Hong Kong
Hong Kong’s Halloween celebrations have long been recognised across Asia for their vibrant atmosphere and creative diversity. This year, the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) is scaling up the event by joining hands with industry partners to launch the first-ever “Hong Kong Halloween Month”, a city-wide, cosplay themed street party that will roll out over several weeks at popular tourist spots. Combined with signature Halloween programmes at Hong Kong Disneyland Resort and Ocean Park Hong Kong, as well as a range of exclusive, limited-time experiences around town, the initiative will transform the entire city into a giant Halloween party and give travellers a compelling reason to visit.
 

The theme of “Hong Kong Halloween Month” is “Make the Streets Your Runway”​
 

HKTB Executive Director Anthony Lau said, “What was once concentrated on a single day or a few venues is being upgraded into ‘Hong Kong Halloween Month’, a city-wide celebration spanning an entire month. We want to turn up the festive energy across all corners of the city and invite visitors and locals alike to dress up, join the street party themed ‘Make the Streets Your Runway’, and experience a Halloween celebration found ‘Only in Hong Kong’. I extend my sincere gratitude to all our partners, supporting organisations and the wider industry for coming together to deliver the most exciting Halloween festivities possible. Our shared ambition is to make Hong Kong the go-to Halloween destination in Asia — the first city that comes to mind when people think of where to celebrate — while drive footfall and business opportunities across districts and sectors.”

Hong Kong’s Largest Halloween Cosplay Street Party Takes Centre Stage as The Whole City Dresses Up to Join the Revelry
In addition to promoting the Halloween celebrations at the two major theme parks, HKTB has partnered with Hongkong Land, Kai Tak Sports Park, the Lan Kwai Fong Association, Langham Place and Sino Group to elevate the city’s Halloween festivities, creating Hong Kong’s largest-ever cross-district Halloween cosplay street party and calling on people of all ages to dress up and join in the Halloween revelry.

Starting on 17 October and spanning three consecutive Saturdays, popular tourism districts including Central, Kai Tak, Lan Kwai Fong, Mong Kok and Tsim Sha Tsui will come alive with Halloween cosplay street parties featuring a wide array of programmes, including electronic music parties, cosplay carnivals, interactive ghost performances and immersive experiences. Blending classic Halloween elements with popular anime and movie characters, contemporary art and distinctive local culture such as Hong Kong’s iconic red minibuses and Cantopop, the events will offer a uniquely Hong Kong Halloween experience. The citywide festivities will culminate on Halloween night, 31 October, inviting locals and visitors alike to join in the fun across the city.

Signature Halloween Events at Two Major Theme Parks Now in Full Swing
Hong Kong’s two theme parks have once again rolled out their highly anticipated signature Halloween events, complementing the citywide festive atmosphere and adding even more exciting experiences to “HK Halloween Month”.

From now until 1 November, Hong Kong Disneyland Resort presents “Disney Halloween Time”, transforming the resort into an ultimate playground for guests to dress-up and have fun! Disney Villains and Disney friends are ready for wicked encounters with guests, bringing a line-up of entertainment offerings, including the all-new musical celebration “Mickey’s Happy Halloween Adventure”, a grander “Uninvited! A Villains Takeover Party”, award-winning musical “Let’s Get Wicked”, along with a variety of themed food and beverages, merchandise, and Trick-or-Treat experiences.

Ocean Park Hong Kong’s annual “Halloween Fest” is making a sensational return! Running from now until 1 November, the event unlocks four thrilling scare experiences and a packed line-up of unmissable Halloween entertainment. Highlights include a landmark collaboration with “Under the Castle”, an original intellectual property (IP) created by internationally renowned artist Jackson Wang, delivering an immersive, multi-sensory horror experience. Visitors can also enjoy themed dining, limited-edition merchandise, and a series of interactive activities. Blending scares with high-energy fun, Ocean Park welcomes visitors to celebrate Halloween at the Park.

Open-Top Sightseeing Buses and “Ding Ding” Specially Open for Halloween — Free Rides for Festively Dressed Visitors
The “Hong Kong Halloween Month” festive experience will further extend across the city as HKTB has teamed up with Citybus and Hong Kong Tramways to offer complimentary Halloween night rides, allowing visitors to soak up the atmosphere and capture memorable photos along the way.

