11, Jan 2024
IIT Kanpur joint-study on Cost-Effective Alloy for Energy Storage recognized by Nature Magazine
Bengaluru, 11 January 2024: A research paper and study on the use of a special alloy that could make it easier and affordable to convert and store energy from renewable sources by Prof. Krishanu Biswas of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, IIT Kanpur and a team of multi-institutional researchers has been highlighted by Nature, the world’s leading multidisciplinary science journal, as one of the ‘high-impact research papers from India that are shaping science’.
Prof. Krishanu Biswas and fellow researchers from IIT Mandi, IIT Kharagpur and IISc Bangalore, conducted research on a special kind of material called a high entropy alloy (HEA), comprising a mix of five elements; Cobalt, Iron, Gallium, Nickel, and Zinc, for its use in splitting of water into oxygen and hydrogen. Water splitting is essential in many technological applications such as electrolyzer, fuel cells, and catalysis. The most important aspect of water splitting is its ability to efficiently separate water, abundantly available on the earth, into hydrogen and oxygen. Hydrogen is considered a clean substitute for fossil fuels with net-zero emissions. This research categorically demonstrates the effectiveness of this innovative alloy, surpassing the performance and durability of expensive materials such as ruthenium oxide, currently used for the same purpose. The materials of the study are made up of earth-abundant elements, making it sustainable and easy to fabricate for application. The research paper titled ‘Low-cost high entropy alloy (HEA) for high-efficiency oxygen evolution reaction (OER),’ was published in the Nano Research Journal in its edition dated 2022, 15 (6).

The study has wide ramifications in green hydrogen economy in which energy-rich hydrogen is extracted from water through electrochemical water-splitting. Electrochemical water splitting is a highly promising sustainable and pollution-free approach for green hydrogen and oxygen production. The process requires two electrodes being immersed in an electrolyte solution. The chemical reactions at the electrodes driving the production of oxygen and hydrogen gas require efficient bifunctional catalyst. However, the process was not commercially viable so far, as most electrochemical systems use rare and expensive metals that restrict their use in large-scale applications. On the other hand, lower-cost systems were not being able to achieve efficient catalysis. The novel alloy catalyst designed, developed, and tested by Prof. Biswas and his collaborators can make this process easier and more affordable by using low-cost high-entropy alloy to store energy from renewable sources, allowing the use of clean energy. This could further aggravate our stride towards a cleaner environment, reducing dependence on fossil fuels and mitigating global warming.
In addition to Prof. Krishanu Biswas, the other researchers on the team included Dr. Nirmal Kumar Katiyar from IIT Kanpur, Prof. Aditi Halder and Dr. Lalita Sharma from IIT Mandi, Prof. Chandra Sekhar Tiwary and Dr. Rakesh Das from IIT Kharagpur, Prof. Abhishek K. Singh, Dr. Arko Parui and Dr. Ritesh Kumar from Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore.
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- By Rabindra
11, Jan 2024
ISRO’s Gaganyaan Mission takes center stage in an exclusive WION interview with Chief Dr. S. Somanath
In a WION exclusive interview with Dr. S. Somanath, Chief of ISRO, key insights into India’s space endeavors were unveiled. The focus is on the highly anticipated Gaganyaan mission scheduled for 2025, with 2024 marked as a pivotal year for crucial milestones.

Gaganyaan Mission: Scheduled for 2025, 2024 is a critical year for milestones.
Unmanned Missions in 2024: Two scheduled missions (GX and G1) are crucial preparations for the Gaganyaan mission.
Crew Escape System Demonstration: Important for astronaut safety, with one done and three more planned for 2024.
Parachute System Validation: Helicopter drop tests in 2024 to validate key mission components.
Design and Engineering Challenges: Extensive work on crew systems, viewports, and more for astronaut comfort and safety.
Astronaut Training: Focus on real experience, including potential ISS training, to refine mission design.
Mounting an Indian Astronaut to the ISS: Confirmed goal for 2024 with discussions ongoing for US leg training.
Mission Challenges and Outlook: Acknowledged tough journey in 2024, but ISRO remains committed to concurrent missions.
Dr. Somanath’s insights into the challenges and engineering efforts involved, along with the emphasis on real astronaut experience and training, showcase the dedication and commitment of ISRO.
11, Jan 2024
The sky is the limit: Exclusive dining experience to fly over Dehradun
New Delhi: From famous Chinese to Indian cuisine, food lovers could relish feasts of their choice in a hanging restaurant, which is set to be thrown open in Dehradun. New experiments are being done in tourist places around the world to make their holidays thrilling and memorable and now they are getting to see something new which is attracting everyone’s attention. Be it a roller coaster ride, giant Ferris wheel ride, bungee jumping, sky diving, or underwater ride. Now tourists from Delhi NCR will no longer have to go far to make their holidays memorable, they will get a chance to have fun in Dehradun, located at a distance of about 250 km from Delhi NCR.

