A two-day state convention of the National Service Scheme (NSS) for Punjab and UT Chandigarh commenced here at Chandigarh University campus in Mohali on Tuesday. Organized by the Regional Directorate, NSS Chandigarh under the aegis of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, The convention was primarily aimed at strengthening effectiveness, outreach and promoting meaningful youth engagement in nation-building activities that brought together more than 250 participants from 34 universities from the state and UT including state NSS Officers, Programme Coordinators, Programme Officers and officials from the Regional Directorate and State NSS Cells, along with subject experts and resource persons.

Jai Bhagwan, Reg. Director, Dr Raviraja N Seetharam, Vice Chancellor Chandigarh University along with other NSS Officials during State Level NSS Convention at Chandigarh University

The prominent among those who were present on the occasion were Prerna Puri, Secretary Education, UT Administration Chandigarh, Komal Singh Chaudhary, Representative Director NSS, Jai Bhagwan, Regional Director, NSS, Chandigarh, Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, Rupinder Kaur, Sate NSS Assistant Director, Nemi Chand Golia, State NSS Officer and Dr Raviraja N Seetharam, Vice Chancellor, Chandigarh University among other dignitaries.

The inaugural session was graced by Prerna Puri, Secretary Education, Chandigarh Administration who attended as the Chief Guest. In her address, she emphasized the pivotal role of NSS in shaping socially responsible youth and highlighted the importance of community service in holistic education.

Speaking on the occasion, Prerna Puri, Secretary Education, UT Administration Chandigarh said, “This convention is being held at the right time with a very relevant subject, the National Service Scheme because it is not just a program, NSS is an ideology of service, dedication and of social responsibility which we all must have.”

Puri added, “The vision of a developed India by 2047 can only be achieved through character-building. And for character-building, empathy, compassion and thinking beyond self-interest are essential. To contribute to people’s lives, each one of you must contribute meaningfully to this convention so that this program moves forward and contribute to nation-building, character development and leadership development.”

“In the materialistic world that we live in where personal gains or self-interest is priority for many, contributing meaningfully to the society selflessly is the need of the hour. There are psychology experiments that show that true happiness comes from selfless actions. The happiest country in the world is Finland, that country ranks first due to factors like social support and selfless behavior. People there don’t emphasize who won or lost but focus on collective experience. If we adopt such thinking, NSS initiatives can become truly meaningful. Many NSS volunteers already work in hospitals and other areas. We need behavioral change and value systems should be nurtured from a young age. The meaningful change in society comes only when we take responsibility,” added the Secretary Education.

Expressing gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for taking unprecedented measures for youth empowerment in the country, Jai Bhagwan, Regional Director, NSS, Chandigarh, Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports said, “Under the visionary leadership of our Prime Minister, the youth empowerment initiatives continues to guide the national service scheme across the country. The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports have extended continuous support to strengthening youth engagement and promoting NSS initiatives across the nation. This indeed is a landmark occasion as we have gathered for the first time for this comprehensive State Convention of Punjab and UT Chandigarh here at Chandigarh University. This convention is not merely a formal gathering, it is a collective step towards strengthening NSS activities, enhancing coordination, and expanding the spirit of volunteerism among the youth. Through NSS, we continue to promote community service, social responsibility, and youth development. Our volunteers remain actively engaged in awareness campaigns, cleanliness drives, health initiatives, and various community development programs. Guided by the motto ‘Not Me, But You,’ NSS continues to shape responsible, compassionate and committed citizens of the nation.”

The convention witnessed technical sessions, panel discussions and interactive workshops focusing on best practices, innovative approaches and challenges in NSS implementation. The sessions were focused on themes including youth leadership development, community outreach, environmental sustainability and alignment of NSS activities with national priorities.

The inaugural day witnessed deliberations aimed at reviewing the current status of NSS implementation across the region while aligning future strategies with key national initiatives such as MY Bharat and the vision of Viksit Bharat @2047. 

The speakers emphasized the need to strengthen coordination mechanisms, enhance institutional capacity and ensure effective monitoring and reporting systems to maximize the impact of NSS activities at the grassroots level.