Citybus will launch a Halloween-themed open-top sightseeing bus route to major festive hotspots on Hong Kong Island and in Kowloon, including Statue Square in Central, Langham Place in Mong Kok, Kai Tak Sports Park, Tsim Sha Tsui Centre and Lan Kwai Fong. Visitors who turn up in creative Halloween costumes can ride for free and take in the city’s lively Halloween atmosphere from a whole new perspective.
 

Meanwhile, the long-established Hong Kong Tramways will also transform two themed trams into Halloween party trams, running between Causeway Bay and Sheung Wan (Western Market). Normally reserved for private hire, the party trams will be specially opened to the public this Halloween. Visitors dressed in festive attire can hop on board free of charge and enjoy Hong Kong’s night scenery as part of a one-of-a-kind Halloween “Ding Ding” tram experience. 
 

The number of operating days and departures for the limited-time free night rides on the Citybus sightseeing buses and the Hong Kong Tramways party trams will be a total of six days, covering 17–18 October (Saturday and Sunday), 24–25 October (Saturday and Sunday) and 30–31 October (Halloween Eve and Halloween Day). The sightseeing buses will run between various locations, departing every 45 minutes. While the party trams will depart hourly. The increased frequency allows participants to plan their itineraries flexibly and enjoy multiple Halloween hotspots with ease.
 

Share Your Halloween Moments and Win Prizes 

To encourage visitors to take part in “Hong Kong Halloween Month” and share their festive experiences, HKTB will host a social media campaign during the event period. Participants simply need to post photos or short videos taken in Hong Kong that capture the Halloween atmosphere, tag @discoverhongkong, and include the designated hashtags #HKHalloweenMonth and #OnlyInHongKong. HKTB will then select the most creative and entertaining entries. Winners will receive attractive prizes, and their works may also be featured on HKTB’s promotional platforms to showcase Hong Kong’s unique Halloween charm to global audiences. Stay tuned to Discover Hong Kong’s social media channels for full event details. 
 

HKTB “Hong Kong Halloween Month” Page — Your Go-To Guide for All Halloween Highlights 

During “Hong Kong Halloween Month,” festive spirit will fill districts across the city. Large-scale Halloween installations and themed activities will be staged at venues such as the West Kowloon Cultural District and Tai Kwun. To make it easier for visitors and locals to plan their itineraries, HKTB has launched a dedicated “Hong Kong Halloween Month” page on its Discover Hong Kong one-stop travel information platform (www.discoverhongkong.com/eng/events/halloween.html). The page consolidates details of Halloween events across the city, including popular photo spots, cosplay street parties, programmes at the two major theme parks, festive transport experiences, and limited-time offers. 

SharonPly honoured five master woodcraft artisans at the seventh edition of its annual I AM STRONGEST Awards, recognising their exceptional craftsmanship, dedication and contribution to preserving India’s rich woodcraft traditions.

L-R: Kumarasamy Ramesh, S. Thirunavukkarasu, S. Maasnam, Vishnu Khemani, Appar Lakshmanan and R. Rangachari at I AM STRONGEST Awards

The 2026 edition, themed “CARVED IN STRENGTH: Honouring Generations of Craftsmanship & Innovation,” celebrated the people behind some of the country’s most intricate wooden creations. From temple chariots and sacred sculptures to monumental doors and architectural woodwork, the awardees represent generations of knowledge, skill and perseverance that continue to keep traditional craftsmanship alive.

The five awardees were Perunthachar Appar Lakshmanan, Dr. R. Rangachari Sthapathi, Thiru. S. Maasanam Achari, Thiru. S. Thirunavukkarasu Sthapathi, and Thiru. Kumarasamy Ramesh Sthapathi. Their work spans temple and heritage projects across India and overseas, while their contributions extend beyond craftsmanship to training, knowledge-sharing and supporting the wider artisan community.