A large number of people from Delhi NCR visit Uttarakhand, Himachal, and other hilly areas, especially during the winter season. If you are heading to Dehradun, then a 160-feet-high-sky experience is waiting for you, where along with this ride, you will also get to see the beautiful valleys and the city. This wonderful and thrilling journey can be experienced at Hotel Hyatt Regency, Mussoorie Road, Dehradun.
The unique dining experience at Horisen Sky Experiences will truly take the tourists to new heights as they can enjoy a thrilling journey with delicious food in the sky. Imagine yourself hanging above the city skyline, surrounded by panoramic views as far as the eye can see, tasting exquisite cuisine, it would be an amazing experience in itself.
Mr. Devi Prasad Gaud, Director, Vindev Group says, “We are always looking for new ways to redefine experiences. The Horizon Sky Experience is a testament to our commitment to providing our guests with unforgettable moments that will linger in their memories. This is the most wonderful place for those who want to enjoy this kind of experience. Being unique, this flying restaurant makes customers feel a unique experience at a height of 160 meters from ground level. From local cuisine to Indian, Chinese, and seafood, everything will be available at Horisen Sky Experiences.”
11, Jan 2024
Dreamz Production House and Dubai Beauty School hosts beauty pageant
New Delhi, January 11, 2024: Dreamz Production House, well known in the fashion industry along with Dubai Beauty School, which provides top-notch education in the beauty industry hosted the grand finale of renowned beauty pageant – ASIA SUPER MODEL 2023 Season-10 recently at Noida Film City. This event, which received tremendous response, was an exciting platform for the talent across the country as the pageant team visited across the country to audition contestants. The show was a grand success as it welcomed a total of around 100 contestants in multiple categories – Mr, Miss & Mrs. Asia Super Model 2023 from all over the country. Thereafter, the shortlisted participants underwent rigorous training and grooming.
The grand finale was judged by Youth icon Prince Narula, model and actor Rohit Khandelwal, Celebrity Makeup Artist Bhumika Bhal, renowned pageant coach and multiple award-winner for her exceptional grooming in the pageant world Dr. Rita Gangwani amongst others. The contestants in various categories were assessed by the judges on physical appearance and other all – round qualities including communication skills. The judges were astonished by the participant’s poise, confidence, and extraordinary talent, encompassing classical dance, acting, and public speaking. As part of their recognition, the winners were presented with cash prizes, gift hampers and offered a plethora of exciting opportunities, such as participation in video songs, web series, TVCs, print shoots, designer showcases, and reality shows. There was also a special kid round to promote young talent. More than 1000 children across the country were part of the auditions and 52 kids were shortlisted for the grand finale of the Asia Kids Super Star 2023.
In the Miss Category, Arshia Bhardwaj from Jammu was crowned the winner title “Miss. Asia Super Model 2023” whereas Sonika Yadav from Delhi and Shivani Lakhera from Kotdwar, Uttarakhand achieved the first and second runners up position respectively.

“Mr. Asia Super Model 2023” was awarded to Rohit Saxena from Bhopal. The first runner-up was Jomin D’Souza from Mumbai whereas the second runner-up was awarded to Sajan Singh from Ahmedabad.

The “Mrs. Asia Super Model 2023” title was awarded to Neeta Padagi Shirgaonkar from Belagavi, Karnataka, Yojana Haresh Karia from Mumbai bagged the 1st runner position while Dr.Apoorva Mishra from Dubai was awarded the 2nd runner-up.

