Percept Live has announced the launch of ‘Aaj Ka Scene’, its newest original Intellectual Property celebrating the energy, creativity and culture of hip-hop. The debut edition of this new youth-focused property will take place on 31 October and 1 November 2026 at Phoenix Marketcity at Kurla, Mumbai, bringing together established artists, emerging talent and the next generation of hip-hop creators on one dynamic platform.

Percept Live’s ‘Aaj Ka Scene’ Early Bird Tickets are Live
 

Designed as more than a music festival, Aaj Ka Scene is a bespoke cultural IP that brings together the many dimensions of hip-hop – from Rap, Beatboxing and Breaking to graffiti, streetwear and creator culture. Across two days, the property will bring established names and emerging talent together through live performances, competitions, workshops, creator interactions, games and immersive experiences.

Built as a dynamic platform for participation, discovery and expression, the festival gives artists an opportunity to showcase their craft while inviting audiences to experience, engage with and become part of the culture. From aspiring performers and young creators to Gen Z audiences who live and breathe hip-hop, Aaj Ka Scene is where talent meets opportunity, community meets culture, and the next wave gets its moment in the spotlight.

At the heart of Aaj Ka Scene is a powerful live line-up featuring two artists who represent the energy and evolution of contemporary Indian hip-hop. The festival kicks off on Saturday, 31 October with Sambata, bringing his distinctive rap style, lyrical energy and strong connection with Mumbai’s underground hip-hop movement to the Aaj Ka Scene stage. Known for his authentic street voice and raw, uncompromising energy, Sambata is set to ignite Day 1 and get the scene moving.

On Sunday, 1 November, Karma takes over the stage, bringing the sharp lyricism, storytelling and infectious energy that have made him one of the prominent voices of India’s new-age hip-hop movement. With a sound that resonates strongly with a generation that sees hip-hop as a powerful form of expression, Karma is set to close the Mumbai debut edition on a high.

Together, the two artists bring two distinct sounds, styles and perspectives to Aaj Ka Scene, reflecting the diversity and evolution of India’s hip-hop culture.

But Aaj Ka Scene is not just about who is on stage. It is about who gets discovered next. The festival will put some of India’s most exciting hip-hop disciplines under the spotlight through competitions and showcases spanning Rap, Dance, Beatboxing, Breaking and DJ Culture. For aspiring rappers, dancers, beatboxers, DJs, graffiti artists, creators and culture enthusiasts, Aaj Ka Scene is designed to be more than a weekend out. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to step forward, show up and get seen.

That journey begins even before the festival, with Aaj Ka Scene opening its doors to emerging talent through a digital talent hunt promoted across communities, social media and multiple digital platforms. Aspiring performers can submit a two-minute video across five competition categories -Dance, Rap, Beatboxing, DJing and B-Boying. Entry is Rs. 500 across categories, while Group Dance is Rs. 1,000 for teams of up to 10 members. Importantly, there is no fee to audition – only shortlisted participants pay the entry fee, which also serves as their day pass to the festival. From these entries, organisers and judges will select top performers to take the stage across the two-day festival, battling one-on-one in their respective disciplines, with the last one standing taking the title. The competition will be judged by established artists and credible professionals from each field, while the DJ category gets an added edge with Pioneer, the globally recognised professional DJ equipment brand, as its partner.

But the real prize extends far beyond the trophy. Aaj Ka Scene is designed to give emerging talent a stage today, and a pathway to more stages tomorrow. Winners will get the opportunity to collaborate with established artists and be considered for performance opportunities at future events in their respective disciplines, giving them the chance to turn a breakthrough moment at Aaj Ka Scene into a continuing journey. In that sense, the festival is not simply discovering talent …it is creating opportunities for the next wave of artists to be seen, heard and move forward.

The judging panel will bring together many respected names from multiple genres spanning Hip-Hop, Rap, DJing, Beatbox. Dance and B-Boying. With experienced voices from the culture evaluating emerging talent, Aaj Ka Scene creates a credible platform where skills can be tested, talent can be recognized and the next generation can make its mark.

Aaj Ka Scene will be transforming Phoenix Marketcity into an immersive celebration of hip-hop culture, with experience zones, games, on-ground activations, F&B experiences, creator interactions and community-led programming designed to keep audiences engaged beyond the main stage. From getting into the action to discovering new artists, meeting creators, participating in games and contests, or simply soaking up the atmosphere, every part of the festival is designed to feel participatory, unexpected and unmistakably street.