Perunthachar Appar Lakshmanan was recognised for his innovative approach to traditional carpentry, including his distinctive wooden car, bike and household creations. A master carpenter from the Thiruvallur region, he has created temple chariots at several locations across Tamil Nadu, including the Tamil Ther at Chennai International Airport. A recipient of the Poompuhar State Award for 2011–2012, he has also authored ten books on carpentry and trained students in wood sculpture.

Dr. R. Rangachari Sthapathi was honoured for carrying forward a 13-generation legacy of temple chariot making and traditional wood sculpture. Through Rangachari Traditional Wood Sculptures, he creates hand-carved sculptures, decorative panels and architectural woodwork rooted in Tamil Nadu’s craft traditions. His work reflects both the intricate detailing of traditional sculpture and his commitment to passing this knowledge on to future generations.

Thiru. S. Maasanam Achari was recognised for his mastery of large-scale wood carving using traditional hand tools. Based in Madurai, he continues a family craft tradition spanning for about 55 years, working with his brothers to create deity figures, Chettinad-style doors and pooja mandapams. His family workshop has contributed wooden structural components to the Meenakshi Amman Temple’s Velli Ambalam silver mandapam and supplied carved pillars and deity sculptures to Malaysia.

Thiru. S. Thirunavukkarasu Sthapathi was honoured for his extensive contribution to crafting temple vahanams and preserving the intricate sculptural traditions associated with sacred processional works. A graduate of the Government College of Sculpture and Architecture, Mamallapuram, he carries forward his traditional practice through MARABU in Andipandal. His major works include a 62-foot chariot for the Sri Pandurangan–Rukmini Temple at Govindapuram and the 32-foot Athi Vinayagar sculpture, carved from athi wood, installed in Nagapattinam.

Thiru. Kumarasamy Ramesh Sthapathi was recognised for combining craftsmanship with a strong commitment to the welfare of fellow artisans. With more than two decades of experience, he leads Manasa Wood Creations, specialising in traditional woodcraft and large temple timber structures. Among his major projects are the 90 doors created for Ayodhya’s Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir, handed over in November 2025, along with temple projects undertaken in India and overseas.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Vishnu Khemani, Founder and Managing Director, SharonPly, said, “A finished creation reflects not just skill, but years of learning, discipline and experience. Through this year’s I AM STRONGEST Awards, we place the maker at the centre, celebrating artisans whose expertise preserves traditional knowledge while evolving with contemporary needs. CARVED IN STRENGTH reflects SharonPly’s long standing association with wood and our respect for the craftsmanship that transforms it into functional, architectural and cultural creations. By honouring these masters of woodcraft, we hope to inspire greater appreciation for skilled craftsmanship and encourage the transfer of knowledge across generations. I AM STRONGEST continues to spotlight individuals whose achievements and contributions inspire others.”

I AM STRONGEST: Celebrating Strength in Every Form

Launched in 2019, the SharonPly I AM STRONGEST Awards celebrates individuals whose actions demonstrate strength, resilience and service to society. Its first edition honoured wheelchair basketball player Malathi and social change maker Logammal. In 2020, the Awards paid tribute to frontline workers who lost their lives during the COVID-19 pandemic, while the 2021 edition recognised everyday heroes who supported communities during the pandemic’s second wave. Both editions were held online. In 2022, the platform turned its attention to animal welfare, celebrating individuals whose work extended to birds, elephants and other animals. The 2024 edition honoured Tamil Nadu’s Olympic hockey legends, while the 2025 edition recognised retired senior Army officers who continue to contribute to public understanding as defence analysts.

With each edition, I AM STRONGEST has sought to make a different form of strength visible. In 2026, the spotlight turned to artisans whose names may be less familiar than the remarkable works they have created—recognising the skill, experience and dedication behind generations of craftsmanship.

About SharonPly

Established in 1987, SharonPly offers plywood, decorative veneers, doors and related products. Its manufacturing facility is located in Gummidipoondi – India’s largest plywood manufacturing facility, near Chennai, and is among. The company’s connection with wood gives the 2026 edition of I AM STRONGEST Awards particular significance, as it recognises the human skill, knowledge and dedication that transform wood into products, structures and cultural creations.

