Writer and creative professional June Roshni Lobo unveiled her deeply personal debut, My Father’s Earthen Vessel, at an intimate evening at Title Waves, Bandra West. The launch was honoured by singer, author, & actress, who is popularly known for her role in ‘Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa’ Suchitra Krishnamoorthi, Madhoo, Shah (Actress known for iconic performances in Roja and Phool Aur Kaante) & Indrani Malkani. Chairman Trustee. V Citizens Action Network (VCAN) and created a warm, nostalgic atmosphere that perfectly suited the book’s themes.

From L To R: Actress Madhoo Shah, Indrani Malkani, June Roshni Lobo & Suchitra Krishnamoorthi at the book launch of My Father’s Earthen Vessel

The book and its unveiling were brought to life in partnership with Midnight Media Solutions, a leading integrated media consultancy with over three decades of experience in advertising, print, radio, television, outdoor, brand storytelling, communication strategy, and purpose-driven narratives.
 

My Father’s Earthen Vessel is a lyrical meditation on the father–child bond, a gentle, evocative exploration of love, loss and inheritance. Moving between prose and poetry, June traces the small, everyday moments that form a life’s worth of memory: the silent strengths, the habits that linger, and the tender rituals that keep a presence alive.

Speaking at the launch, Suchitra Krishnamoorthi said, “Supporting this book today feels deeply personal. As someone who has always been a father’s girl, I connected instantly with June’s theme and the emotional honesty in her writing. In a world where being an author takes immense courage, with rewards that are more soulful than material, her work stands out for its sincerity and heart. The parts I read moved me, because they speak to how our parents shape us long after they’re gone. I’m truly happy to be here and to celebrate this beautiful tribute.”

Madhoo Shah said, “I’m honoured to be part of this launch. When Shobha shared the synopsis of My Father’s Earthen Vessel, I immediately connected with its themes of discipline, resilience and the quiet strength we inherit from our parents. These are values that have shaped my own journey as an artist. In a world driven by constant validation, this book is a reminder of the grounding forces that keep us focused, committed and true to our craft. I’m grateful to support a work that speaks so meaningfully to the professional and personal foundations that guide us all.”

Indrani Malkani added further, “Curiosity brought me here this evening, the name June and the name Roshni instantly struck a personal chord. And when I spoke to the author early this morning, I felt an immediate connection to the spirit of the book. As someone who works closely with communities and believes deeply in values passed down through generations, the theme of a daughter’s relationship with her father resonated strongly with me. Our fathers shape our conscience, our courage and the way we serve the world. This book is a heartfelt reminder of those roots, and I’m glad to stand here in support of it.”

June Roshni Lobo shared, “We were raised to understand the value of gratitude, to recognise the people, moments and lessons that shape us. And that is the essence I wanted to express today while speaking about My Father’s Earthen Vessel. The book is a reminder of how our upbringing, especially the values passed down by our parents, quietly guide us through life. I’m grateful to have been part of this moment and to honour a story built on love, memory and heartfelt gratitude.”

The evening unfolded with heartfelt readings, reflections, and warm exchanges, as guests resonated with the universal emotions that the book evokes. The atmosphere at Title Waves was intimate and moving, a celebration of family, memory, and the stories that live on within us.

With its lyrical voice and universal appeal, My Father’s Earthen Vessel stands as a timeless reminder that love, like clay, can be shaped, broken, and remade, yet never truly lost.

About the Author

June Roshni Lobo is a writer and creative professional whose work explores memory, belonging and emotional inheritance. My Father’s Earthen Vessel is her debut book.

• New menu incorporates Indian and global influences, and geo-specific star dishes

• The food will be sourced, prepared, packed and handled with care for the environment and community

Air India, India’s leading global airline, announced the introduction of its new global menu across its fleet. The menu draws inspiration from India’s diverse culinary tapestry, from the royal kitchens of Awadh to the coastal flavours of southern India, while incorporating global influences through Pan-Asian, European Bistro, and geo-specific star dishes.

The new menu has been introduced on most international ex-India routes, including flights from Delhi to London Heathrow, New York, Melbourne, Sydney, Toronto and Dubai; from Mumbai and Bengaluru to San Francisco; and from Mumbai to New York, to name a few. It will be progressively rolled out across all international sectors as well as on domestic routes.

Chicken Roulade Filled with Caramelized Onion and Goat Cheese

The menu weaves a delicious story that combines the flavours of India with influences from global cuisines. To strike a chord with every traveller, there is a portfolio mix of region-inspired meals and global cuisines such as European bistros and pan-Asian. The region-inspired meals like south-Indian cuisine brings alive the heritage of India giving the travellers an authentic dining experience.

Guests travelling First Class will enjoy gourmet meals, artisanal breads, signature desserts, and bespoke wine and champagne pairings. Business Class offers multi-course gourmet meals with customisable options and curated beverage pairings, while Premium Economy and Economy feature upgraded meal trays with balanced, wholesome options with familiar regional flavours and enhanced presentation.

