15, Oct 2025
Roots at Mahindra University reveals stellar line-up bridging tradition and youth
Hyderabad, 15th October 2025: Mahindra Group’s newest cultural initiative, Roots at Mahindra University – a one day festival bridging ancient traditions with today’s youth – has finally unveiled its line-up of diversely talented artists. With this new IP, Mahindra is breaking ground by empowering students to create a living, breathing ecosystem where heritage becomes an active, two-way dialogue. The festival will place the next generation at the very heart of cultural sustainability.

India’s cultural heritage is diverse, and shifting every few hundred kilometres. But what happens when this thriving culture faces the danger of becoming a niche? For a generation of digital natives, these traditions are not just about history but a piece of identity shedding away. So, they want to extend their efforts towards sustaining these traditions and confluence it into the mainstream. And from this desire, Roots at Mahindra University was born. The students’ mission is simple but profound: to give unique legacy art forms a stage in the here and now.
And the line-up of the festival reflects this very philosophy with: The Raghu Dixit Project, pioneers of India’s folk-rock movement who have redefined Kannada folk poetry for global audiences. Swarathma, who turns music into environmental, social and cultural activism with electrifying performances. Bringing a northern flavour is Alif, aka, Mohammed Muneem Nazir, a poet, singer
songwriter from Kashmir. His work on Coke Studio Bharat and Made In Heaven is steeped in ideas of identity, longing, and resilience. Not to forget Hamza Rahimtula + Rajasthan Folkstars’ rare dialogue between DJing and Manganiyar traditions led by Khartal virtuoso Jaisa Khan and Firoz Khan on the Bhapang and Morchang. It started as a spontaneous collaboration that has pushed Rajasthani folk into global dance circuits.
Meanwhile, there’s Gotte Kanakavva, the 65-year-old daily-wage worker and farmer who is now a folk icon, awarded and celebrated for keeping Bathukamma songs alive. Lastly, Arko and Friends ft. Gaboo’s fresh collaboration will bring together Bollywood with indie experimentation, bridging popular and alt music.
“Young people often express the need to reconnect to India’s artistic traditions, and believe they must shoulder the responsibility to both preserve and reinvent them. Roots is a manifestation of this belief. This is not nostalgia but a generational mandate. It is their way of saying that culture is not a museum exhibit but alive, and belongs in the present to the young. By bringing forgotten art forms through authentic acts in contemporary spaces, Roots is not just preserving traditions but evolving them,” said Jay Shah, Vice President, Head – Cultural Outreach, Mahindra & Mahindra
Dr. Yajulu Medury, Vice Chancellor of Mahindra University, added, “Roots is not a festival planned from the top down for the attendees. The very generation it endeavours to inspire is the one building it piece by piece from the ground up – not just as volunteers but as cultural entrepreneurs. And the line-up of the festival embodies this ethos of not just preserving the past but making it relevant for the future.”
Roots at Mahindra University promises not just performances but a cultural movement demonstrating how the youth has the power and the responsibility to keep the chain of memory alive, and become guardians of India’s cultural future.
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- By Neel Achary
15, Oct 2025
Agora Builds on Exotel’s AgentStream to Deliver Real-Time AI Voice Bots
Bangalore, October 15, 2025 : Agora, Inc. (NASDAQ: API), a global leader in real-time engagement and conversational AI technology, is building on Exotel’s programmable voice streaming platform to deliver intelligent AI voice bot experiences at scale. Exotel, a leading provider of AI transformation for customer engagement and experience, powers the streaming infrastructure that enables Agora’s Conversational AI Engine to deploy seamless, human-like conversations across multiple voice and digital channels without the complexity of managing telephony or connectivity layers.
Exotel AgentStream is a real-time voice streaming platform that connects AI bots to users across PSTN, WhatsApp, in-app, and WebRTC channels. Combined with Agora’s Conversational AI Engine, the solution empowers enterprises to deliver natural, real-time conversations at scale.