“We congratulate all the winners and participants for their hard work, dedication, and exceptional talent. We have always received tremendous response for our show and we have made our mark this year too. Dreamz Production House offers a fantastic opportunity to everybody who wants to excel and is a gateway to the world of fashion, film and entertainment industry with widespread publicity. This stage has given many newcomers a chance to be a part of the fashion and entertainment fraternity. We also appreciate the judges, sponsors, and collaborators who helped us to make this an unforgettable event.” said Sharad Chaudhary, Founder, Dreamz Production House.
Anubha Vashisht, Founder of Dubai Beauty School said “This beauty pageant is a platform that’s committed to giving participants a chance to showcase their talent and shine as an individual. Our goal is to provide the highest quality education and training to our students, and to help them achieve their career goals in the beauty industry. We aim to play a key role in shaping our students to help them become the industry stalwarts of tomorrow. The industry is growing manifold and the fashion and beauty industry is continuously looking out for young and talented people who are creative, can think out-of-the-box, and can introduce new trends in makeup, hairstyles, and skin care. We will also offer a variety of courses ranging from courses for entry-level candidates to working professionals seeking skills upgradation.”
This time, the show also witnessed another category – Supermodel International India 2023. The Miss Supermodel International India 2023 title was given to Fozia Sayyed from Budhana (UP). The first runner-up award was given to Riya Dhek from Dehradun. The second runner-up went to Tanya Naidu from Bangalore.
The title for Mr. Supermodel International India 2023 was given to Shivansh Pandey from Hisar, Haryana. The first runner-up was awarded to Rahul Chawla from Gurgaon while the second runner-up went to Khush Dhir from Delhi.
The title for Mrs. Supermodel International India 2023 was awarded to Jaspreet from Chandigarh. The first runner-up was awarded to Gunjan from Jaipur while the second runner-up was given to Lata Shree from Karnal, Haryana.
Over the years, Sharad Chaudhary, a well-known personality of the modelling world and known for managing mega shows and events has also worked with many celebrities like Neha Dhupia, Madhur Bhandarkar, Prince Narula, Yuvika Chaudhary, Rannvijay Singh, Ashmit Patel, Zareen Khan, Urvashi Rautela, Upen Patel, Pooja Chopra, Kainaat Arora, Jaideep Ahlawat, Gizele Thakral, Ajay Chaudhary, Anusha Dandekar, Stefy Patel, Benafsha Soonawalla, Himanshu Soni, Millind Gaba and many more.
11, Jan 2024
AI-based Admissions Startup Ambitio raises pre-seed round from First Cheque & Others
New Delhi, January 11, 2024: The AI-based global admissions startup, Ambitio, which helps students in pursuing higher education abroad, on Tuesday announced its pre-seed round of Rs 1.55 crore. The funding comes from investors, including First Cheque, a couple of soonicorn founders, and angel investors from the US and India.
Founded by IIT BHU graduates Dirghayu Kaushik, Vikrant Shivalik & Vaibhav Tyagi, Ambitio is building India’s first AI admissions platform, to help applicants secure admissions in top global universities.
![L-R [Vikrant Shivalik, Dirghayu Kaushik]](https://mediaexpress24.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/L-R-Vikrant-Shivalik-Dirghayu-Kaushik-1.jpg)
Ambitio AI Copilot enables applicants to identify ideal courses and craft stellar essays & SOPs. With access to a database of over 2 million admits, they are developing a low-touch approach to build a comprehensive global admissions platform.
“Our goal is to serve as intelligent digital advisors to students throughout their admissions journey. For years, this information was scattered all over the place and insights were confined to a handful of education counsellors. With the decentralization of information and emergence of LLMs, all this knowledge can now be intelligently used to give personalized admission advice” stated Dirghayu Kaushik, Co-founder and CEO at Ambitio.
Vikrant Shivalik, Co-founder and COO at Ambitio, said, “Our unique AI+Mentor approach coupled with our in-house admission experts, ensures that our applicants get accepted into their dream schools by fostering strong profile building and crafting stellar applications”
Prateek Agarwal, Investments Lead at First Cheque, said, “We believe Ambitio is well positioned to leverage Gen-AI capabilities. Their product-led approach presents a great opportunity to develop a global admissions product”.
11, Jan 2024
Siddharth Kumar Tewary’s Swastik Productions strengthens leadership, appoints Manish Agarvwal as Head of Digital
11th January 2024, National: Swastik Productions, India’s largest and most versatile production house which has created stellar television series and digital content over the last 17 years, announces the appointment of Manish Agarvwal as the Head of Digital, Marcom and Special Projects. Manish’s appointment reflects Swastik’s focused strategy in expanding its revenue and audience engagement.

