Odisha Bandh on October 8: Transport, Markets and Schools May Face Disruptions

Bhubaneswar, Oct 7 (UDN): Odisha is bracing for a statewide bandh on Thursday, October 8, with the INDIA bloc opposition parties calling for a 12-hour shutdown over a range of political and governance-related issues.

 Representational Image 

The bandh was announced by Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Bhakta Charan Das on behalf of the alliance. Congress and its allies, including the CPI(M), CPI, CPI(ML) Liberation, Forward Bloc, NCP, Samajwadi Party and RJD, are backing the agitation.

The opposition has appealed to people to support the shutdown and said the bandh would be observed peacefully across the State.

Why Has the Bandh Been Called?

The INDIA bloc has listed several demands behind the October 8 shutdown.

A key demand is the withdrawal of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2026. Opposition parties have alleged that the amended law could undermine Odisha’s interests in its mineral resources and affect the State’s financial rights.

The alliance is also demanding action against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities linked to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The demand for Kumar’s resignation has become a major issue in the Opposition’s ongoing campaign.

Another major issue is the controversy over errors in school textbooks. The Opposition has sought accountability from the State Government and demanded the resignation of School and Mass Education Minister Nityananda Gond.

Transport Services May Be Hit

Normal movement of vehicles is expected to be affected in several parts of Odisha during the bandh.

Public and private transport services may face disruptions as supporters could stage road blockades and demonstrations at major junctions. Commuters travelling between cities and districts have been advised to plan their journeys accordingly.

Railway services are not automatically covered by a bandh call, but road blockades and protests near transport hubs could affect access to railway stations.

Shops and Markets

Commercial establishments, markets and shops may remain closed in areas where traders and business associations extend support to the bandh.

The extent of disruption, however, is likely to vary from district to district depending on local participation.

Schools and Colleges

There is no indication in the material reviewed of a blanket statewide government order directing all schools and colleges to close for the bandh.

However, educational institutions may take local decisions depending on the situation in their respective areas. Students and parents should therefore check advisories issued by their individual institutions before travelling.

Essential Services Expected to Continue

Essential and emergency services are generally expected to remain operational during the bandh.

These include:

Hospitals and emergency medical services
Ambulances
Pharmacies
Fire and rescue services
Electricity and water supply
Other essential services

Authorities are expected to deploy additional security personnel at sensitive locations, including major roads, transport hubs and government establishments, to prevent violence, forced closures and disruption of essential services.

Government, Police on Alert

The bandh comes against the backdrop of heightened political activity in Odisha. The INDIA bloc had earlier staged protests over the MMDR amendment, SIR and textbook controversy, with tensions reported during demonstrations in Bhubaneswar.

The State administration is expected to closely monitor the situation and take steps to maintain law and order throughout the 12-hour shutdown.

ChainIT® Brings “Your Face Is Your Password” to Web3 with Organizational MPC Wallets

Production wallets combine passwordless ChainIT ID with transaction-specific authority checks, advancing Agentic Web3 Complete Commerce during TOKEN2049 Week.

SINGAPORE, Oct. 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — ChainIT Inc. today announced production availability of its organizational Multi-Party Computation (MPC) wallets, connecting passwordless ChainIT ID with transaction-specific authority checks before signing. This release requires a verified, authorized organizational member to approve each transaction signed through the wallet. The capability is included at no additional cost in each ChainIT organizational digital identity profile.

The announcement follows ChainIT’s October 6 presentation of its Agentic Web3 Complete Commerce architecture during TOKEN2049 Week. The wallet launch focuses on the people and organizations behind those transactions: confirming who they are, confirming they are currently authorized to act, and requiring their approval before any funds move.

“A password is not a verified identity, and logging in is not authority to move company assets,” said Jeremy Blackburn, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of ChainIT. “ChainIT connects who you are, what you are authorized to do and the transaction you approve. Your face is your password. Your authority is verified before the wallet signs. That is a Web3 solution for Web3 companies.”

No memorized password. No blanket permission.

Passwords and passphrases can be copied, shared, phished or forgotten. ChainIT ID removes the need for a memorized account password or passphrase, combining biometric liveness, device verification and cryptographic proof of identity. One-time verification challenges remain part of applicable security workflows.

In the organizational wallet flow, the member completes biometric liveness and wallet authentication, then signs an operation-specific approval using their own wallet identity. The live-person check occurs outside the signing enclaves. The Primary enclave—the isolated environment that verifies authorization before signing—then confirms that the wallet-signed approval came from a registered member of the organization and matches the requested action.