About Chandigarh University
Chandigarh University is a NAAC A+ Grade University and QS World Ranked University. This autonomous educational institution is approved by UGC and is located near Chandigarh in the state of Punjab. It is the youngest university in India and the only private university in Punjab to be honoured with A+ Grade by NAAC (National Assessment and Accreditation Council). CU offers more than 109 UG and PG programs in the field of engineering, management, pharmacy, law, architecture, journalism, animation, hotel management, commerce, and others. It has been awarded as The University with Best Placements by WCRC.hotel management, commerce, and others. It has been awarded as The University with Best Placements by WCRC.

Website address: www.cuchd.in

Novelty Wealth, a SEBI-RIA licensed wealth management platform, announced it has raised $1.4 million in seed funding led by IndiaQuotient, with the mission of providing Indian investors a unified, unbiased view of their financial lives – without the complexity, guesswork, and noise.

Novelty Wealth Founders (L–R): Sajal Gupta (CTO), Naveen Changoiwala (CEO), and Apurva Agarwal (CPGO), leading the company’s technology, strategy, and product vision respectively

The funding comes at a pivotal moment as India undergoes a structural shift toward digital, data-driven investment advisory driven by rising retail participation, increased financialisation of savings, and growing demand for transparent, unbiased financial guidance.

Early Traction Highlights

• 30,000+ app downloads since launch

• Strong engagement with NovaAI, validating demand for AI-driven financial guidance

• Early Pro membership adoption trends among users seeking deeper portfolio & Mutual Fund advisory

• Increasing usage of family dashboards and goal-based planning tools

The Problem: A Fragmented Financial Landscape

Despite record retail participation in India’s capital markets, most investors still lack a unified, actionable view of their financial lives. Investments are scattered across banks, brokerages, and mutual fund platforms – making it difficult to understand true net worth, portfolio performance, risk exposure, and tax implications.

At the same time, affluent Indians are largely served by commission-driven products, creating structural misalignment between agent incentives and investor interests.

The result: gaps in transparency, trust, and long-term decision-making quality, leaving investors to navigate growing complexity without structured, unbiased guidance.

The Solution: A Purpose-Trained AI Wealth Intelligence Platform

Novelty Wealth is building purpose-trained AI wealth intelligence platform that aggregates financial data across accounts and transforms it into structured, actionable insights. Rather than functioning as a simple tracking or transaction tool, it is designed as a decision-making layer for personal finance.

Beyond portfolio tracking, the platform enables investors to:

• Access purpose-trained AI financial insights via NovaAI – your private wealth advisor, delivering real-time, unbiased guidance, and 24×7 clarity to help you make smarter, more confident financial decisions

• Connect banks, brokerages, and investment accounts automatically through seamless data aggregation

• Evaluate portfolio performance, risk, diversification, and concentration exposure

• Manage finances across entire families from one interface

• Identify tax-efficient opportunities and optimise investment decisions

• Align financial decisions with long-term goals such as retirement, home ownership, or education

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Novelty Wealth operates on a zero-commission, fee-only advisory model and is a SEBI-RIA licensed, ensuring regulatory alignment, transparency, and recommendations that are always aligned with investor interests.

Founder’s Perspective

“Our vision is to make wealth advisory accessible and affordable for every Indian investor. In today’s time, investors juggle across multiple apps and get fragmented information and biased advice. We built Novelty Wealth to solve that problem by giving people a unified financial view and a purpose-trained AI assistant that helps them make smarter decisions with complete transparency. We are seeing a clear shift toward data-driven financial decision-making. Today’s investors don’t just need access to financial products, they need clarity and control,” said Naveen Changoiwala, CEO & Co-founder, Novelty Wealth

Investor Perspective

“We’ve always known AI could transform personal finance, but building the right product requires a tough mix of tech skills, regulatory knowledge, and a deep understanding of what users actually need, i.e., something that works in the background. When we met the founders, we knew they had what it takes to get this right,” said Anand Lunia, Founding Partner, IndiaQuotient

Market Opportunity

India’s wealth management industry is undergoing a structural transformation, driven by rising disposable incomes, increased retail participation in equities and mutual funds, and a broad shift toward digital-first financial behaviour. However, the ecosystem remains highly fragmented, with limited integration between tracking, advisory, and decision-making tools.