Manish brings valuable experience from his previous roles with a strong focus on digital revenue generation. In his role as the Head of Digital, Marcom and Special Projects, Manish will lead the team to establish and implement efforts to drive digital revenues. This includes forming partnerships and expanding business in digital and special projects. In addition, Manish will spearhead the MarCom role at Swastik, reporting to its founder Siddharth Kumar Tewary. This role aligns with the company’s vision to grow its leadership in the industry.
With over 17 years of experience in the industry, Manish has held key positions at major digital platforms and media houses. Before joining Swastik Productions, Manish worked in various roles at Zee Entertainment Pvt. Ltd. initially as a part of the hindi movies cluster and then as the Vice President and Head of Marketing for Zee Zest where he showcased his strategic prowess in handling the Zest’s channel and website, contributing to a significant market share in the lifestyle category.
His journey also includes impactful positions at Loktantra Mediatech Pvt Ltd, where, as Chief Marketing Officer he orchestrated a team of marketing professionals for a successful product launch and brand campaign. Manish’s diverse career comprises noteworthy roles at Times Television Network, Star TV Network, Sony Pictures Networks Distribution India, Publicis India, and Percept H, each adding layers to his extensive experience in marketing, brand management and strategic leadership.
Speaking on the appointment Siddharth Kumar Tewary, Founder of Swastik Productions said, “We are excited to have Manish fuel Swastik’s digital growth. His qualified experience in the digital domain brings valuable insights to Swastik Productions. As we embark on a journey of continued growth and innovation, we look forward to simultaneously thriving in the digital landscape, as we do in television.”
“I am delighted to join Swastik Productions to drive its growing audience engagement agenda. With a significant presence in television, we look forward to growing the franchise of our content and music on digital platforms too”, says Manish Agarvwal, Head of Digital, Marcom & Special Projects, Swastik Productions.
11, Jan 2024
Dedication of 17 Ag&p Pratham’s Cng Stations to Serve the People of Hassan
Hassan, 11th January 2024: Hon’ble Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Shri Hardeep Singh Puri dedicated 17 AG&P Pratham’s CNG stations in Hassan, Chikkamagaluru, and Kodagu Geographical Area to the people today, in the presence of Shri Abhilesh Gupta – Managing Director and CEO, AG&P Pratham and Shri Takeshi Shinohara – Senior General Manager, Osaka Gas, Japan, along with other dignitaries from AG&P Pratham, Osaka Gas and HPCL. In the state of Karnataka, AG&P Pratham operates in 15 districts catering to 55% of the geographical area.

Speaking at the Inauguration ceremony of AG&P Pratham’s CNG station, Mr. Hardeep Singh Puri, Hon’ Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas appreciated AG&P Pratham’s efforts in building natural gas-powered infrastructure in the country. The Minister welcomed the Japanese investment in Indian CGD sector and sought more Japanese investment in development of gas infrastructure in India. He talked about the technological advancement in the gas sector in Japan and expressed his hope that the collaboration with AG&P Pratham would ensure bringing Japanese technology into Indian operations. He said that this is testament of the commitment of the Government under the leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi to provide people with convenient and environment-friendly energy options. He also said that the availability of CNG and PNG in the region opens a new chapter in the lives of the community and further said that very soon every household in Hassan will have PNG connects. He also talked about Governments’ commitment to phased increase in bio gas blending on CNG and PNG as per recent policy initiatives. He further said that Shri Narendra Modi led Government is working on increasing FDI and improve international collaborations and in developing India as an energy hub.