Racold, India’s leading premium water heating solutions brand from Ariston Group, with a heritage rooted in Italian design and innovation, has partnered with The Restore Awards® as its Earth Partner. The association reinforces Racold’s commitment to energy efficiency and more sustainable approaches to everyday comfort.

Racold joins the Restore Awards as Earth Partners

The partnership comes at a time when sustainability is increasingly influencing how consumers, businesses and institutions think about the technologies they use every day. As Earth Partner, Racold will contribute to the larger conversation around how innovation can enable more responsible choices, particularly in areas where energy efficiency can have a direct and measurable impact. The partnership brings together Racold’s expertise in efficient heating technologies with a platform focused on positive impact for people and the planet.

Racold’s focus on “Sustainable Comfort For Everyone” is rooted in this intersection of comfort and efficiency. Its portfolio of advanced water heaters and heat pump solutions is designed to optimize energy usage, and reduce energy consumption by up to 70%*, depending on the application and operating conditions. By enabling more efficient heating, these solutions can help households and businesses reduce their energy footprint while continuing to meet their everyday hot water requirements efficiently.

The opportunity extends beyond individual products to the wider built environment. As businesses and institutions increasingly integrate energy efficiency into their infrastructure and operational priorities, technologies such as heat pumps can play a role in reducing energy demand and supporting the transition towards more sustainable systems.

Commenting on the association, Mohit Narula, Managing Director & Country Manager – Ariston Group India Pvt. Ltd, said, “Comfort and sustainability need not be competing priorities. The opportunity lies in using technology to deliver the comfort people need while consuming energy more responsibly. Our association with The Restore Awards reflects our belief that sustainability is also about making better choices in the technologies we use every day. Through our energy-efficient water heating and heat pump solutions, we are working towards making responsible comfort a more practical reality for consumers and businesses.”

As the conversation around sustainable living and infrastructure evolves, Racold remains focused on solutions that bring together performance, energy efficiency and environmental responsibility. Through its association with The Restore Awards®, the brand seeks to reinforce a simple proposition: the future of comfort is not just about how well we live, but how responsibly we use the resources that make that comfort possible.

About Racold

Racold is one of India’s leading premium water heating solutions providers and a wholly owned subsidiary of Ariston Group, the Italian global leader in sustainable thermal comfort. With over six decades of expertise, Racold combines Italian design, global engineering and local manufacturing to deliver innovative, energy-efficient and durable water heating solutions for residential, commercial and institutional applications. Its comprehensive portfolio includes instant and storage water heaters, heat pumps and customized hot water systems equipped with advanced technologies. Backed by Ariston Group’s presence across more than 40 countries and its expertise in water heating, space heating and renewable energy technologies, Racold brings global innovation tailored to the evolving needs of Indian consumers. Recognized as the only water heating brand in India to receive the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) Award ten times, Racold continues to redefine everyday comfort through innovation, performance, safety and sustainability, supported by a robust nationwide service network.* Up to 70% electricity savings compared to conventional electric water heating solutions.

Neutrino Energy Group’s Indian division extends its warmest and most respectful congratulations to Professor Francis Halzen, who has been awarded the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physics for his ground-breaking contributions to the IceCube Neutrino Observatory and the discovery of high-energy neutrinos of astrophysical origin. The prestigious honor represents a historic watershed for particle astrophysics, confirming that humanity can observe, measure, and decode fundamental cosmic phenomena previously considered completely invisible and inaccessible to conventional science.

Left: Holger Thorsten Schubart, Founder and CEO of the Neutrino Energy Group & Right Rahul Tandon, CEO of Helix Energy Group

A Paradigm Shift in Astrophysical Observation

For over a century, modern astronomy explored the universe almost exclusively through electromagnetic radiation —visible light, radio waves, X-rays, and gamma rays. Neutrinos represent a fundamental departure from photon-based observation. Uncharged, nearly massless, and interacting exceptionally weakly with ordinary matter, high-energy neutrinos travel across vast light-years without being absorbed, scattered, or deflected by cosmic magnetic fields. They serve as pristine, uninterrupted messengers from the most violent cosmic environments, including active galactic nuclei, gamma-ray bursts, and blazars.