This creates a large, underserved opportunity for platforms that can unify data, provide actionable intelligence, and deliver regulated, unbiased advice at scale. Novelty Wealth is positioned at the intersection of these structural shifts, building a purpose-trained AI financial intelligence layer for the next generation of Indian investors.

Founding Team

Novelty Wealth was founded by a team with deep experience across financial services, technology, and product innovation:

• Naveen Changoiwala (CEO & Co-founder) leads the company vision, strategy, and growth

• Sajal Gupta (CTO & Co-founder) leads technology architecture and platform engineering

• Apurva Agarwal (CPGO & Co-founder) leads product, user experience, growth, and distribution

About Novelty Wealth

Novelty Wealth is a SEBI-RIA licensed firm that has developed a purpose-trained AI wealth intelligence platform for Indian investors. The platform offers a unified view of financial assets and liabilities, backed by purpose-trained AI insights, portfolio analytics, tax optimisation, and goal-based financial planning, all within a zero-commission advisory model.

Novelty Wealth is committed to delivering transparent, unbiased, and data-driven financial guidance, enabling investors to make informed, long-term decisions with confidence.

Website: www.noveltywealth.in.

VinFast Auto India, a subsidiary of global EV brand VinFast, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with CSB Bank, India’s oldest private sector bank, to provide auto and inventory financing for its exclusive dealer network. The partnership aims to deliver a comprehensive and convenient suite of credit solutions for potential customers of the premium electric SUVs VF 6 and VF 7, supporting VinFast’s growth strategy in the world’s third-largest automotive market.

Mr. Tapan Ghosh (left), CEO of VinFast India, and Mr. Narendra Dixit, Head of Retail Banking at CSB Bank, at the signing ceremony

Under the partnership, customers will benefit from a range of retail financing solutions, including up to 100% on-road funding, attractive interest rates, flexible repayment options, and a seamless loan approval and disbursement process across VinFast’s entire product portfolio. Dedicated CSB Bank relationship managers will also provide on-site support at dealerships, ensuring a smooth and convenient financing experience and making EV ownership more accessible for customers.

The collaboration will also enable VinFast to leverage CSB Bank’s strong pan-India presence and expanding branch network to extend EV financing solutions across diverse markets. With its growing national footprint and focus on offering customized financial solutions, CSB Bank aims to support the wider adoption of electric mobility by enabling easier access to financing for customers across the country.

The MOU was signed by Mr. Tapan Ghosh, CEO of VinFast India, along with Mr. Narendra Dixit, Head Retail Banking at CSB Bank.

Mr. Tapan Ghosh, CEO of VinFast India, said, “Our partnership with CSB Bank is a natural extension of our approach in India, where accessibility and affordability are critical to scaling EV adoption. In markets like India, the transition to electric mobility depends not only on the product, but also on how simple and practical ownership is for customers. Through this collaboration, we aim to offer flexible financing solutions that reduce entry barriers, while continuing to build a reliable and well-rounded ecosystem. It is one of several steps we are taking to ensure a consistent, dependable, and customer-focused EV experience in the country.”

Commenting on the collaboration, Mr. Narendra Dixit, Head Retail Banking, CSB Bank, said, “Electric mobility is no longer a future concept; it is rapidly becoming a mainstream choice for customers and businesses alike. As adoption accelerates, there is a growing need for accessible financing solutions that enable both customers and dealers to participate in this transformation. The Special partnership with VinFast is a step forward in that direction. By combining VinFast’s strong product vision in the EV space with CSB Bank’s financing capabilities, we aim to create a robust ecosystem that supports both retail auto buyer solutions and dealer network through tailored auto loans and inventory financing solutions.”