Authority before every transaction – not just at onboarding

Before any transaction is signed through the organization’s wallet, the Primary enclave runs a series of checks. It confirms that the wallet approval is valid, that the person is still an active member of the organization, and that the approval matches the exact action and transaction being requested. Each approval also expires after a short time and can be used only once. Logging in or approving one transaction does not give anyone permission to carry out a different one.

ChainIT’s organizational governance model connects officer registration, assigned roles and authority, and attested wallet policy. Invitations, member additions and member removals require their own verified authorization. The objective is to connect not only who may transact, but also who may change the permissions governing future transactions.

Distributed signing without assembling the private key

The organizational wallet uses two-party Multi-Party Computation (MPC) signing. Its signing key is represented by two separate cryptographic shares, each protected inside an isolated AWS Nitro Enclave. Both enclaves must participate to produce a standard Ethereum-compatible signature without reconstructing the complete private key. Persisted MPC key material is encrypted.

A member’s personal authorization key is separate from those organizational signing shares. The member approves the specific action; the Primary enclave verifies the authorization before initiating the joint signing process. The organizational shares remain within the enclave infrastructure, not on members’ devices. Neither MPC party can produce the organizational signature alone.

A Web3 solution for Web3 companies

ChainIT ID can be used wherever ChainIT-enabled applications support it, rather than requiring a new password for each participating service. Each integration retains its applicable verification, authorization and product requirements. ChainIT invites wallet providers, exchanges, marketplaces, payment platforms and enterprise Web3 teams to explore integrations for verified access and governed organizational transactions.

“Web3 companies need more than just another way to sign a transaction,” said Eric Tacl, PhD, Executive Vice President, Verified Payments and Commerce, at ChainIT. “They need to connect the verified person, the organization, the appropriate level of authority and the action. Passwordless access simplifies the experience. Verifying authority for each specific transaction gives businesses control over what happens next.”

The production wallet adds a human-authorized execution component to ChainIT’s broader Complete Commerce architecture, which places authority and transaction-specific compliance before execution and preserves transaction evidence. This release covers transactions approved by people. Full integration with partners’ systems and transactions carried out by AI agents within set limits are being developed and tested separately.

Availability and TOKEN2049 meetings

The organizational MPC wallet is available in production as of October 6, 2026 and is included in new ChainIT organizational digital identity profiles at no additional cost. Existing organizational wallets are being migrated from the prior model. Supported functionality and integrations vary by deployment.

Dr. Eric Tacl is representing ChainIT at TOKEN2049 in Singapore and is available for media, product and integration discussions. Meeting requests and further information are available through ChainIT’s TOKEN2049 Singapore page.

About ChainIT®

ChainIT is native Web3 infrastructure for verified identity, provable authority, compliance and Complete Commerce. Its Web3 architecture is supported by a portfolio of 15 issued patents. ChainIT connects passwordless identity, organizational governance, digital agreements, payments and verifiable transaction evidence, bringing authority and accountability to commerce involving people, organizations and AI agents.

ChainIT technology already supports treasury operations at major U.S. banks, connecting its Web3 foundation to established financial infrastructure. Through ChainIT ID, organizational MPC wallets, Pactvera and ChainIT Pay, the platform connects who is acting, what they are authorized to do and the transaction they approve across ChainIT-enabled environments.

ChainIT® — The Authority on Authority™ for Agentic Commerce.

https://chainit.com/singapore-token2049/

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izmo Microsystems and IIT Madras Enter Phase II of ₹99.94 Crore MeitY-Sanctioned Silicon Photonics Program

Five-year CPPICS SPECTRA program targets 1.6 Tbps optical transceivers, co-packaged optics, quantum communications and photonic AI

BENGALURU, India, Oct. 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — izmo Limited (NSE: IZMO) (BSE: 532341) today announced that its semiconductor subsidiary, izmo Microsystems Pvt. Ltd., has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) for Phase II of the Centre for Programmable Photonic Integrated Circuits and Systems (CPPICS).

The Phase II program, titled Silicon Photonics Enabled Cutting-edge Technology Research and Applications (SPECTRA), has been sanctioned by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India, with a total project outlay of ₹99.94 crore. The five-year program includes a MeitY contribution of ₹97.54 crore and a ₹2.40 crore cash and in-kind commitment from izmo Microsystems.

CPPICS Phase II is designed to advance silicon photonics technologies from research towards commercially deployable products, covering photonic integrated circuit design, fabrication, characterization, advanced packaging, testing and system integration.

Silicon Photonics for the AI infrastructure era

The program comes at a time when optical connectivity is becoming critical infrastructure for AI and high-performance computing.