Shri Abhilesh Gupta, Managing Director and CEO, AG&P Pratham, informed that AG&P Pratham has already invested around 4000 Crores in its GAs and further commitment of another 15000 Crores in the next 6-7 years. He said that we are ready to provide PNG connections to about 2 lakh household in the next few months. Under the visionary leadership of the Hon’ble Prime Minister and the able guidance of the Hon’ble Minister the Government has realised the dream of One Nation One Grid and which ensure gas is delivered far-flung areas with optimised logistics costs and removing tax inefficiencies. Our network spans 3400 kms of MDPE pipelines, 900 kms of steel pipelines and 300 CNG Stations. He thanked Dr. Anil Kumar Jain, Chairman, PNGRB for the passion with which PNGRB has been driving creation of CGD infrastructure across the country.
Shri Takeshi Shinohara from Osaka Gas expressed sincere gratitude to the visionary
11, Jan 2024
Cornejo doubles up on stage 4 of the Dakar Rally to make a Monster Energy Honda Team one-two finish with Brabec
Saudi Arabia, January 11th, 2024: José Ignacio Cornejo took a second stage victory at this year’s event with a dominant performance into Al-Hofuf.
Having narrowly missed out on a maiden podium at the Dakar Rally in 2020, the 29 year old has his eyes on the top prize. The Chilean notched up his eighth Dakar stage victory, flying across stage four to propel him to the top of the overall standings now leading Ross Branch by over a minute.
After being separated from the team last night after just a two-hour service followed by camping under the stars, the conditions didn’t deter the riders from finding their rhythm and putting in another assault on the general standings.
Making sure to rest up with an early night in his tent, a re-invigorated Ricky Brabec made it a one-two on the podium for the Monster Energy Honda Team as he accumulated a minute in bonuses on the shorter 299 km special stage. It was a great result for the American rider as he opened the way with Kevin Benavides on what promised to be a day with very tricky navigation.
Fifth placed Adrien Van Beveren has now got himself dialled in with his Honda CRF450 RALLY and with dunes coming up tomorrow in the hostile Empty Quarter, the three-time Le Touquet beach race king will be on the hunt for his first stage victory this year on his favourite terrain, aiming to rise up the overall standings from his current fifth position.
After his initial shaky start to the 2024 Dakar, Skyler Howes has made huge improvements to be in the top ten since stage two. The American has been enjoying the rocky stages so far although he did struggle to find a hidden waypoint today. His ninth position today has moved him up to twelfth overall.
Pablo Quintanilla had a stage to forget as 100 km in to the day’s action a parked up truck created some confusion on the route. What he thought was a navigational error was actually the correct way and this lost him over eighteen minutes to Cornejo. This has now dropped him down to seventh overall, so the six time Dakar stage winner will be one to keep an eye on in the coming days as he reclaims that deficit.
As the 48 Hour Chrono gets ever closer riders will have to muster up all their energy for stage five tomorrow. Although it’s only 118 km against the clock in the dunes, a very early start will see them covering a 527 km road section as they head towards the Red Sea and the city of Shubaytah.

Ruben Faria (General Manager)
“We’ve got to the bivouac in Al-Hofuf at the end of stage four with Nacho and Ricky doing a really good job today coming first and second and Adrien is also on the pace and not too far off the front runners. Pablo lost a little bit of time today which is disappointing, but there are a lot of stages still to come so everything can change. Skyler did a good job at the beginning of the stage but he had some issues and also lost a bit of time. The team is strong and we will keep on fighting to achieve our main goal.”
Pablo Quintanilla 7 (Stage: 13th; Overall: 7th)
“Today was a super tough stage for me. We left a river bed and I saw some workers with a big truck parking up which didn’t seem right. I thought that I wasn’t going in the right direction and so I went back to search for the route. Toby (Price) arrived and he was in the same predicament. Finally we went back in the direction of the truck and the correct way was behind it. I got confused because of the workers and the truck so I didn’t think it was possible to go that way.
It is what it is, we are still in the race so now we need to be focused again, get rest and go on the attack tomorrow.”
Ricky Brabec 9 (Stage: 2nd; Overall: 3rd)
“Stage four was good, it was the shortest one yet so I was happy to have a shorter day. We’re at the bivouac an hour earlier than we have been, so that’s also nice and it gives the mechanics some more time to work on the bikes. I was second on the road which definitely wasn’t easy as navigation is really tricky this year. It can catch you off guard quickly so if you’re not on your toes from sunrise to sunset then it really can throw you.
Tomorrow’s stage five is a sand dune day, it’s a short one but it’ll be long day in the saddle with the liaison. It’s going to be an interesting next three days, everyone in the team is doing a great job and I’m looking forward to getting to the end of this rally.”
Skyler Howes 10 (Stage: 9th; Overall: 12th)
“I’m becoming more and more confident with the bike, we’ve made a few little changes to the suspension and to some other positive adjustments. I had a small mechanical issue which slowed me down and I also had to search for a hidden waypoint which lost me some time.
The pace and riding was good and it was overall another positive day. I do prefer the previous stages as there’s more stones, rocky canyons and technical navigation, once you get into the dunes it’s almost like a motocross race, you push really hard and you just follow the compass.”
José Ignacio “Nacho” Cornejo 11 (Stage: 1st; Overall: 1st)
“It was a good stage, it was a mix of terrains and they did say it would be a little bit easier. It felt faster and not as physical as the previous days, but there were some sections of tricky navigation so I had to stay focused. I did some little mistakes at the beginning but then I pushed harder with a good solid pace and finished in a positive way. Tomorrow we start with the dunes so let’s see how it goes.”
Adrien Van Beveren 42 (Stage: 5th; Overall: 5th)
“We’ve had two good days, I feel really good on the bike and the rhythm is good now. I feel happy as I’m enjoying my riding, although today it was bit more stony so I enjoyed it a little bit less than yesterday. We had some dunes at the end which was fun and there are more to come tomorrow. The goal was to get back on the overall classification and I’m now fifth and not far off the front, so everything is possible to get back that time.”