Under Professor Halzen’s visionary leadership, the IceCube collaboration transformed a full cubic kilometer of ultra-clear Antarctic ice at the South Pole into the world’s largest particle detector. Embedded deep within the ice sheet between 1 .5 and 2.5 kilometers below the surface, an array of 5,160 digital optical modules records the fleeting flashes of Cherenkov radiation emitted when high-energy neutrinos collide with atomic nuclei in the ice. This monumental engineering feat established the field of multi-messenger neutrino astronomy, proving that faint, non-visible environmental particles can be captured and systematically analyzed with extraordinary precision.

From Invisible Particles to the Physics of Ambient Energy Harvesting

The Nobel Committee’s recognition carries a profound scientific message that extends far beyond observational astrophysics: physical phenomena do not need to be visible to be real, nor are weak interaction forces beyond the reach of advanced human engineering. Throughout the history of physics, phenomena once thought beyond perception—such as electromagnetic waves, atomic structures, and gravitational waves—eventually transitioned from theoretical abstractions into measurable, harnessable physical realities.

While IceCube utilizes cosmic neutrinos to look outward into the origins of the universe, scientists at Neutrino Energy Group are pursuing a complementary terrestrial challenge: investigating whether ambient energy fields—including non-visible environmental radiation, electromagnetic waves, and kinetic energy transfers from subatomic particles—can be converted into useful electrical power. Through advanced nanostructured metamaterials composed of layered graphene and doped silicon, researchers are engineering solid-state devices that respond to environmental vibrations and ambient field fluctuations, converting microscopic subatomic interactions into continuous electrical current.

Empirical Rigor and the Mandate of Reproducible Science

Neutrino Energy Group stresses that frontier energy science must be governed by uncompromising empirical standards. The validation of any novel energy conversion technology cannot rely on theoretical analogy or public enthusiasm; it demands precise measurement, controlled environmental testing, strict energy accounting, and independent peer verification. Demonstrating a net positive electrical yield from ambient environmental sources requires rigorous characterization of input fields, ambient thermal states, and conversion efficiency under shielded laboratory conditions.

“Professor Halzen and the IceCube collaboration demonstrated what becomes possible when humanity is willing to build instruments capable ofinteracting with what was once deemed unmeasurable. At Neutrino Energy Group, our engineering roadmap is held to that exact same scientific discipline. Harnessing ambient non-visible energy demands verifiable physics, rigorous measurement, controlled experimentation, and repeatable performance. That is the only foundation upon which transformative energy technologies can be built,” Holger Thorsten Schubart, founder and CEO of the Neutrino Energy Group

India’s Strategic Leadership in Frontier Science & Energy

This milestone carries profound resonance for India, a nation rapidly establishing itself as a global powerhouse in frontier science and sustainable technology. From lunar exploration and deep-space missions to advanced semiconductor fabrication, quantum computing, and massive solar deployment, India has repeatedly demonstrated its capacity to execute complex, large-scale scientific programs.

However, India’s energy landscape presents unique challenges that require innovative, multi-layered solutions. Beyond expanding centralized power grids, there is an urgent strategic imperative for decentralized, continuous, and weather-independent energy generation. Millions of citizens in remote topographies, off-grid agricultural belts, and rural healthcare centers require reliable power that does not depend exclusively on daylight hours, wind availability, or heavy grid infrastructure.

Engineering the Possibilities of Tomorrow

As the global scientific community celebrates Professor Francis Halzen’s Nobel Prize, Neutrino Energy Group India re-affirms its commitment to advancing ambient energy science with diligence and scientific integrity. By bridging theoretical subatomic physics with practical solid-state engineering, the group aims to contribute to India’s long-term energy resilience and technological self-reliance.

About Neutrino Energy Group India

Neutrino Energy Group India is an advanced research and technology organization specializing in solid-state materials, nanomaterials science, and ambient energy conversion systems. Through international scientific collaboration and rigorous empirical testing, the group develops neutrinovoltaic technologies designed to harness non-visible environmental energy fields, offering continuous, decentralized, and carbon-neutral electricity solutions for modern infrastructure. The technology would be available for manufacturing & regional distribution under the brand name RESCUA.