The festival will also take the experience beyond the venue through college outreach, pre-event contests, giveaways and youth-focused engagement, bringing Aaj Ka Scene directly to the audiences who are shaping the culture today. 

Nikhil Uniyal, Business Head, Percept Live, said “Aaj Ka Scene is our way of giving Mumbai’s hip-hop community a stage that matches the scale of its talent. This isn’t just a festival, it’s a platform where the next generation of artists, dancers and creators get to be seen, heard and celebrated on their own terms. As a new live IP from Percept Live, we wanted to create something bespoke to the culture – a platform that is immersive, participative and genuinely driven by talent. A key part of our vision is also to create a Regional Artist Platform. Our ambition is to build Aaj Ka Scene into a larger cultural movement, taking the IP to audiences and hip-hop communities across India in the coming editions.”

Sonal Shah, Head – Brand Partnership and Sponsorship Sales, Percept Live said, “Aaj Ka Scene is a fresh, culturally relevant IP with enormous potential to connect youth brands with the audiences they want to influence. Its biggest strength is that it brings together music, street culture, creativity and fresh talent in one immersive environment – creating genuine opportunities for brands to engage, not just advertise. With its scope for bespoke experiences, creator-led content and talent discovery, we see Aaj Ka Scene evolving into a strong youth platform that can scale across cities and categories. As the Co-Presenting Partner, Breezer Bold will be integrated into this cultural ecosystem through a combination of on-ground brand experiences, audience engagement and content opportunities, creating meaningful visibility and relevance around the moments that matter to the community. It is this ability to build the brand into the experience, rather than simply place it within the event, that makes Aaj Ka Scene a compelling platform for youth-focused brand partnerships.”

Aaj Ka Scene is presented in association with Breezer Bold as its Co-Presenting Partner, and No Nazar as the official Style Partner.

The debut edition of Aaj Ka Scene takes place on 31 October – 1 November 2026 at Phoenix Marketcity, Kurla, Mumbai, from 1:00 PM to 10:00 PM.

Tickets are priced between Rs. 799 and Rs. 2,499 and are available through Sort My Scene. And that’s not all …some of the earliest ticket buyers are already in for a surprise, with many more unexpected rewards and surprises waiting to unfold along the way.

From discovering new talent and experiencing live performances to competing, creating, connecting and simply soaking in the culture, Aaj Ka Scene is set to become Mumbai’s go-to destination for everything hip-hop. A place where the culture comes alive, the community comes together and there’s always something new to discover.

About Percept Live
Percept Live, established in the year 2012, is a leading Live Media company, and a wholly owned subsidiary of Percept Limited, that offers both live and online immersive, entertaining and experiential platforms to enable brands actively engage with millions of consumers and increase their overall brand experience and impact. Each Percept Live Intellectual Property has been  curated to cater to diverse consumer segments and offers brands a unique, immersive, experiential platform that are larger-than-life, multi-sensory and memorable experiences around the year, across geographies.

Intellectual Properties owned by Percept Live:

• Bollyboom – World’s first and biggest Bollywood Dance Music IP, presenting a scintillating blend of music, dance and lifestyle entertainment experiences encompassing multi-format Live Music Events, Clubs, Lounges, F&B and Merchandize

• Eat Play Love – India’s first bespoke multi-city, multi-cultural Food, Music & Art Festival for the entire family reflecting the amazing diversity and vibrant spirit of India

• Windsong – an exclusive Weekend Outdoor Adventure Music Festival featuring a wide genre of live unplugged music artists, camping, nature, travel, F&B and activities for the adventure enthusiast

• IMS (India Model Search) – India’s first and only transparent model search platform offering an equal opportunity to all aspiring fashion models pan-India, inclusive of grooming, nurturing, representing & managing talent, and generation of domestic & global modeling opportunities

• XCC (Xtreme Combat Championship) – India’s first competitive Fight Night sports extravaganza featuring multi-genre Live Fights, Fashion & Entertainment with various lifestyle offerings spanning Gyms, Health Clubs, Health Foods & Beverages, and Action Wear

Percept Live is a Percept company. With a team of over 150 people and 20 offices pan India, Percept is at an enviable leadership position in the Entertainment, Media and Communications domain.