As GPU and accelerator clusters scale, data-center networks require substantially higher bandwidth while controlling power consumption, latency and interconnect density. This is driving the transition towards 800G and 1.6T optical interconnects, silicon photonics and, increasingly, co-packaged optics (CPO).

According to LightCounting, global sales of optical transceivers and related products reached $26.8 billion in 2025, up 74% year-on-year. The research firm estimates the optical transceiver market at approximately $40 billion in 2026, with silicon-photonics-based transceivers expected to represent more than half of the market for the first time.

LightCounting further estimates that the market for optical chips used across transceivers, active optical cables and near- and co-packaged optics could grow from approximately $4 billion in 2025 to $15 billion by 2031.

The transition is already moving into commercial infrastructure, with major networking and semiconductor companies introducing silicon-photonics-based co-packaged-optics platforms for large AI clusters.

Targeting 1.6 Tbps optical engines and co-packaged optics

CPPICS Phase II targets commercially viable photonic technologies across four major application areas: high-speed optical transceivers for data centers, microwave photonics for advanced wireless communications, quantum photonics, and photonic computing for AI.

Among the planned developments is a 1.6 Tbps silicon photonics transceiver engine operating at 1550 nm for high-performance computing and data-center routing. The project also targets microwave photonic engines operating beyond 50 GHz, integrated QRNG/QKD systems and photonic processors for AI workloads.

The program also proposes development of a silicon photonics Process Design Kit incorporating more than 100 IP blocks for 200 mm wafer platforms, supporting the design and manufacture of increasingly complex photonic integrated circuits.

izmo Microsystems to drive packaging and industrialization

A key challenge in silicon photonics is converting a fabricated photonic chip into a reliable and manufacturable optical system.

CPPICS Phase II specifically envisages development of a volume photonics packaging ecosystem in collaboration with izmo Microsystems, addressing precision assembly, photonic packaging, testing and reliability required for commercial deployment.

Under the program, izmo Microsystems’ role progresses from packaging architecture and CPO interface definition to PIC-EIC co-integration, fiber alignment and attachment, production-grade packaging, process optimization, prototype assembly and reliability validation.

The five-year roadmap ultimately targets a certified co-packaged optics design rule and service capability, creating a pathway from silicon photonics research and foundry fabrication through packaging, qualification and system-level deployment.

Dinanath Soni, Director, izmo Microsystems Pvt. Ltd., said:

“Silicon photonics is becoming a critical technology for the next generation of AI and data-center infrastructure as network speeds move from 400G and 800G towards 1.6T and beyond.

The challenge is no longer only designing the photonic chip. Converting that chip into a reliable product requires precision packaging, fiber attachment, electronic-photonic integration, thermal management and high-speed testing.

CPPICS Phase II brings together IIT Madras’ silicon photonics research capabilities with izmo Microsystems’ advanced packaging and manufacturing expertise. Our role is to help move these technologies from research prototypes towards production-ready modules and co-packaged optical systems.”

Building on CPPICS Phase I

CPPICS Phase II builds on the first phase of the program, which achieved more than 95% of its planned milestones and generated research, IP and prototypes across programmable photonics, microwave photonics and quantum technologies.

Phase II expands the program toward technology translation, industrialization and commercialization, with applications spanning data centers, telecommunications, defence, quantum technologies and advanced computing.

Through the collaboration, izmo Microsystems intends to strengthen its advanced photonic packaging capabilities and participate in the emerging global market for silicon photonics, high-speed optical interconnects and co-packaged optics for AI and high-performance computing infrastructure.

About izmo Microsystems Pvt. Ltd.

izmo Microsystems Pvt. Ltd., a subsidiary of izmo Limited, is an advanced semiconductor packaging and manufacturing company based in Bengaluru, India. The company provides semiconductor package design, development, prototyping, qualification and manufacturing capabilities across advanced IC packaging, System-in-Package, RF and microwave packaging, and silicon photonics and optical packaging.

For more information, visit www.izmomicro.com / www.izmoltd.com or contact:

Investor Contact

izmo Limited

No. 177/2C, Bilekahalli Industrial Area, Bannerghatta Road, Bangalore 560076

CIN: L72200KA1995PLC018734

Email ID: investors@izmoltd.com 

Caution Concerning Forward- Looking Statements: Certain statements in this document may be forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties like regulatory changes, local political or economic developments, and many other factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by the relevant forward-looking statements. Further, past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results. Given these risks, uncertainties and other risk factors, viewers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. The Company will not be in any way responsible for any action taken based on such statements and undertakes no obligation to publicly update these forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances. 

