports and business events.

Industry Calls for Cultural Integration

Sabbas Joseph, FICCI MICE Tourism Committee Chairman and Co-Founder of Wizcraft Group, presented an industry roadmap aimed at integrating Odisha’s heritage, handicrafts, cuisine and local traditions into conference and hospitality experiences.

Celebrity chef and Odisha’s brand ambassador for Odia cuisine Ranveer Brar stressed that cultural authenticity should remain at the heart of the state’s tourism promotion.

Brar proposed a 100-day mapping exercise to identify potential event venues, local storytellers, traditional recipes, cooks, markets and festivals that could become part of Odisha’s experiential tourism offering.

He also called for greater direct support to indigenous artisans and the use of language and interpretation services to present Odisha’s traditions to domestic and international visitors without compromising their cultural identity.

Odisha Eyes Bigger Share of MICE Tourism

The roundtable brought together government officials, tourism stakeholders and industry representatives to discuss the infrastructure, professional standards and operational systems required to attract major national and international events.

With the new incentive portal, policy support and growing focus on experiential tourism, Odisha is seeking to position itself as a competitive destination for conventions, incentive travel, destination weddings and culturally immersive events.

Blokees Debuts 90+ New Products at Wonder Festival Shanghai 2026

SHANGHAI, Oct. 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — From October 3 to 4, Assembly Character Toys Brand Blokees exhibited at Wonder Festival Shanghai 2026, featuring nearly 500 products across its two core categories, Blokees Model Kits and BLOKEES WHEELS. More than 90 new products made their debut, highlighting Blokees’ continued expansion across product categories, IPs and consumer segments.

The Blokees Model Kits portfolio covers hero collecting, model kit collecting, animal-themed products and fashion-oriented products, featuring more than 10 global IPs including ULTRAMAN, TRANSFORMERS, Saint Seiya, Evangelion and DC. Products for collectors aged 16 and above were a key focus, with nearly 40 products exhibited across Champion, Champion Lite, Fantastic and Legend series , including more than 20 new products making their debut. Notably, DC made its first commercial appearance in the Legend series.

Blokees continues to expand its product ecosystem. Blokees also exhibited the latest products from its TERRAVENTURE Series and DaaLaMode Series. The TERRAVENTURE Series features animal-themed model kits based on Jurassic World, while the DaaLaMode Series combines assembly, articulation, and fashion play, expanding Blokees’ offerings across different consumer segments.

In the Blokees Wheels category, Blokees exhibited its C, E, and S Series, featuring IPs including Transformers, Ultraman, and Batman. New products based on Cyberpunk 2077, Fast & Furious × Ford and Fast & Furious × Dodge were also exhibited for the first time, further expanding the category’s offerings for vehicle enthusiasts.

Beyond products, Blokees also exhibited winning works from the “Dawn” and “Awakening” seasons of the 2026 BFC Creation Contest. Through BFC, Blokees connects players worldwide through creation and sharing, with the community now spanning 21 countries and regions.

Blokees will continue to strengthen its two core categories and expand its global product and creator ecosystem under its strategy of “Universally appealing, Stepwise pricing, Globally promoting.”

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