VinFast continues to strengthen its comprehensive EV ecosystem in the Indian market, with an assembly plant in Tamil Nadu, a nationwide network of world-class showrooms, expected to double this year, an expanding after-sales service system, and growing partnerships with financial institutions to enhance EV accessibility for customers.

The company has introduced two premium electric SUVs, VF 6 and VF 7, both of which have achieved 5-star Bharat NCAP safety ratings, and plans to launch additional models in 2026 to meet the diverse green mobility needs of consumers.

In parallel, VinFast is rolling out a range of initiatives aimed at reducing financial and psychological barriers for customers, including the assured resale value program and transparent buyback schemes. Recently, the company extended its free charging program across the V-Green charging network until March 31, 2029. The “Trade Gas for Electric” program is also being implemented in India, Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines from March 11 to March 31, 2026, offering additional incentives of 3% for VinFast electric cars and 5% for VinFast electric two-wheelers for customers switching from gasoline-powered vehicles.

About VinFast

VinFast (NASDAQ: VFS), a subsidiary of Vingroup JSC, one of Vietnam’s largest conglomerates, is a pure-play electric vehicle manufacturer with the mission of making electric mobility more accessible to everyone. VinFast’s current product portfolio includes a wide range of electric SUVs, electric motorcycles, electric bicycles, and electric buses.

VinFast is entering its next phase of growth by rapidly expanding its global distribution and dealer network while strengthening manufacturing capabilities, with a focus on key markets in North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.

Learn more at: www.vinfastauto.in.

About CSB Bank Limited

CSB BANK is one of the oldest private sector banks in India with an existence of over 100 years. Bank has a strong base in Kerala along with significant presence in Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. CSB Bank offers a wide range of products and services to customers, with particular focus on SME, Retail, and NRI customers. CSB Bank delivers its services through multiple channels, including 855 branches and 826 ATMs/CRMs across the country, as well as alternate digital channels such as debit cards, internet banking, mobile banking, point-of-sale services, and UPI. CSB Bank is listed on both NSE and BSE.

Learn more at: www.csb.bank.in.

• University built around a single philosophy: learning by making

• University of Design, Innovation & Technology (UDIT) established on the foundation of IIAD’s 10 year legacy

• Established through an Act of the Haryana State Legislature, building on a decade of design excellence

The University of Design, Innovation and Technology (UDIT) has been formally established in Gurugram through an Act of the Haryana State Legislature. Conceived as a university for creators, UDIT brings together design, technology and management within a single, practice-led framework to enable impactful, real-world outcomes.

University of Design, Innovation and Technology (UDIT)

UDIT builds on the foundation of the Indian Institute of Art & Design (IIAD), founded in 2015, which pioneered studio-based design education in India and demonstrated what becomes possible when learning is built around making. The studio culture, the craft ethos and the deep industry engagement underpins a university where design, technology and management are not separate streams but integrated dimensions of a creator-centred education.

“We are not simply growing an institution, we are reimagining what a creator’s education can look like. UDIT is built on the belief that the most consequential people of this century will be those who can move between disciplines, make things with both hands and mind and lead with purpose. We want our graduates to leave with a body of work, and the disposition to keep making things that matter,” – Dr. Jitin Chadha, Pro-Chancellor, UDIT.

The University is anchored in an interdisciplinary approach across its three schools offering undergraduate and postgraduate programmes across a diverse range of disciplines. The School of Design comprises the departments of Fashion, Visual Communication, and Product & Interior Design. The School of Management includes the departments of Fashion & Luxury Business Management and Technology Business Management. The School of Technology offers B.Tech and M.Tech programmes in Computer Science, AI and Design. A unified approach to learning, where multiple ways of thinking converge to shape thoughtful, well-rounded creators.

“The studio is the core at UDIT.  It is where learning happens, where critique sharpens ideas, and where students discover what they are truly capable of making. Our curriculum is organised around real challenges. Students encounter problems first, then build the skills to solve them. That is the difference between an education that prepares you for existing jobs and an education that prepares you to create what comes next,” – Professor Usha Nehru Patel, Pro-Vice Chancellor, UDIT. 