Hatsun Agro Product Ltd. (HAPL), the largest private sector Dairy in India, has launched ‘Go-Dhan’, a flagship initiative aimed at empowering dairy farmers across Odisha by improving access to financial support, government schemes, modern dairy practices and technology.

Hatsun Agro Product Ltd. Partners With Government of Odisha and State Bank of India to Launch ‘Go-Dhan’ to Empower Dairy Farmers

The initiative was formally launched at a ceremony held at the OUAT Auditorium, Bhubaneswar, in the presence of distinguished representatives from the Government of Odisha, banking and the dairy sector, including Sri Prem Chand Chaudhary, Secretary, Department of Fisheries & Animal Resources Development, Government of Odisha, as Chief Guest; Sri Shubhranshu, Managing Director, APICOL, as Guest of Honour; Sri Rakesh Kumar Yadav, Chief General Manager, State Bank of India; and Mr. R. G. Chandramogan, Chairman, Hatsun Agro Product Ltd. The gathering brought together key stakeholders from across the dairy, financial and government sectors, reflecting a shared commitment to strengthening farmer livelihoods and supporting the continued growth of Odisha’s dairy economy.

Go-Dhan is expected to benefit 6000 dairy farmers across 15 districts of Odisha, providing them with greater access to institutional finance and relevant government support to invest in areas such as quality bovine breeds, improved cattle housing, farm mechanisation, nutrition and herd health. The initiative also seeks to leverage government subsidy schemes, including the Mukhyamantri Krushi Udyog Yojana (MKUY), to help participating farmers access more affordable capital for strengthening and expanding their dairy operations. With dairy farming serving as an important source of livelihood for rural households, the initiative is designed to address key requirements for sustainable dairy development, including access to finance, scientific farm management and productivity enhancement.

Commenting on the launch, Mr. R. G. Chandramogan, Chairman, Hatsun Agro Product Ltd., said, “At Hatsun Agro Product Ltd., we have played a significant role in the development of the dairy sector and animal husbandry across South India for decades. Our journey has always been guided by the belief that the prosperity of dairy farmers is the foundation of a strong and sustainable dairy industry.”

“Through the Go-Dhan initiative, we aim to support the establishment of more than 6,000 dairy farms, over the next three years in a phased manner. This initiative is designed to improve farmer incomes, encourage scientific dairy farming, and create a sustainable dairy ecosystem in Odisha.”

“We are deeply grateful to our partners in this journey—the dairy farmers of Odisha, the Department of Animal Husbandry, Government of Odisha, APICOL and the State Bank of India. Their support and collaboration have made this initiative possible. Together, we are committed to transforming Odisha into a dairy-rich state while creating better opportunities, higher incomes, and long-term prosperity for its farming community.”

“Hatsun Agro’s focus has always been on dairy farming, a key component of secondary agriculture. Strengthening dairy farming creates a positive impact on primary agriculture by providing farmers with a stable and progressive source of income. Through this initiative, we envision building a strong dairy value chain in Odisha, unlocking the state’s agricultural potential while creating long-term prosperity for its farming community. Our objective is to produce and procure milk within Odisha, creating value for local farmers while meeting consumer demand not only in Odisha but also for export to the neighbouring markets such as West Bengal, North Andhra Pradesh, and other nearby states. This initiative will strengthen the regional dairy economy and create sustainable growth opportunities for everyone involved.”

About Hatsun Agro Product Ltd.

Hatsun Agro Product Ltd. (HAP) Is a leading private sector dairy player in India. HAP procures milk from select fine quality cattle collected directly from over 5,00,000 farmers, chosen with care. HAP follows quality standards certified by the prestigious ISO 22000. HAP’s portfolio includes. Arun Icecreams – South India’s leading ice cream brand, Arokya Milk & Milk products – the country’s largest private sector milk brand, Hatsun Dairy Products –a rapidly growing, wide portfolio brand of dairy products, ibaco – Premium chain of ice cream outlets enabling consumers create their own ice cream sundaes., HAP Daily – With 4200+ outlets, HAP Daily has expanded its reach in traditionally strong markets like Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana, and has started to make inroads into Maharashtra, Kerala, Orissa, Goa, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Gujarat, Andamans, Chandigarh and Bihar. HAP Daily products are distributed to kirana stores, premium supermarkets and other retail outlets through various distribution channels. This increases availability and expands the brand’s reach to a wider consumer base. Hanobar – A range of coco confectionaries infused with nuts, ganache and fruit fillings, every bite is an exquisite mouthfeel, giving an indulgent experience like none other. Havia – Premium chocolates have been made to make each of these moments memorable by gifting the special one’s with a box of indulgence & Santosa is an in-house brand for cattle feed and cattle care. Aniva – a range of deliciously flavoured whey drinks.