Puducherry-based nephrologist and Founder-Chairman of East Coast Hospitals, Dr. N. Murugesan, has introduced “Blue Nephrology”, a prevention-focused approach that seeks to identify and address metabolic and lifestyle risks affecting kidney health before they develop into serious disease.

Dr. N. Murugesan

The concept forms part of the Blue India Movement, inspired by the world’s Blue Zones and their experience of healthier ageing. It proposes looking beyond the treatment of kidney disease to earlier risk factors such as insulin resistance, diabetes, hypertension and excessive sodium intake.

The Dr. Blue India Foundation, established by Dr. Murugesan in Puducherry in 2025, is translating the approach into community-level action through a Rs 30-crore philanthropic initiative to provide one lakh free insulin tests. The programme aims to identify metabolic risks among people who may not yet have obvious symptoms.

With more than five decades of medical service and over four decades in nephrology, Dr. Murugesan has spent much of his career treating kidney disease. His current focus is on moving kidney care further upstream—from treating disease after it develops to identifying risks earlier.

“We have traditionally asked how to treat kidney disease. The more important question is whether we can protect kidney health before disease develops,” said Dr. Murugesan.

For more than two decades, Dr. Murugesan has also worked on the health effects associated with excessive sodium intake and approaches to reducing sodium exposure. He sees kidney health as an important window into wider metabolic and cardiovascular health.

The larger objective is to shift the focus from treating disease after it appears to identifying and addressing health risks much earlier.

drblueindia.com

www.eastcoasthospitals.com

Dr. N. Murugesan

Dr. N. Murugesan is a nephrologist from Puducherry who has spent nearly four decades working in nephrology, kidney transplantation and tertiary healthcare. His career has combined clinical practice with institution building and, more recently, public-health initiatives aimed at early detection and prevention of chronic diseases resulting in overall healthy longevity.

Dr. Murugesan completed his MBBS in 1977, followed by his MD in 1981, and subsequently became the first in Soth India to get a DNB in Nephrology in 1987. He trained in nephrology under Padma Vibhushan Dr. M. K. Mani in Chennai.

India has always had a strong culture of giving. What is changing is how people give and how easily they can support the causes they care about. Digital payments have made giving simpler and faster, while greater access to information is helping people discover social causes and organisations working on them.

Magic Bus India Foundation celebrated Daan Utsav, highlighting how sustained individual giving supports young people through education, skilling and livelihoods

The How India Gives 2025–26 study estimates that 68% of Indians give in some form, amounting to around Rs. 54,000 crore annually in household giving. The opportunity now is to build on this generosity and encourage more people to engage with the causes they support over the long term.

For Magic Bus India Foundation, individual giving plays an important role. It creates another way for people to connect with the organisation’s mission of helping young people move from school to work.

Small contributions can add up 
In education and skilling, change does not happen overnight. A young person’s journey can include life skills, education, career guidance, employability training and, eventually, access to livelihood opportunities. Supporting that journey requires time and continuity.

This is where regular individual giving can make a difference. A contribution of Rs. 500 a month is Rs. 6,000 a year. If 10,000 people contribute the same amount, together they can create Rs. 6 crore in annual support.

Preity Karandikar, CMO & Individual Giving Head, Magic Bus India Foundation, said, “The future of giving is not just about making a donation. It is about creating a sense of participation. When people understand the journey their contribution supports and can see how their support makes a difference, giving becomes more meaningful. That connection can turn a one-time act of generosity into a sustained commitment to social change.”

“It is not always about how much one person gives,” Karandikar added. “When many people contribute consistently, even smaller amounts can come together to create meaningful impact. A first donation can also be the beginning of a longer relationship with a cause.”

An opportunity for the wider social sector
People want to know who they are supporting, how their contribution is being used and whether it is making a difference. This makes trust, transparency and regular communication increasingly important.

For Magic Bus, the opportunity goes beyond acquiring more donors. It is about building a community of people who believe in the potential of young people and want to support their journey.

For the wider NGO sector, this could mean moving beyond one-time transactions towards deeper, longer-term engagement with individual supporters. The focus needs to be on building lasting relationships that keep them connected to the causes they choose to support.