The academic framework is designed to facilitate movement across disciplines, allowing learners to build a more connected and expansive set of competencies over time. The curriculum responds to evolving industry contexts, integrating studio-based practice, project-led modules and collaborative work to bridge theory with application, supported by well-equipped labs and studios.

Led by faculty who bring together academic depth and professional experience, the approach remains grounded in current practice while staying attentive to emerging shifts. As the university begins to define its academic contours, the plan is to expand academic pathways, strengthening research and building deeper, more meaningful partnerships with industry and international institutions.

UDIT builds on IIAD’s academic foundation, expanding it to equip students to navigate and shape contemporary practice across design, technology and management. This progression reflects a continued effort to engage with the evolving demands of industry, positioning UDIT among institutions shaping the future of higher education in India.

About UDIT

UDIT—the University of Design, Innovation and Technology—is India’s first university built for creators, located in Gurugram. Emerging from over a decade of studio-led learning at IIAD, it brings together design, technology, and management within a unified, practice-led framework. The School of Design offers programmes in Visual Communication, Fashion, Product and Interior Design. The School of Technology offers B.Tech and M.Tech in Computer Science, AI and Design. The School of Management focuses on Fashion & Luxury Business Management and Technology Business Management. UDIT represents a fundamental reimagination of higher education, where students create the products, companies and solutions the world will need tomorrow.

As India prepares to launch its Carbon Credit Trading System (CCTS), IIM Bangalore, through its Centre for Digital Public Goods (CDPG), convened a roundtable on 19 March 2026 to design an Open Network for Carbon Markets (ONCM). The roundtable brought together leaders representing regulators, market exchange makers, technology service providers, policy makers, senior officers from the forest departments, policy makers and corporate buyers to pave the way forward.

IIM Bangalore

The proposed ONCM, built in partnership with Networks for Humanity (NFH), intends to address fundamental barriers that limit India’s participation in global carbon markets. It is designed to mitigate challenges such as fragmented registries, cross-border trading constraints, pricing opacity, and non-standard monitoring-review-verification (MRV) processes. The ONCM aims to build an open digital infrastructure that facilitates seamless trading of carbon credits across global markets, while simultaneously preserving participants’ agency, autonomy and data sovereignty. 

The network is also designed to expand access at the grassroots level. Even the farmer with the smallest holding who intends to monetize farm assets as carbon credits would be able to onboard and transact through simple voice commands on platforms of their choice (such as WhatsApp). At the same time, global buyers would be able to trust these supplies due to interoperable, programmable authentication and audit mechanisms, and transparent pricing. 

Opening the roundtable, Prof. R Srinivasan, Chairperson, CDPG, highlighted the need for an interoperable open network that enables the Indian industry as well as farmers and micro-entrepreneurs to leverage the power of global carbon markets. Sujith Nair, Co-founder, Beckn and Networks for Humanity (NFH), drew on examples from early internet and telecom protocols to demonstrate how open protocol thinking has revolutionized mobility, such as Namma Yatri; commerce, such as ONDC; and energy, such as the Digital Energy Grid. He further emphasized that such protocols build digital plumbing networks, while enabling market participants to build diverse applications on top. Ms. Chaitrali Bhoi, the ONCM project lead, highlighted the various challenges faced by current carbon markets and articulated the vision for the ONCM.

The ONCM design was deliberated with experts distributed across four working groups – designing appropriate market mechanisms and regulatory frameworks, technology enablers, supply side actors and demand side actors. Across these working groups, experts debated design requirements and technical feasibility, and agreed on initiating pilot projects.

The roundtable concluded with a synthesis of the design and commitments from participating experts to take forward pilot implementations.

Key participants included Ms. Praveena Rai, CEO, MCX; Dr. K Ravichandran, Director, IIFM Bhopal; Ms. Komal Shah, SML Ltd.; Dr. Ch. Sudhakar Reddy, NRSC/ISRO, and leaders from NFH, IIMB, and NLSIU, as well as organizations such as Tata Consultancy Services, RenewCred, PhonePe and Tata Motors.