Trusted by more than 7,000 enterprises worldwide across industries such as BFSI, Logistics, Consumer Durables, E-commerce, Healthcare, and Education, Exotel handles over 25 billion annual conversations. With this collaboration, enterprises in India and the Middle East can leverage a reliable, secure, and intelligent voice AI infrastructure designed to boost customer satisfaction, streamline operations, and accelerate digital transformation.
Together, Agora and Exotel are targeting 50–100 million AI-led voice interactions annually across India and the Middle East, enabling enterprises to automate 30–40% of routine voice queries and reduce operational costs by up to 30%. These projections are informed by regional conversational-AI market growth and early enterprise pilot data, which show that voice automation can significantly lower handling times while improving customer experience.
“Enterprises today are seeking scalable and intelligent AI solutions that can deliver human-like customer experiences in real time. Our partnership with Exotel combines the strengths of Agora’s Conversational AI Engine with Exotel’s robust programmable voice infrastructure, making it easier for enterprises to deploy AI agents that enhance customer engagement and operational efficiency,” said Tony Zhao, CEO and Co-founder of Agora.
“Exotel’s programmable streaming infrastructure allows technology providers like Agora to focus on intelligence and experience, while we power the connectivity behind it,” said Sachin Bhatia, Co-founder and COO, Exotel. “This integration showcases how global AI players can build on Exotel AgentStream to bring reliable, high-quality voice interactions to market.”
This deployment marks a key milestone in advancing enterprise-ready voice AI adoption in high-growth markets like India and the Middle East, empowering organizations to unlock new levels of automation, personalization, and efficiency in customer engagement.
Agora’s conversational AI solutions are built to make AI feel less like a robotic tool and more like a trusted, knowledgeable helper. Agora’s Conversational AI Engine enables developers to build lifelike, real-time voice agents using any LLM. Powered by Agora’s real-time engagement (RTE) infrastructure, these agents can converse more naturally with ultra-low latency responses and intelligent interruption handling—even under poor network conditions and in noisy environments.
15, Oct 2025
Senco Gold & Diamonds Unveils ‘Shagun Collection’ Featuring Kiara Advani for Dhanteras
This Dhanteras, Senco Gold & Diamonds launches the ‘Shagun Collection’ with a wholesome Campaign with Kiara Advani
Mumbai, October 15th, 2025 : This Dhanteras, Senco Gold & Diamonds, India’s most trusted jewellery house, unveils the Shagun Collection – a carefully curated range of jewellery in yellow gold, diamond, antique, and polki, designed to add a meaningful touch to festive celebrations. Complementing the signature range are collections for every occasion, from the trendy Lotus Collection by Everlite to the contemporary Tattwa Collection by Gossip Silver and Fashion Jewellery, as well as the men’s Aham Collection and the Hearts & Arrows cut diamond pieces from the Perfect Love Collection.
To mark the launch, Senco Gold & Diamonds brings alive the festivities through a sparkling campaign featuring Kiara Advani. The campaign unfolds as a poetic celebration of togetherness – where every shimmer of gold mirrors the glow of love, and every piece of Senco jewellery becomes a keeper of memories. Set against the luminous backdrop of Diwali and Dhanteras, the narrative brings alive intimate, heartwarming moments shared among families and loved ones – a husband’s surprise, a mother-daughter ritual, a grandmother’s diya tradition. Each story captures the gentle rhythm of festive life, where emotions glisten brighter than the lights themselves.
At the heart of these vignettes is Kiara Advani, as a silent observer – a symbol of Senco’s spirit. She moves gracefully through each frame, connecting one story to another like a golden thread of tradition and affection. Through her eyes, we see how Senco jewellery becomes part of life’s sacred rituals, transforming every gesture of giving into a timeless expression of love and blessings.
