IIT Mandi Receives USD 86,000 Donation Aid to Establish the Satish and Kamlesh Agrawal Charitable Fund

Mandi, Nov 22: The Indian Institute of Technology Mandi (IIT Mandi), one of India’s leading second-generation IITs, has announced a generous donation of over USD 86,000 (₹75 lakh) from Mr. Satish Agarwal and Ms. Kamlesh Agarwal, distinguished philanthropists based in the United States. This contribution will support the establishment of the “Satish and Kamlesh Agrawal Charitable Fund, Houston, Texas, USA,” a sustainable endowment dedicated to advancing education, research, and institutional growth at IIT Mandi.

The fund has been designed as a Master Account, where only the annual interest income—up to 90%—will be utilized for approved developmental initiatives. The principal corpus will remain intact, ensuring long-term financial sustainability. The endowment will support a wide range of initiatives, including:

• Student scholarships

• Faculty and student travel grants

• Infrastructure development

• Smart classroom projects

• Research and innovation programs

A Committee for Execution (CE) comprising IIT Mandi faculty members will oversee fund allocation, project selection, and reinvestment to ensure transparent and impactful utilization.

Leadership Expresses Gratitude;

Prof. Laxmidhar Behera, Director of IIT Mandi, extended heartfelt appreciation to the donors for their vision and commitment to strengthening higher education and innovation in India.

He noted that the collaboration was facilitated by the IIT Roorkee Foundation (IITRF), USA, expressing gratitude to its Board of Directors for their selfless support.

“The IITRF Board covers all administrative expenses from their own pockets, ensuring that 100% of donor contributions directly reach IIT Mandi and other recipient institutions. We deeply appreciate their guidance and continued efforts toward enabling impactful philanthropic partnerships.”
Prof. Laxmidhar Behera

Prof. Varun Dutt, Dean of Resource Generation & Alumni Relations (DORA), IIT Mandi, highlighted the long-term value of this contribution.

“We are sincerely thankful to Mr. Satish and Ms. Kamlesh Agrawal. This Charitable Fund serves as a strong model for sustainable philanthropy and will advance academic excellence, research, and innovation at IIT Mandi for generations.”

A Donor’s Commitment to Impact;

Reflecting on the contribution, Mr. Satish Agrawal shared;

“This fund is dedicated to promoting education, research, and community welfare through IIT Mandi. It reflects our belief in creating meaningful and lasting societal impact through knowledge and innovation.”

The DORA Office at IIT Mandi extended its sincere gratitude to the donors for their continued support and dedication to strengthening education, research, and social development.

Aadhar Housing Finance Strengthens its Operation in Madhya Pradesh with new branch in Katni

Madhya Pradesh, Nov 22nd: The Government’s recent announcement of ₹233 crore worth of development projects for the Katni region highlights the area’s rapid industrialisation and rising opportunities for business, youth and farmers. Aligning with this growth, Aadhar Housing Finance Ltd (AHFL), one of India’s leading low income housing finance companies, launched their new branch in Katni, Madhya Pradesh, to enhance reliable access to affordable home loans for lower- and middle-income families.

The inauguration ceremony was graced by the presence of the Chief Guest, CA Shashank Shrivastava, Ex Mayor, Nagar Palika Nigam, Katni. He has also served as an Ex Director of Bank of Maharashtra. The ceremony was also witnessed by Mr. Anil Nair, COO representing Adhar Housing Finance along with other dignitaries from the company.

Mr. Rishi Anand, Managing Director & CEO, Aadhar Housing Finance Limited said,

“Aadhar Housing Finance is committed to expanding affordable home loan access in key customer zones like Katni. With the Government’s continued focus on development, this new branch will help families realise their dream of owning a home by providing simple, reliable and timely credit support.”