2024 World Rally Raid Championship
RallyGP Results – Stage 4
| Pos. | Rider | Num | Nation | Team | Constructor | Time/Gap |
| 1 | CORNEJO JOSÉ IGNACIO “NACHO” | 11 | CHI | Monster Energy Honda Team | Honda | 02H 51′ 11″ |
| 2 | BRABEC RICKY | 9 | USA | Monster Energy Honda Team | Honda | +02.59 |
| 3 | BENAVIDES KEVIN | 1 | ARG | Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team | KTM | +03.18 |
| 4 | EVAN BRANCH ROSS | 16 | BWA | Hero Motorsports Team Rally | Hero | +04.26 |
| 5 | VAN BEVEREN ADRIEN | 42 | FRA | Monster Energy Honda Team | Honda | +05.25 |
| 6 | BENAVIDES LUCIANO | 77 | ARG | Husqvarna Factory Racing | Husqvarna | +07.22 |
| 7 | BARREDA JOAN | SPA | Hero Motorsports Team Rally | Hero | +08.15 | |
| 8 | GONÇALVES RUI | 19 | POR | Sherco TVS Rally Factory | Sherco | +09.51 |
| 9 | HOWES SKYLER | 10 | USA | Monster Energy Honda Team | Honda | +10.05 |
| 10 | MICHEK MARTIN | 10 | CZE | Orion Moto Racing Group | KTM | +14.1 |
| 13 | QUINTANILLA PABLO | 7 | CHI | Monster Energy Honda Team | Honda | +18.39 |
RallyGP Provisional Standings after Stage 4
| Pos. | Rider | Num | Nation | Team | Constructor | Time/Gap |
| 1 | CORNEJO JOSÉ IGNACIO “NACHO” | 11 | CHI | Monster Energy Honda Team | Honda | 17H 27′ 13″ |
| 2 | EVAN BRANCH ROSS | 16 | BWA | Hero Motorsports Team Rally | Hero | +01.15 |
| 3 | BRABEC RICKY | 9 | USA | Monster Energy Honda Team | Honda | +04.56 |
| 4 | BENAVIDES KEVIN | 1 | ARG | Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team | KTM | +20.39 |
| 5 | VAN BEVEREN ADRIEN | 42 | FRA | Monster Energy Honda Team | Honda | +22.3 |
| 6 | BENAVIDES LUCIANO | 77 | ARG | Husqvarna Factory Racing | Husqvarna | +31.11 |
| 7 | QUINTANILLA PABLO | 7 | CHI | Monster Energy Honda Team | Honda | +31.44 |
| 8 | PRICE TOBY | 18 | AUS | Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team | KTM | +34.54 |
| 9 | MICHEK MARTIN | 10 | CZE | Orion Moto Racing Group | KTM | +38.11 |
| 10 | SANDERS DANIEL | 4 | AUS | Gas Gas Factory Team | Gas Gas | +39.43 |
11, Jan 2024
Walplast Unveils ‘MasterTouch Vivid’ Emulsion Paints: Where Inspiration Meets Color
Navi Mumbai, 11th Jan 2024: Walplast Products Pvt. Ltd., a trusted name in the building materials industry, is proud to announce the release of its latest product line, ‘MasterTouch Vivid Emulsions’. With comprehensive experience in maintaining 12 million square feet of walls annually through its wall putty product, Walplast has a deep understanding of walling solutions.
This new product line expands the company’s esteemed paint brand ‘Homesure MasterTouch,’ known for its high-quality paints including Interior Primer, Exterior Primer, and Distemper. The new ‘MasterTouch Vivid’ line features two variants: MasterTouch Vivid Exterior Emulsion and MasterTouch Vivid Interior Emulsion, designed to transform the painting industry with their exceptional quality, durability and aesthetic appeal.