Speaking on the launch, Ms. Joita Sen, Director, Head of Marketing and Designs, Senco Gold & Diamonds, said, “Dhanteras is a time of joy, love, and new beginnings—a season that brings families together and turns simple moments into cherished memories. Through the campaign, we wanted to capture the heart of these celebrations – the excitement of giving, the warmth of family traditions, and the meaningful gestures that make this festival so special. The film tells these stories beautifully, showing how Senco jewellery becomes a part of life’s most intimate moments, carrying love, blessings, and memories from one generation to the next. Every piece in the Shagun Collection is crafted with this emotion in mind – true karigari that becomes an important part of the emotions families experience together at festivals.”
Adding to the festive cheer are exciting offers that make this season even more rewarding. Customers can enjoy ₹700–₹1,000 per gram cashback on gold jewellery and up to 15% off on diamond pieces, along with 100% value on old gold exchange.
15, Oct 2025
Apna.co Expands into Voice AI with Blue Machines Sees Rapid Enterprise AI Adoption
Mumbai, October 15, 2025 – Apna.co, India’s leading jobs and careers platform, today announced the launch of BlueMachines.ai, its new vertical an enterprise-grade Voice AI platform built for reliability and scale. It allows enterprises to deploy AI-powered voice agents in production. Within the first 45 days of operations, Blue Machines has already signed over $6 million in enterprise contracts momentum that places it among the fastest enterprise AI adoption curves in India. The platform is already powering deployments across industries such as lending, mutual funds, insurance, healthcare, recruitment, and edtech. As global workforces shift from human-only to human-plus-AI agents, Apna’s expansion into Blue Machines reflects its focus on empowering enterprises to hire talent and deploy AI agents within their workforce.

“Blue Machines marks India’s entry into the global enterprise Voice AI platform race. We’re winning because of the platform’s execution, speed, and reliability deployments go live in under a week, compared to the industry average of five to six weeks. The platform has delivered a 100% implementation success rate, a benchmark rarely matched in enterprise AI. Blue Machines is growing very rapidly and is a valuable addition to our current set of businesses, which themselves are growing at an impressive 52% year-over-year in 2025,” said Nirmit Parikh, Founder and Group CEO.
The Blue Machines platform is enterprise-grade and scalable, with round-trip latency under 300 milliseconds, multilingual fluency across Indian languages and dialects, and enterprise-grade data governance. Blue Machines operates on a platform-plus-people model, combining advanced AI infrastructure with dedicated Forward-Deployed Engineers (FDEs) to ensure every deployment moves smoothly from prototype to production
“Every company is experimenting with AI, but very few are running it in production,” said Kshitij Jain, COO of Blue Machines. “Blue Machines changes that by combining a global-scale architecture with forward-deployed engineering, enabling enterprises to go live in days, not months — fully operational, compliant, and proven at scale. It just works.” Blue Machines is rapidly scaling as an independent business unit, with a dedicated team focused on building a strong global enterprise contract pipeline. This strategic direction will fuel its growth, enabling the platform to expand its reach and strengthen its position as a leader in the enterprise AI space worldwide.
15, Oct 2025
HCLTech partners with GSMA to accelerate telecom innovation through the GSMA Open Gateway initiative
Recognized as the first global technology company to join initiative, strategic alliance will fast-track the adoption of programmable networks and unlock new monetization opportunities for CSPs worldwide
NEW YORK and NOIDA, India, Oct. 15, 2025 — HCLTech, a leading global technology company, and GSMA, a global organization unifying the mobile ecosystem, are collaborating to advance the GSMA Open Gateway initiative, which works toward enhancing customer experiences, streamlining application development and unlock new revenue streams for the global telecoms industry. As the first and only global technology company to join the initiative and a trusted technology partner in the Open Gateway ecosystem, HCLTech reinforces its commitment to fostering openness, driving monetization and accelerating innovation across the telecom network.