About Magic Bus India Foundation
Magic Bus India Foundation is one of India’s leading NGOs in education and skilling. Since 1999, the organisation has impacted over 5 million young people across India through scalable and inclusive development programmes.

Magic Bus works with underserved communities to enable young people to complete education, build critical life skills, employability skills, and access sustainable livelihood opportunities. Its programmes focus on creating long-term pathways towards individual agency, economic empowerment, and enabling communities to move out of cycles of poverty.

The Adolescent Programme supports adolescents aged 12–18 through life skills education, Foundational Literacy & Numeracy (FLN), STEAM learning, and future-ready skills. Implemented across 22 states and Union Territories, it is strengthened through partnership with 10 state governments and NITI Aayog, and has reached over 40 lakh adolescents, with girls accounting for 52% of participants. Its Livelihood Programme equips youth aged 18–25 with transferable life and employability skills reaching over 3.5 lakh youth annually and enabling more than 84% to access sustainable jobs. Young women represent 60% of participants. The Rural Livelihood Programme strengthens entrepreneurship among peri-urban and rural communities by strengthening life skills, leadership, and entrepreneurial skills, and has supported the creation of over 2,500 entrepreneurs, 96% of whom are women.

For more information, visit: www.magicbus.org

Casio India Co. Pvt. Ltd. announced the recent inauguration of its new corporate headquarters at Worldmark 4, Aerocity, New Delhi, marking a significant milestone in the company’s growth journey and reaffirming its long-term commitment to India, one of Casio’s most strategically important markets globally. The new office is located within Aerocity’s rapidly expanding global business district and has been designed to support the next phase of Casio India’s growth through enhanced collaboration, innovation, and operational excellence.

Casio India’s New Corporate Headquarters in New Delhi

The move reflects Casio’s confidence in India’s long-term economic and consumer growth potential and reinforces the company’s commitment to strengthening its presence across its core business categories, including watches, calculators, and musical instruments.

Mr. Shin Takano, President & CEO, Casio Computer Co., Ltd., said, “India is a strategically important market for Casio, and one where we continue to see significant growth potential. The opening of our new office here in India is part of our ongoing commitment to this high-growth market and reflects our efforts to further strengthen our business foundation and enhance our presence in the country. Going forward, we will continue to create new value for our customers in India through innovative, high-quality products and services.” 

Over the last several decades, Casio has established a deep and enduring relationship with Indian consumers, becoming a trusted household name across generations. From calculators that have supported millions of students to iconic watch collections such as G-SHOCK, Casio Vintage, Edifice, and Casio Timeless, the brand has remained synonymous with innovation, reliability, and quality.

The opening of the new headquarters represents more than a physical relocation. It reflects Casio India’s vision for the future and its confidence in India’s growing importance within the global consumer landscape.

A Strategic Location for Future Growth

Aerocity has emerged as one of India’s premier business destinations, offering world-class infrastructure, international connectivity, and a vibrant ecosystem of multinational corporations, hospitality brands, and commercial developments. The location provides seamless access across the National Capital Region while supporting Casio India’s objective of creating a modern, collaborative, and future-focused workplace environment. 

The new headquarters has been developed in alignment with Casio’s global workplace standards and reflects the company’s emphasis on innovation, employee well-being, operational efficiency, and a culture of collaboration.

Mr. Takuto Kimura, Managing Director, Casio India, added, “The opening of our new headquarters at Worldmark 4 marks an exciting new chapter for Casio India. This facility reflects our ambition to build a future-ready organisation that can better serve consumers, partners, and stakeholders across the country. As India continues its remarkable growth journey, we remain committed to investing in our people, expanding our market presence, and strengthening our connection with the next generation of Indian consumers.”

Strengthening Casio’s Presence in India

The inauguration comes at a pivotal point in Casio India’s growth journey. In recent years, the company has continued to expand its retail footprint, strengthen digital engagement, deepen consumer connections across categories, and advance localisation initiatives to support long-term growth.

India remains one of the world’s most compelling consumer markets, driven by favourable demographics, increasing premiumisation, rising disposable incomes, and growing demand for trusted international brands. Casio believes these factors will continue to create meaningful opportunities across all of its business segments.