MasterTouch Vivid Emulsion is designed to meet the diverse needs of homeowners, professional painters, and businesses for both interior and exterior painting projects. In the fast-growing Indian paint and coating industry, it is predicted to reach an impressive Rs. One lakh crore in the next five years. MasterTouch Vivid Emulsions represent a sustainable alternative as these water-based emulsions are designed to minimize environmental impact compared to traditional solvent-based coatings, with low volatile oil content (VOC) for improved indoor air quality and minimized health and environmental impacts.
It has a non-flammable composition without heavy materials like lead, mercury, chromium, and zinc. In addition, it offers a rich, smooth matte finish with excellent opacity, which lends a soft regal glow to the interiors of the room and also provides excellent weatherproof coating on the exterior walls. It comes as a single white base that can be tinted to customized colours.

Mr. Kaushal Mehta, Managing Director – Walplast, expressed his excitement, stating, “We are delighted to launch ‘MasterTouch Vivid Emulsion series’, our commitment to quality, innovation, and environmental responsibility is at the core of our brand, and we believe that this new product range will raise the bar in the world of interior and exterior painting.” MasterTouch Vivid Emulsions come fortified with an anti-peel formula, anti-fungal protection, and water-resistant properties, ensuring a longer lifespan of the coated surface and providing durable protection for both interior and exterior walls.
Mr. Aniruddha Sinha, Senior Vice President – Walplast, stated, “MasterTouch Vivid Emulsions contributes to reducing the environmental impact through minimized release of harmful substances and emissions during production and application. It keeps the environment safe along with meeting the evolving needs of our customers”.
11, Jan 2024
Texmaco and Ampin Energy Forge Path to Sustainable Future
Kolkata, 11th January 2024: Texmaco Rail & Engineering Ltd., an Advenz Group company, leading industrial conglomerate, proudly announced a groundbreaking equity partnership with Ampin Energy Transition Pvt. Ltd. for a 10 MW open access group captive solar power project in Chhattisgarh. The official agreement was signed by Mr. Sudipta Mukherjee, Managing Director, Texmaco Rail & Engineering Ltd. and Mr. Pinaki Bhattacharyya, Managing Director & CEO, Ampin Energy.
This strategic collaboration between Texmaco and Ampin Energy signifies a momentous step in Texmaco’s ongoing commitment to sustainable energy practices. The partnership not only underscores the potential of clean energy but also sets the stage for future initiatives that can redefine corporate approaches to sustainability.
The planned 10 MW solar power project, once operational, will seamlessly integrate into Texmaco’s operations at Raipur (Urla plant), further solidifying the company’s dedication to responsible and environmentally conscious practices.
Mr. Sudipta Mukherjee, Managing Director, Texmaco Rail & Engineering Ltd., expressed enthusiasm about the partnership, stating, “We are excited to join hands with Ampin Energy to harness the power of solar energy. This collaboration is a testament to our unyielding commitment to greener operations and creating a brighter, more sustainable future.” He also highlighted, “Under the terms of the agreement, Texmaco is set to leverage solar power to generate clean and renewable energy, showcasing the company’s dedication to reducing its carbon footprint. This progressive move not only demonstrates Texmaco’s commitment to environmental stewardship but also solidifies its role as a frontrunner in sustainable business practices within the industry.”
Mr. Pinaki Bhattacharyya, Managing Director & CEO, Ampin Energy, echoed the sentiment, stating, “Our partnership with Texmaco marks a significant milestone in our mission to promote renewable energy solutions. By leveraging solar power, we aim to drive positive change in the energy landscape, fostering a cleaner and healthier environment for generations to come.”
The Texmaco-Ampin Energy collaboration serves as a beacon for the industry, showcasing the transformative potential of sustainable practices. The project aligns with Texmaco’s vision for a future where corporate responsibility and environmental consciousness converge to create lasting positive impacts.