By enabling ‘Network as a Platform’ models, the GSMA Open Gateway initiative is redefining how Communication Service Providers (CSPs) expose and consume network capabilities through standardized APIs. As one of the fastest-growing global SIs in the telecom industry, HCLTech will contribute its cutting-edge solutions, deep domain expertise and extensive system integration (SI) experience to scale the initiative globally.
HCLTech’s contributions will include:
A converged network monetization platform to unlock new revenue streams.
A secure and scalable network API layer to enable autonomous networks.
Agentic AI solutions integrated with native network APIs.
End-to-end implementation and integration services tailored for Open Gateway environments.
Industry-specific use cases across 10+ verticals, including manufacturing, energy, government, automotive, travel, healthcare and financial services.
“We are not just joining an initiative — we are shaping the future of telecom,” said Anil Ganjoo, Chief Growth Officer, Global Technology, Media and Telecommunications at HCLTech. “Our alliance with GSMA reflects our commitment to empowering CSPs with agile, programmable networks. With our proprietary IP, AI capabilities and global scale, we are positioned to deliver real-world impact across the telecom value chain.”
“We are delighted to welcome HCLTech to the GSMA Open Gateway partner community,” said Henry Calvert, Head of Networks at GSMA. “With their proven expertise across 200+ CSPs globally and broad digital transformation capabilities, HCLTech will play a key role in accelerating adoption and delivering innovative, real-world use cases.”
With participation from over 79 mobile operator groups, representing 291 carrier networks and nearly 80% of mobile connections around the world, Open Gateway is becoming a foundational pillar of the future telecom architecture. This partnership underscores a pivotal shift in the industry—where collaboration, openness and innovation converge to create the networks of tomorrow.
14, Oct 2025
PhonePe announces exciting cashback offers on 24K Digital Gold this Dhanteras
October 14, 2025: PhonePe, today announced exciting cashback offers on 24k Digital Gold on the occasion of Dhanteras. Users can avail flat 2% cashback (up to INR 2000) on purchasing a minimum of INR 2000 worth of digital gold from PhonePe. The offer is applicable on October 18, 2025 for one-time transactions only.
Users can purchase 99.99% purity-certified 24K Digital Gold on the PhonePe platform, from leading and trusted players in the digital gold space like MMTC-PAMP, SafeGold and Caratlane. Over 1.6 Crore customers across India have bought high purity 24K gold on the PhonePe platform.
Apart from one time purchase, PhonePe also empowers users to invest in Gold digitally via Daily or Monthly SIPs and helps customers invest long term systematically. Customers also have the flexibility to invest any amount (starting as low as Rs. 5) and sell their gold holdings anytime, with the money credited to their bank accounts.
Here is a step-by-step guide to avail this special cashback offer while buying Gold on PhonePe:
- Click on the ‘Digital Gold’ icon on the PhonePe Homepage.
- Click on ‘Buy Digital Gold’
- Proceed by selecting “Buy in rupees” and add a minimum Rs.2000 worth of 24K Gold
- Check the final details of your Gold purchase and click on ‘Proceed to Pay’, and it’s done.
Offer is valid from 18th October 2025, 00:00 AM to 18th October, 2025, 11:59 PM only on one-time transactions. Minimum order value is Rs. 2000. Valid once per user.
14, Oct 2025
MMRC and Cityflo launch feeder buses to bridge last mile gap for Metro Line 3
Mumbai, 14 october 2025 : The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) and Cityflo today announced a strategic partnership to introduce dedicated feeder bus services for Mumbai Metro Line 3, with its 3rd phase launched on 8th Oct. The collaboration marks a significant step in addressing one of the city’s most persistent transit challenges of first- and last-mile connectivity, and is expected to play a critical role in driving higher metro adoption across the city.