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All 365 SPJIMR PGDM Class of 2028 participants placed; median stipend up 17% to ₹2 lakhs a month

91 companies take part, including 37 first-time recruiters

Key pointers:

• 365 participants placed, representing 100% of the Class of 2028
• ₹2 lakhs per month median stipend, up 17% year-on-year
• ₹3 lakhs per month highest stipend, up 20%
• 91 companies participated, including 37 first-time recruiters
• Average stipend rose 12% to ₹1.86 lakhs per month

MUMBAI, India, Oct. 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — All 365 participants of the Class of 2028 at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan’s S.P. Jain Institute of Management & Research (SPJIMR) have secured summer internships, with the median stipend rising 17% to ₹2 lakhs per month. Stipends rose at every level of the batch, the highest offer reached ₹3 lakhs per month, and 37 of the 91 participating companies recruited from SPJIMR for the first time. 

The Summer Internship Cycle covered the Post Graduate Diploma in Management (PGDM) and Post Graduate Diploma in Management Business Management (PGDM (BM)), SPJIMR’s flagship two-year programmes.

Prof. Varun Nagaraj, Dean, SPJIMR, said: “An internship is a student’s first real conversation with the world of work. What gratifies us this year is its breadth: every student placed, across consumer businesses, consulting, finance, technology and healthcare. Our purpose is to shape leaders who are willing to roll up their sleeves, work through ambiguity and create value for the right reasons. This cycle suggests that industry sees those qualities in our students.”

Key figures at a glance

More than half the batch secured ₹2 lakhs per month, while the top 20% of students received an average of ₹2.44 lakhs per month, and the top 50% received an average of ₹2.18 lakhs per month. The gains were not confined to the top of the cohort: the average rose 12% and the median 17%, which indicates broad-based demand rather than a few outlier offers.

Prof. Renuka Kamath, Associate Dean, Full-time Programmes, said: “True institutional excellence is measured not just by milestones, but by the meaningful trajectory of our participants’ careers. As our students begin this journey, they carry with them the SPJIMR ethos: to drive performance with integrity and build businesses that create value for society.”

New recruiters join the campus

Thirty-seven companies recruited from SPJIMR for the first time, including Amgen, Bajaj Auto, Britannia, Citi, D.E. Shaw & Co, Danone, DBS, Flipkart, Galderma, IBM, IDFC FIRST Bank, Kenvue, Kotak, NeoLiv, o3 Capital, SKF, Warner Bros., and Axis Bank.

FMCG and Consumer accounted for 33.1% of placements, followed by Consulting (23.5%) and BFSI (20.2%). General Management and Conglomerate roles made up 7.6%, and Technology, E-Commerce and Product roles 5%. The remaining 10.6% came from Automotive, Pharmaceuticals, Media, Energy, Real Estate, Engineering, Healthcare, and Biotech.

Prof. Ashita Aggarwal, Chairperson, PGDM and PGDM (BM), added: “Repeat recruiters show loyalty. First-time recruiters show conviction. Thirty-seven companies came to us for the first time this year, and they came for what our students bring: rigour, resilience, and a sense of responsibility.”

SPJIMR does not measure its success by the size of an offer. It measures it by the careers that follow, by how its graduates lead, build and serve. A first internship is where the journey begins, and a cohort placed in full, across sectors and with 37 first-time recruiters, begins it from a position of strength. The Financial Times Masters in Management ranking SPJIMR #2 globally for Careers Service reflects the same belief: that an institution’s real impact is seen in what its alumni go on to achieve.

The Class of 2028 now steps into the world of work with that foundation behind it, and with every opportunity to lead with purpose, build with wisdom, and create lasting value for business and society.

About SPJIMR

Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan’s S.P. Jain Institute of Management & Research (SPJIMR) is one of India’s leading postgraduate management institutes. It is recognised in the Financial Times Masters in Management 2026 ranking as the #26 business school globally and #2 in India and in the Financial Times Global MBA 2026 ranking as the #74 business school globally for its PGPM programme. SPJIMR is also consistently ranked among India’s top business schools by leading publications, including Business Today, Fortune India, India Today, and MBAUniverse. It has also been recognised by the Positive Impact Rating as one of the world’s top five business schools for societal impact. Known for its innovative and socially conscious approach to management education, research, and community engagement, SPJIMR seeks to influence managerial practice and enable value-based growth for students, alumni, organisations, and society. The institute holds the international Triple Crown of accreditations from EQUIS, AACSB, and AMBA, placing it among a select group of business schools worldwide to hold all three accreditations.

Visit SPJIMR.org for more information. 

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