Highlights of the new menu include:

• Signature Indian dishes: Awadhi Paneer Anjeer Pasanda (Veg Awadhi Thali), Murgh Massalam (Non-veg Awadhi Thali), and south Indian platter in First and Business Class. Rajasthani besan chilla, malabari chicken curry, and malai palak kofta in Premium Economy

• International cuisine: Japanese Teppanyaki Bowl, citrus tiger prawns, and oriental napa cabbage and tofu rollmops in First Class and Seoul flamed prawns, manicotti forestiere, and Mediterranean tapas in Business Class

• GenZ Delights: chicken bibimbap and matcha delice in Business Class

• Home-made comfort food: homestyle masala dal khichdi and homestyle stuffed parantha in Business Class

• Plant-Based & Special Dietary Options: A dedicated vegan, gluten-free, and allergen-conscious menu

The exquisite new menu has been curated by Chef Sandeep Kalra, who joined Air India recently as the airline continues with its transformation programme, with new and upgraded aircraft joining the fleet and the introduction of new cabin and the new Air India experience across its fleet. The new menu has taken inspiration from the diverse culinary experiences that India offers from the classic Delhi Street food to the real southern India tiffin, apart from international cuisine that appeal to today’s young travellers such as Korean Bibimbap and Matcha. The Air India cabin crew have also gone through specialised training to enhance customer experience onboard.

South Indian Platter including Malgapodi Idli, Cashew Upma, Mini Mysore Masala Dosa and Sambar

“At the very core, the new food and beverage enhancements draw inspiration from Air India’s commitment to continuous innovation and transforming the customer experience. We are reimagining the inflight dining experience that resonates with the tastes and preferences of global travellers. Our thoughtfully curated menu caters to guests from different cultural affinities who prefer delectable gourmet meals. We endeavour to master the art of menu design and presentation to ensure every inflight meal goes beyond taste into serving care and culinary excellence,” said Mr. Rajesh Dogra, Chief Customer Experience Officer, Air India.

Air India will also offer over 18 special meal types, one of the few airlines worldwide to do so, accommodating modern travellers’ lifestyles and dietary preferences for a truly inclusive and personalised experience. Guests can choose from thoughtfully curated choices ranging from international cuisine, homestyle comfort food, to health-conscious fare that caters to contemporary dietary lifestyles. Guests can also pre-select meals online using the Air India app with chef’s notes, allergen information, and customisation capabilities.

The airline is also trying to reduce its environmental impact across the cycle such as in responsible sourcing, packaging, and waste reduction. Using locally sourced seasonal food to support local farmers and keep food miles down, Air India also ensures freshness of ingredients from the time of produce till the final serving onboard. There is also increased emphasis on environmentally friendly initiatives such as compostable utensils, paper meal boxes, less single-use plastics, and segregation of onboard waste for recycling and composting to reduce the carbon footprint.

About Air India group

The Air India group – comprising of full-service global airline, Air India, and value carrier, Air India Express – is spearheading a new era of Indian aviation. The Air India story began in 1932 when JRD Tata piloted the airline’s inaugural flight and opened the skies for aviation in India. Today, Air India group employs more than 30,000 people, operates over 300 aircraft and carries customers to 57 domestic and 48 international destinations across five continents.

Returning to the Tata Sons in 2022 following 70 years under Government ownership, Air India group is in the midst of a five-year transformation program, Vihaan.AI. As part of the transformation, Air India has placed an order for 570 new aircraft. In 2024, sister airlines Air Asia India and Vistara were successfully merged into Air India Express and Air India, respectively, and the Airline opened South Asia’s largest aviation training academy. A new flying school is scheduled to open in 2025, and construction of a greenfield maintenance base, to be operational in 2026, is underway. In addition to receiving new aircraft, all existing aircraft are progressively undergoing a full interior refit.

With transformation underway across all facets of the business and India’s rich legacy of hospitality, Air India is committed to being a world class global airline with an Indian heart. For more stories on Air India, visit www.airindia.com/newsroom.

OTTplay, India’s leading OTT aggregation platform, today announced a strategic partnership with Studio Jadu to syndicate a line-up of AI-enabled animated series, marking one of the earliest OTT syndication deals of its kind worldwide.

 

The collaboration brings Studio Jadu’s next-generation animated content to OTTplay’s discovery-driven ecosystem

 

The collaboration brings Studio Jadu’s next-generation animated content to OTTplay’s discovery-driven ecosystem, expanding access to innovative storytelling crafted through Jadu’s proprietary creator workbench. The platform empowers artists to refine narratives, deepen character arcs, and accelerate production—while ensuring that human creators remain the ultimate authors of their work.

 

“At Studio Jadu, we’re building tools that empower creators by helping them bring the stories they imagine to life and reach audiences directly. This partnership with OTTplay represents the first step on that journey: connecting creator rooms to mainstream OTT viewers, while keeping artists firmly in control,” said Masoud Loghmani, Founder & CEO, Studio Jadu.