India’s metro systems have expanded rapidly over the past decade, growing from 248 kilometres across five cities in 2014 to over 1,000 kilometres across 23 cities today. In Mumbai, elevated Metro Lines 2A and 7 have already carried more than 200 million passenger journeys in over 3 years, with daily ridership averaging over 300,000. This type of 1st and last mile commute will further enhance the metro ridership
The MMRC – Cityflo partnership is designed to directly address this friction point. Services will be launched at high-demand stations including Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC), Worli, and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), with buses running every 10 minutes during peak hours to ensure minimal waiting time. The initiative will feature integrated ticketing through both the Cityflo app and the Metro Connect 3 app. Over time, deeper integration will allow commuters to book Cityflo feeder services directly within the metro application and vice versa creating a seamless digital journey. Introductory fares are expected to be set at ₹29 per single ride, with a monthly pass option at ₹499 to encourage daily use and build habitual adoption.
Commenting on the partnership, Mr. R. Ramana, Director (Planning & Real Estate Development / NFBR), MMRC, said: “With Metro Line 3, Mumbai is entering a transformative phase in its mobility journey. However, the true success of the metro system will depend on how easily people can access it from their homes to workplaces and back. Through our feeder networks, we are solving this, by ensuring that commuters benefit from a reliable and convenient extension of their metro journey.”
Jerin Venad, CEO, Cityflo added: “We’re excited to partner with MMRC to bring feeder buses to the metro network. This is a natural extension of our mission to make urban commutes frictionless, whether through our direct bus network or by integrating with public transit systems to provide a seamless experience for everyone. Our goal has always been to facilitate a shift from private cars to mass transit, and we’re confident this service will become a catalyst for millions of commuters to embrace a more sustainable way to commute.”
This initiative represents a structural shift in how Mumbai’s transit ecosystem functions, which seeks to unify rail and land urban mobility into a coherent, technology-driven network. By closing the last-mile gap, the partnership aims to improve commuter convenience but also accelerate modal shift away from private vehicles, contributing to reduced congestion and a more sustainable urban environment.
14, Oct 2025
Hamdard Honey: The Golden Standard of Assured Quality
Delhi, 14 October, 2025: For over a century, Hamdard Foods India has stood for purity, trust, and wellness. At the heart of its portfolio is Hamdard Honey, a product that has become a symbol of natural goodness and health. Carefully sourced from the finest apiaries and processed, Hamdard Honey is packed with the assurance of Quality & Food Safety Standard. making it an everyday refined sugar replacer that fits seamlessly into today’s fast-paced lifestyles.

A natural replacement for refined sugar, Hamdard Honey is more than just a sweetener it’s a home essential. Whether drizzled over breakfast, stirred into teas, blended into smoothies, or simply consumed with warm water, Hamdard Honey offers a great way to start the day. Backed by stringent quality checks, it ensures every drop has assured quality and trust, true to Hamdard’s uncompromising legacy.
Speaking about the brand’s focus, Mr. Hamid Ahmed, CEO of Hamdard Foods India, said: “Hamdard Honey represents everything we stand for quality, trust, and safety standards. Consumers today are looking for natural alternatives to ultra processed foods, and Hamdard Honey delivers exactly that. It’s not just about taste, it’s about life with the goodness of nature. At Hamdard, we remain committed to bringing products that inspire smart choices without compromise.”
With the association of Aditi Rao Hydari with Hamdard Honey, she strengthens the brand’s legacy and promise with her natural elegance and genuine lifestyle. Aditi embodies the “No Compromise” philosophy, reflecting how purity and quality are non-negotiable when it comes to health and well-being.
Sharing her thoughts, Aditi Rao Hydari said: “For me, wellness is all about simple, pure choices and Hamdard Honey represents that perfectly. It’s versatile, natural, and something I can trust completely. Whether I use it in my morning routine or in recipes, Hamdard Honey assures me that I’m making the right choice for my health.”
With its blend of trust and innovation, Hamdard Honey continues to inspire families to adopt wiser lifestyles. As the best form of nature’s sweetness, it remains a trusted ally for taste, and well-being ensuring that when it comes to honey, there is simply no compromise in terms of Quality & Food Safety Standards.