Harit Zaveri Jewellers, a jewellery destination founded in 2014, marks its expansion across Gujarat with the opening of its new flagship in Surat. Located at Parle Point, the new space brings together the brand’s contemporary interpretation of heritage Indian jewellery, considered design and commitment to transparent retail.
 

Actor Vicky Kaushal, alongside Founder Harit Zaveri, inaugurated the flagship @haritzaverijewellers with a grand Kabuki Drop, marking a new chapter for the brand in one of Gujarat’s key jewellery markets.
 

Vicky Kaushal joins founder Harit Zaveri to inaugurate the new Harit Zaveri Jewellers Flagship in Surat

Spanning a massive 10,000 sq. ft., the new jewellery space brings the perfect mix of India Modern in terms of client experience, design, bridal and daily wear to the city. During an exclusive fireside chat, Vicky Kaushal also shared how he strongly aligns with Harit Zaveri’s core values of craft, ethics, and honesty!
 

“We wanted someone whose public persona and approach to his work had some resonance with what we are trying to build. Vicky has that combination of reach, humility and substance. So for us, it was both a communication decision and a value alignment,” shares Harit Zaveri, Joint Managing Director, Harit Zaveri Jewellers.
 

“When I was invited to attend the opening of a jewellery brand in Gujarat whose ethos lay in the right craftsmanship, the right quality and the right price, it stood out to me. In today’s fast-paced world, there is something truly special about the sincerity and quality it takes to carry forward a legacy as distinguished as Harit Zaveri Jewellers. Buying jewellery comes with a great deal of trust, and that trust is built through the values upheld over time. I’m really happy to be here in Gujarat and be a part of the unveiling of Harit Zaveri’s new legacy in Surat. To me personally, jewellery is tied to memories and celebrations, and you can feel that sentiment here,” shared Vicky Kaushal, Actor, as he browsed through the flagship and its collections.
 

Built on the belief in “the right craftsmanship, the right quality and the right price,” Harit Zaveri Jewellers has grown from its roots in Ahmedabad, drawing on a longstanding family legacy in jewellery through RBZ Jewellers Ltd. The brand’s approach is guided by honest and ethical business practices, with an emphasis on fairness, transparency and equal respect for every customer. Its philosophy reflects its commitment to treating every customer with integrity and ensuring a retail experience without pressure or distinction.
 

The new Surat flagship brings to life India Modern, the brand’s interpretation of how Indian jewellery retail can evolve while remaining rooted in its origins. Bringing together Indian craftsmanship, materials and cultural identity with contemporary design, technology and transparency, the space has been conceived as an environment where the jewellery remains the protagonist and every element enhances the experience of discovering it.
 

The interiors combine Indian stone, sandstone, wood, brass and crafted surfaces with clean geometry, layered lighting and generous circulation. Drawing on ideas of proportion, rhythm, thresholds, screens and framed views rather than conventional decorative motifs, the space offers a contemporary expression of Indian design, with the customer experience at its centre.
 

At Harit Zaveri Jewellers, jewellery is more than ornamentation; it is an expression of individuality and the moments one chooses to celebrate. The collections span everyday, occasion, statement and bridal jewellery, bringing together traditional Indian craftsmanship, distinctive design and versatility. Among its offerings are Gul, Saanjh and its Polki collection, each reflecting a different facet of Indian jewellery and its interpretation.
 

With its Surat flagship, Harit Zaveri Jewellers continues its expansion across Gujarat, bringing its approach to craftsmanship, design and transparent retail to a new market while remaining anchored in the values that have shaped its journey.
 

Instagram: @haritzaverijewellers

AET Summit by Adentech, the group’s events and recognition platform, unveils India’s Most Iconic Workplaces 2026–27 — a celebration of the workplaces whose people practices define the benchmark for corporate India.