Mr. Anil Nair, COO, Aadhar Housing Finance Limited said, 

“Most of the aspirational home buyers that we cater to are from the lesser served sections of the society. Be it a small business owner or individuals with insufficient documentation; our objective is to ensure that they can avail of home financing solutions to fulfil their home buying dreams.”

With its new branch, Aadhar Housing Finance aims to serve a wider base of customers in Katni, providing convenient, doorstep access to home loans and fulfilling its mission of enabling more families to realise their dream of owning a home.

India’s Labour Reforms- Quote from NLB Services, leading global technology and digital talent solutions provider

By  Sachin Alug, CEO, NLB Services:–“Albeit growing in size, the country’s gig workforce has long remained unorganized due to lax labour governance. The implementation of the four new labour codes is poised to usher in overdue reforms for this fast-expanding demographic. It’s high time this sector moved toward formalization, and we anticipate this step to pave the way for better protection, structure, and management within the gig economy.

The new laws are also expected to promote gender parity in the workforce by opening doors to wider opportunities across diverse sectors. Additionally, other groups such as contract workers, youth workers, and fixed-term employees stand to benefit from reforms that introduce clearer working-hour norms, expanded social security, minimum wage protections, health benefits, and more.”

Sarvam Properties Secures Equity Funding; Launches ₹300 Crore ‘Assure X’ Platform

Mumbai,  Nov 22: Sarvam Properties, a Mumbai-based real-estate solutions firm, has raised strategic equity funding from Dharmil Sheth, Dhaval Shah, and Hardik Dedhia, founders of PharmEasy and All Home, along with a select group of angel investors across India. Coinciding with the fundraise, the company announced the launch of Assure X, a ₹300 crore AI-powered initiative designed exclusively for developers partnering with Sarvam. The platform integrates high-performance sales execution with on-demand liquidity support, offering a structured mechanism for predictable project cash flows within Mumbai’s realestate ecosystem.

The fundraise marks a major step in Sarvam’s plan to address a long-standing challenge in Mumbai’s real-estate market. Developers often face liquidity strain between sales progress and cash-flow realization. When inflows lag construction schedules, even projects with strong demand can experience delays. Assure X addresses this challenge by using real-time sales data and predefined liquidity triggers to anticipate funding gaps and facilitate timely capital infusion, ensuring steady project execution. The alignment of performance metrics with prompt capital access enables developers to maintain execution pace and meet delivery timelines.

Reflecting on the milestone Manan Joshi, Founder of Sarvam Properties;said: “Our goal has always been to make real-estate execution as cohesive and dependable as the assets it produces. Assure X is an extension of that belief. It is a framework that converts market complexity into measurable order. For developers, it means working within a system where progress and liquidity move in tandem.”

The capital raise will enable Sarvam to strengthen its operating framework and extend its reach across Mumbai’s development corridors. The company plans to expand its technology infrastructure, deepen advisory capabilities, and build specialist teams for project strategy and customer engagement.

Speaking on Sarvam’s operational approach, Monty Joshi, Co-Founder of Sarvam Properties, said: “Technology has always been central to how we operate. With Assure X, we are extending that approach, using AI not as a label but as a tool that brings clarity, precision, and speed to project execution, positioning Sarvam as a dependable ally for developers focused on efficiency and timely delivery.”

The equity participation highlights investor conviction in analytics-led, accountable practices within real estate, in line with Sarvam’s plan to professionalize developer services.

Commenting on investor interest, Dhaval Hemani, Co-Founder of Sarvam Properties, said: “We are privileged to partner with founders who have built some of India’s notable digital enterprises. Their entrepreneurial vision and disciplined approach bring perspective that extends well beyond capital, helping us scale responsibly and deliver measurable efficiency.”

Recent industry reports indicate that equity investments in Indian real estate rose 48% to about $3.8 billion in Q3 FY25, signalling renewed investor activity in the real estate sector. As this trend gathers pace, Sarvam is contributing to a more organized and performance-led developer ecosystem through initiatives such as Assure X.