 

“We’re proud to be among the first mainstream OTT destinations in India—and possibly globally—to syndicate AI-enabled animation. Together with Studio Jadu, we’re enabling a new generation of creator-led storytelling,” said Avinash Mudaliar, Co-Founder & CEO, HT Labs.

 

Availability: Initial titles will begin rolling out on OTTplay following today’s announcement.

 

About the Partnership

• Syndication Scope: Multiple AI‑enabled animated series created by Studio Jadu will be distributed on OTTplay, with initial titles rolling out following today’s announcement.

• Innovation with Integrity: Studio Jadu’s production approach uses GenAI to accelerate craft and iteration while preserving human authorship and editorial oversight.

 

Why It Matters

• Category-defining initiative: Among the first global OTT syndication partnerships for AI-enabled animation, and a landmark moment for the Indian market.

• Creator-first by design: Studio Jadu’s model enhances creative autonomy by augmenting and not replacing human imagination.

• Discovery meets reach: OTTplay’s aggregation platform extends frontier storytelling to new audiences, within a premium, secure viewing environment.

About Studio Jadu

Studio Jadu is a creator‑first AI studio reinventing the business of entertainment. The company builds GenAI‑powered tools that serve the creator community so storytellers can bring original, human stories to life – without ceding authorship.

Learn more at studiojadu.com.

Notes to editors: This announcement is positioned as one of the first OTT syndication partnerships for AI‑enabled animated series. Studio Jadu’s creator workbench emphasises human authorship and story craft while using GenAI as an assistive production layer. A teaser trailer co‑branded by Studio Jadu and OTTplay is available upon request.

The CII Centre of Excellence for Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Startups (CII CIES) inaugurated ICONN Summit 2025 at T-Hub today, bringing together India’s leading corporates, investors, policymakers, and innovators to chart the next phase of India’s technology and startup growth.

Mr Sanjay Kumar, Special Chief Secretary, ITE&C and Industries & Commerce, Government of Telangana, addressing the delegates at the ICONN Summit 2025

Delivering the Inaugural Address, Mr. Sanjay Kumar, Special Chief Secretary, ITE&C and Industries & Commerce, Government of Telangana, outlined the State’s next big technology leap. “We are launching the AI Hub with a strong focus on cybersecurity, biologics, and cutting-edge Centres of Excellence. Our aim is to build Hyderabad into a global node for trusted AI, biotech-driven innovation, and next-generation digital infrastructure,” he said.

Mr. Kris Gopalakrishnan, Chairman, CII CIES Advisory Board & Chairman, Axilor Ventures, highlighted the growing national importance of corporate–startup collaboration. “Industry working with startups is nation building. When established companies partner with young innovators, we accelerate economic growth, generate high-quality jobs, and create solutions at scale for India and the world,” he said. Mr. Gopalakrishnan also called on India’s wealth creators to take a more active role in the innovation economy.

“Family offices today have the capacity to come together and create a multi-billion-dollar VC fund that can fuel India’s next wave of deeptech and transformative startups. For this to happen, we must prioritise strong intellectual property practices, IPR is very important for our long-term global competitiveness,” he added.

Reflecting on India’s long-term economic vision, he stated that “Viksit Bharat 2047 looks very exciting, and the momentum we are building in technology, entrepreneurship, and research is laying the foundation for a truly developed nation.”

Dr (Mrs) Suchitra K Ella, Vice President, CII emphasised the importance of significantly scaling India’s R&D capacity. “India must give industry status to the R&D sector. Recognising R&D as an industry will unlock more investments, attract world-class talent, and encourage deeper collaboration between academia, startups, and corporates. This shift is crucial if India is to lead globally in science, technology, and innovation,” she stated.

In his special address, Mr. C. K. Ranganathan, Co-Chairman, CII National Startup Council, underscored the importance of the Summit in strengthening the national innovation movement. “The ICONN Summit is here to bring the entire innovation ecosystem together, startups, corporates, investors, academia, and government. It is a monumental event that will play a defining role in shaping India’s innovation-led future,” he said.

ICONN Summit 2025 also featured a series of important releases and recognitions, underscoring the growing impact of India’s innovation ecosystem:

• Announcement of Winners of the CII Startupreneur Awards 2025, celebrating the country’s most promising early-stage and growth-stage startups.

• Release of the report “Engineering Hardware Startup Ecosystem: Opportunities & Challenges”, offering insights into India’s deeptech and hardware innovation landscape.

• Release of the report “Democratising Access to Finance in India”, capturing key recommendations for strengthening financial inclusion.

Launch of the “Women in Innovation” Compendium, highlighting the achievements and journeys of emerging women innovators across India.

The Summit further showcased the growing impact of CII CIES through its market-access programmes, global delegations, startup affiliation initiatives, family-office masterclasses, and collaborations with international partners such as the UK and Japan.