AET Summit – India’s Most Iconic Workplaces 2026–27

At the heart of the property lies one clear conviction: iconic is never claimed — it is earned. Each honoured workplace emerges from independent market research carried out by one of India’s foremost research and insights agencies — a nationwide study that measures workplaces against ten published parameters, among them culture, wellbeing, retention, leadership, learning, inclusion and employee voice.

The felicitation takes place on Wednesday, 16 December 2026 at Taj Santacruz, Mumbai — a morning that gathers the CHROs, CEOs and founders behind the honoured workplaces. The programme features a data-led keynote on the anatomy of an iconic workplace, a leadership panel on culture as a driver of growth, a fireside dialogue on AI stepping into the modern org chart, and a walkthrough of the evaluation methodology — after which each honoured workplace is felicitated on stage.

Commenting on the launch, Snehas Ajgaonkar, Founder & CEO, Adentech, said, “Most organisations describe themselves as people-first; only a handful can demonstrate it — in who stays, who rises, and in how their employees speak about work when no one is watching. India’s Most Iconic Workplaces was created to identify such workplaces through research and celebrate them in the company of their peers. December in Mumbai will be their moment, and we are delighted to host it.”

Among the themes the 2026–27 edition will explore:

• Turning culture into growth — the measurable business impact of great people practices

• AI as a teammate — how work, skills and the HR function change when intelligent agents join the workforce

• The anatomy of an iconic workplace — insights from the 2026–27 nationwide evaluation

• Workplaces employees champion — the everyday credibility behind retention and employee voice

With India’s Most Iconic Workplaces, the portfolio of AET Summit by Adentech — already home to Brands that India Trusts — now stretches from brand recognition into the arena of workplace excellence.

The honoured cohort will be revealed at the ceremony on 16 December 2026. To explore the platform further, visit www.aetsummit.com.

About Adentech
Adentech is a marketing and creative powerhouse headquartered in Mumbai, working across outdoor media, digital and performance marketing, video production and brand building — work designed to turn heads and move metrics. Its events and recognition arm, AET Summit, curates research-led platforms for the leadership of Indian business. Visit adentech.in.

About AET Summit by Adentech
AET Summit by Adentech is the gathering platform for India’s senior business leadership, producing business conferences, felicitations, round tables, conclaves and leadership awards. Its portfolio features India’s Most Iconic Workplaces, celebrated each year in Mumbai, alongside Brands that India Trusts and Most Trusted Workplaces of India.

The Postcard Hotel marked a landmark evening at the World Travel Awards Asia, Oceania & Indian Ocean Gala Ceremony 2026 in Maldives, receiving 12 honours across multiple categories — more than any other hotel brand in Asia this year.

Signature images from The Postcard Hotel portfolio, including – Goa, Leh, Gir, Karnataka and beyond

Leading the evening’s recognition, The Postcard Hotel was once again named Asia’s Leading Boutique Hotel Brand 2026, reinforcing the brand’s growing presence in ultra-luxury hospitality across the region.

Among the individual hotel honours, The Postcard on the Arabian Sea was named Asia’s Leading Boutique Hotel 2026, while The Postcard Gir Wildlife Sanctuary received Asia’s Leading Wildlife Resort 2026. In a significant first for one of the brand’s newest properties, The Postcard on the Mandovi River was named India’s Leading New Hotel 2026, while The Postcard in the Himalayan Willows, Leh, which opened last year, was recognised as India’s Leading Mountain Resort 2026. With further recognition for properties across India, Bhutan and Sri Lanka, The Postcard Hotel closed the evening with a total of 12 awards.

For an independent luxury hotel company founded only in 2018, the breadth of the recognition is significant. The Postcard Hotel was created around a deliberately different idea of luxury: intimate hotels in remarkable destinations, generous space, thoughtful design and highly personalised service, with fewer rules and greater freedom for the guest.

That philosophy is reflected not only in industry recognition, but in the response of guests. The Postcard Hotel consistently records some of the highest guest ratings across leading global travel platforms, across a portfolio that ranges from beaches and wildlife reserves to tea estates, heritage homes and the Himalayas.