14, Oct 2025
Wholesale Price Inflation Eases to 0.13% in September 2025 as Food and Energy Prices Moderate: PHDCCI
Wholesale Price Index (WPI) data for September 2025 (Provisional), showing that the annual inflation rate stood at 0.13 percent compared to September 2024. On a month-on-month basis, the WPI declined by 0.19 percent, reflecting continued moderation in wholesale price pressures, said Mr. Rajeev Juneja, President, PHDCCI in a press statement issued here today.
The low overall inflation in September was primarily driven by declines in food and primary article prices, even as manufactured product prices showed a mild increase. In the Primary Articles category, prices fell largely due to lower prices of cereals, pulses, vegetables, and non-food articles such as fibres and oilseeds, which is also reflected in CPI for September 2025, he said.
He added the moderation in wholesale prices was mainly due to lower food and energy costs, a strong agricultural output, and stable commodity prices globally. Improved supply-side conditions following a good monsoon, alongside government interventions to check retail prices of essential commodities, also contributed to the decline.
However, the manufactured goods sector continued to witness moderate price rises due to elevated input costs, particularly for raw materials like metals and chemicals, and steady domestic demand in industrial sectors such as cement, steel, and consumer durables, he said.
International crude oil prices showed mild volatility during the month, but remained range-bound, preventing a significant pass-through to domestic fuel inflation. Meanwhile, favourable currency movements and easing global commodity prices (particularly in edible oils and industrial inputs) further reduced cost pressures on producers, he said.
Looking ahead, wholesale inflation is expected to remain benign in the coming months, supported by adequate food supply, stable global commodity prices, and government measures to control inflation in key sectors. The harvest of kharif crops and the expected arrival of rabi produce in the next quarter are likely to keep food inflation contained, says Dr. Ranjeet Mehta, CEO & Secretary General, PHDCCI.
14, Oct 2025
JIS Group Chooses D2L Brightspace to Transform Learning Across Campuses
JIS Group Selects D2L Brightspace to Help Power the Future of Learning Across All Their Campus Institutions
Kolkata, India, October 14, 2025 : D2L, a global leader in learning technology, announced that the JIS Group, one of Eastern India’s largest and respected educational conglomerates has chosen D2L Brightspace as its new learning platform. This strategic move is a key milestone in JIS Group’s goal to fully digitize its campuses, enhance academic delivery, and elevate the learning experience for both students and faculty.
JIS Group has 45,000+ learners across campuses and is currently implementing D2L Brightspace Core with D2L Creator+ across all its institutions. D2L Brightspace will benefit students by helping to provide them with a unique experience through a blended learning approach. D2L Brightspace will also support faculty by helping to enable more dynamic, highly interactive teaching methods.
“D2L Brightspace expands the possibilities beyond simple course delivery, allowing our faculty to work more efficiently, create better learning experiences, enhance learning engagement, improve decision-making capabilities through real-time analytics, and ensure that every student has long-term access to their academic journey,” said Sardar Simarpreet Singh, Director – JIS Group. “With D2L Brightspace’s intuitive design and robust data capabilities, we can now foster a truly connected, collaborative environment where students continue to learn and grow well beyond the classroom.”
“This marks a significant milestone for D2L in India, strengthening our vision to redefine how learning is delivered and experienced across the country,” said Vivek Iyer, Managing Director for D2L India. “With D2L Brightspace, faculty and students will have access to a versatile, data-driven, and innovative platform that can help empower them to adapt and thrive in an education landscape that is evolving faster than ever before.”
D2L’s work with JIS Group reflects their effort to help digitize their campuses and lead with innovation, accessibility, and data-driven education. With its industry-recognized capabilities and robust support for blended and personalized learning, D2L Brightspace can offer a strategic, long-term solution to help empower JIS Group in delivering exceptional learning experiences and measurable outcomes.