The company remains focused on enhancing consumer experiences, expanding accessibility across physical and digital channels, building organisational capabilities, and investing in initiatives that support sustainable long-term growth.

Looking Ahead

As Casio India enters its next phase of development, the new headquarters will serve as the nucleus for innovation, collaboration, and strategic growth. The facility is expected to play an important role in supporting the company’s ambition to deepen consumer engagement, strengthen category leadership, and contribute meaningfully to India’s evolving economic and consumer landscape.

About Casio India Co. Pvt. Ltd.

Casio India Co. Pvt. Ltd. (CIC) is the Indian subsidiary of Casio Computer Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of consumer electronics and business equipment solutions. Casio India has established a dynamic presence in the Indian market since 1996, emerging as a leading and cherished consumer goods manufacturer. Casio India’s range of products include sales and marketing of Timepieces, Electronic Musical Instruments, Desktop Calculators and Scientific Calculators.

Setting the benchmark for excellence, Casio India is dedicated to embodying the spirit of innovation and quality that defines the Casio legacy. With a strong commitment to its corporate creed of “creativity and contribution,” Casio has consistently translated this ethos into the creation of innovative products making a positive impact on society.

For more information, visit www.casio.com/in.

Blue Dart Express Limited, South Asia’s premier express air and integrated transportation and distribution company, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) to explore the movement of express parcels on the Delhi–Ghaziabad–Meerut Namo Bharat corridor.
 

Pablo Ciano, CEO, DHL eCommerce; Balfour Manuel, MD, Blue Dart; Dipanjan Banerjee, CCO, Blue Dart; and Shalabh Goel, MD, NCRTC, at the MoU signing between Blue Dart and NCRTC
 

The collaboration will examine how Blue Dart’s pickup and delivery network can move express parcels utilizing the transformational regional rail connectivity to serve businesses and customers across the National Capital Region. As part of the MoU, the two organisations will assess operational requirements, parcel volumes, station facilities, service standards and commercial arrangements to arrive at a feasible solution.

The 82 km Namo Bharat corridor connects Delhi, Ghaziabad and Meerut. Its Sarai Kale Khan station is seamlessly connected to Hazrat Nizamuddin railway station and the inter-state bus terminal, while the Anand Vihar station also has been connected to the Anand Vihar railway station and two inter-state bus terminals. Such multi-modal connectivity makes the corridor relevant to the movement of shipments between established transport hubs and the businesses they serve. The proposed approach would set-up an optimal link between the semi-high-speed regional rail movement with Blue Dart’s existing pickup and delivery services, subject to operational feasibility and arrangements agreed by both organisations.

Balfour Manuel, Managing Director, Blue Dart Express Ltd., said, “For our customers, reliability depends on how well every part of a shipment’s journey works together. This MoU gives us the opportunity to examine how Namo Bharat’s semi-high-speed regional connectivity could be integrated with Blue Dart’s pickup and delivery capabilities. We will work with NCRTC to identify where this approach could add value for businesses while supporting our efforts to develop more sustainable logistics solutions.”

Pablo Ciano, CEO, DHL eCommerce Division, said, “India is a significant growth market for DHL eCommerce, and Blue Dart’s service quality and network are central to how we serve its customers. As businesses grow and supply chains evolve, we need to keep looking at how new-age infrastructure can strengthen that network. This collaboration with NCRTC is an opportunity to explore how the transformational regional rail connectivity could add value for customers in the National Capital Region.”

On the partnership, Shri Shalabh Goel, Managing Director, NCRTC, stated, “Namo Bharat is a strategic intervention to transform the regional connectivity across the National Capital Region and help reduce vehicular congestion and air pollution. In a short span of time, this service has gained popularity among the people and is enabling easy access to jobs, education, healthcare and affordable housing. Our collaboration with Blue Dart gives us an opportunity to explore how this new-age infrastructure could also serve the freight ecosystem with the convenience and benefit of the people at the centre.”

The collaboration forms part of Blue Dart’s continued work to strengthen its integrated transportation network and explore solutions that respond to evolving customer needs.