The recently opened The Postcard in the Himalayan Willows, Leh, for instance, sits at approximately 11,500 feet and combines expansive suites, highly personalised service and an extraordinary Himalayan setting. It is an example of the brand’s ability to create hotels of considerable comfort and sophistication in destinations that are both remote and deeply compelling — while commanding some of the country’s highest room rates and earning exceptional guest scores.

“We have always believed that the future of luxury hospitality is about giving guests more freedom, more space and more extraordinary experiences — not more rules. To receive twelve honours across such diverse categories, and more awards than any other hotel brand in Asia this year, is a very special recognition of that belief.

But awards are only one measure of what we do. The scores our hotels receive and, more importantly, the affection guests have for them matter enormously to us. When industry recognition and guest response come together in this way, it gives us the confidence to continue challenging conventions and pushing the boundaries of what an ultra-luxury hotel can be,” – Kapil Chopra, Founder and CEO, The Postcard Hotel.

Established in 1993, the World Travel Awards recognise excellence across the global travel and tourism industry. Winners are determined through votes from travel and tourism professionals and consumer travel buyers, with votes from verified industry professionals carrying additional weighting. The awards are presented at country, regional and global levels, with regional winners progressing to the World Awards.

Following the Asia, Oceania & Indian Ocean awards, several of The Postcard Hotel’s winning hotels and categories will now progress to the World Travel Awards Grand Final, scheduled to take place in Tanzania in December 2026.

The twelve awards come at an important moment for The Postcard Hotel as it enters its next phase of growth. With twelve operational hotels and nine more scheduled to open over the next twelve months, the brand is expanding into some of the region’s most distinctive destinations while remaining deliberately intimate in scale.

Rather than standardising luxury across its portfolio, The Postcard Hotel designs each hotel around the character of its destination. Its hotels are found along coastlines and rivers, within wildlife landscapes, among tea gardens and coffee estates, in the Himalayas and within restored historic assets. Each is individual, but united by the same principles: exceptional design, extraordinary space, highly personalised service and experiences rooted in the destination.

The next chapter will take The Postcard Hotel beyond the region, as the brand begins its global expansion into extraordinary destinations around the world. The focus will remain on places with a powerful landscape, culture and identity — places where the hotel does not simply occupy a destination, but becomes an integral part of experiencing it.

About The Postcard Hotel

Founded in December 2018 by Kapil Chopra, together with a team of seasoned luxury hoteliers including Akanksha Lamba, Anirudh Kandpal and Raman Bansal, The Postcard Hotel was created with a simple ambition: to reconsider many of the conventions of traditional luxury hospitality and bring greater freedom, discovery and joy back to travel.

Today, The Postcard Hotel operates twelve luxury hotels across India, Bhutan and Sri Lanka. In October 2026, the brand will enter Nepal with The Postcard on the Rapti River, Chitwan, extending its presence into another remarkable landscape and continuing its approach of choosing destinations where the experience of the place is as important as the hotel itself.

The brand has become known for generous space, highly personalised service, destination-led food and experiences, some of the highest room rates in the country and consistently high guest ratings across leading global travel platforms. Its growing portfolio spans remote Himalayan landscapes, wildlife reserves, beaches, rivers, tea estates and restored heritage buildings.

With nine new hotels scheduled to open over the next twelve months, The Postcard Hotel is building a new generation of intimate ultra-luxury hotels from Asia, combining a strong sense of place with an increasingly international outlook.

As it begins its next chapter of global expansion, its ambition remains unchanged: not simply to build more hotels, but to push the boundaries of what an ultra-luxury hotel can be.

At the Second World Summit on Sustainable Health and Well-Being 2026, Dr. Sathish Kumar Santhanam brought a distinctly Tamil perspective to the global dialogue on resilience, sustainability and human well-being.

DAC Developers Founder and MD S. Sathish Kumar poses with the “Global Change Maker Award 2026” presented by UNESCO at the UN Asia-Pacific Headquarters

Speaking on “From Our Roots to Our Future: Building for Generations,” he highlighted how the built environment can shape healthier, safer and more resilient communities for the future.

Reflections from the address

• Kallanai — Built for Generations A lasting example of foresight, engineering excellence and public purpose.

• Brihadisvara Temple — Precision that Endures A testament to scientific knowledge, architectural intelligence and timeless design.

• A Timeless Tamil Thought Recalling former President of India, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, who invoked “Yaadhum Oore; Yaavarum Kelir” in his address to the European Parliament, Dr. Sathish Kumar Santhanam echoed the same words in his own address. Written by Kaniyan Pungundranar, they mean: “Every place is our home. Everyone is our kin.”

He also spoke about future-ready communities built around water security, clean energy, food resilience, technology, nature, affordability and human connection.

“The next leap in human longevity will not come from medicine alone. It will come from the built world we choose to create today.”

As Founder and Managing Director of DAC Developers, Dr. Sathish Kumar Santhanam underscored a larger vision: to create resilient, inclusive communities that strengthen society and contribute meaningfully to the nation’s future.Rooted in heritage. Built for generations.

About DAC Developers

DAC Developers, established in 2014, is a Chennai-based leading construction company with over a decade of experience in creating quality homes that enhance lifestyles. Committed to providing essential luxuries at affordable prices, DAC Developers are known for their aesthetics, amenities, and accessibility to essential facilities, where each project is uniquely designed to meet homebuyers’ needs, offering convenience and comfort. With a focus on transparency, customer trust, and superior construction standards, the company has been redefining urban living experiences with over 110 plus projects, 45 lakhs plus square feet construction, 3000 and counting happy home owners till date.

Pramerica Life Insurance today announced the launch of Pramerica Life Poorna Rakshak, a non-linked, non-participating individual savings life insurance plan that combines life protection with guaranteed benefits and a choice of income structures. With five distinct variants, the product enables customers to choose how and when they receive their benefits based on their financial goals, income requirements and future milestones.

Pramerica Life Insurance Launches ‘Poorna Rakshak’

Poorna Rakshak has been developed around the understanding that customers have different financial and protection needs at different stages of life. A young parent may prioritise planning for a child’s education and future milestones, while another customer may be looking for an additional source of income in the near term. Designed as an all-encompassing solution, Poorna Rakshak is built to address the varied needs of a wide range of customer cohorts, with the flexibility to align with their individual life stages, financial goals and aspirations. Customers can choose the option that best suits their unique circumstances, making the product relevant across different phases of life and for diverse financial priorities. 

Poorna Rakshak addresses these varying priorities through five benefit structures, each designed around a different customer need:

• Smart Scholars is designed around a child’s future milestones, with income beginning at age 16-18 and continuing through key milestone years of 20–25, along with a guaranteed lumpsum benefit at the end. 

• Early Income is designed for customers seeking regular income from the early years of the policy, with income beginning from the 2nd, 3rd or 4th policy year. 

• Income Booster combines an upfront liquidity benefit with regular future income, offering cashback of 25% or 35% of Annualised Premium within 10 days of realisation of the first premium post issuance. 

• Smart Money Back provides guaranteed income at five-year intervals, with each successive payout doubling the previous payout. 

• Smart Saver provides structured income from the 6th year through the 10th year, along with a maturity benefit

Across all five variants, Poorna Rakshak offers life cover throughout the policy term along with guaranteed benefits under the selected variant, subject to the policy remaining in force and applicable terms and conditions. The choice of benefit structures enables customers to align the timing of their payouts more closely with anticipated financial requirements and milestones. Tax benefits are also available as applicable under prevailing tax laws.

Pankaj Gupta, MD & CEO, Pramerica Life Insurance, said, “Financial planning becomes more meaningful when it reflects how people actually live – their responsibilities, aspirations and the milestones they are preparing for. With Poorna Rakshak, we wanted to give customers the ability to choose a structure that fits their priorities, while retaining the certainty of guaranteed benefits and the security of life protection. It also strengthens our guaranteed product portfolio, an area that has been an important part of our product philosophy over the years.”

Karthik Chakrapani, Chief Business Officer, Pramerica Life Insurance, said, “One thing we consistently see in customer and distributor conversations is that savings needs are becoming increasingly specific. Customers are asking not only about returns or maturity benefits, but also about when benefits begin, how frequently they are received and whether the structure fits a particular goal. Poorna Rakshak has been built to respond to these more nuanced conversations through five clearly differentiated payout options. Ultimately, it is about making savings solutions more relevant to the way customers plan their lives.”

With Poorna Rakshak, Pramerica Life further strengthens its guaranteed savings portfolio by bringing together choice, predictability and life protection, while enabling customers to select a benefit structure aligned with their individual financial requirements and life-stage milestones.

About Pramerica Life Insurance Limited
Pramerica Life Insurance Limited is a joint venture between DIL, a wholly owned subsidiary of Piramal Finance Limited (erstwhile Piramal Capital and Housing Finance Limited) and Prudential International Insurance Holdings, Ltd. (PIIH), a fully owned subsidiary of Prudential Financial, Inc. (PFI). It represents the coming together of two renowned financial services organizations with a legacy of business excellence spread over decades. Pramerica Life Insurance Limited, started operations in India on September 1, 2008 and has a pan India presence through multiple distribution channels which have been customized to address the specific insurance needs of diverse customer segments. The Company is committed to providing protection and quality financial advice to its customers. Pramerica is the brand name used in India and select countries by PFI. For more details, please visit www.pramericalife.in
 

About Piramal Finance Limited
Piramal Finance Limited is a retail-led upper-layer NBFC with a pan-India presence, having served over 5 million customers across 26 states. The company manages Assets under Management (AUM) of over Rs. 1,00,000 Cr and operates a distinctive phygital model – combining high-touch engagement across 13,000+ pin codes with high-tech capabilities including machine learning models, agentic AI tools and real-time dashboards. In retail lending, Piramal Finance offers home loans, loans against property, used car loans, personal loans, digital loans and small business loans, with a strong focus on metro-adjacent, semi-urban and rural markets. In wholesale lending, the company provides asset-backed, data-driven solutions across real estate and select non-real estate sectors, with a focus on mid-segment residential projects and capital solutions for mid-market corporates.  With its digital-first approach and AI-enabled platforms, Piramal Finance is committed to expanding access to affordable credit and driving inclusive growth across India. For more information visit: piramalfinance.com
 

About Prudential Financial, Inc.
Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE: PRU), a global financial services leader and premier active global investment manager with approximately USD 1.4 trillion in assets under management as of December 31, 2022, has operations in the United States, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. Prudential’s diverse and talented employees help make lives better by creating financial opportunities for more people by expanding access to investing, insurance, and retirement security. Prudential’s iconic Rock symbol has stood for strength, stability, expertise, and innovation for nearly 150 years. For more information, please visit news.prudential.com

CREDAI Chennai hosted an interaction between its members and representatives of Port City Colombo at ITC Grand Chola, Chennai.

The interaction was arranged to introduce Port City Colombo to CREDAI Chennai members and provide them exposure to a world class development. The initiative was relevant to members as it enabled them to understand the project, its development framework and the opportunities that may be of interest to real estate developers and allied industry professionals.

Key Takeaways from Port City Colombo’s Presentation to CREDAI Chennai Members

Chennai’s strategic location in close proximity to Colombo, together with the longstanding commercial and cultural links between Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka, makes this interaction particularly relevant to CREDAI Chennai members. This geographical proximity provides Chennai-based developers and professionals with an opportunity to understand a nearby regional market and independently explore potential areas of engagement in real estate development, construction, design and allied services.

Members also had the opportunity to interact directly with the Port City Colombo representatives, seek relevant information and independently assess the opportunities based on their respective business interests and priorities.

Mr. Thiru A.R. Rahul Nadh, IAS, Member Secretary, Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA), attended the programme as the distinguished guest and delivered a special address. The programme was also attended by CREDAI Chennai office bearers, member developers, industry representatives and representatives of Port City Colombo.

Speaking on behalf of CREDAI Chennai, Mr. Mehul H. Doshi, President, CREDAI Chennai, said, “Our objective was to showcase Port City Colombo to our members and government officials. It has a great master plan and since the Tamil Nadu government is considering establishing an AI city, this can serve as a good model for the same. The interaction enabled members to obtain relevant information directly and independently assess whether any of the opportunities align with their respective business interests. Chennai and Colombo share longstanding geographical and commercial ties, and such interactions can contribute to greater professional engagement between the two cities.”

Speaking on the significance of the interaction, Mr. Thulci Aluwihare, Deputy Managing Director, CHEC Port City Colombo (Pvt) Ltd., said, “Chennai is a natural starting point for this conversation, given its proximity to Colombo and strong real estate ecosystem. India, and South India in particular, is an important market for Port City Colombo. This interaction with CREDAI Chennai provided an opportunity for the Indian real estate community to understand the Port City development and further strengthen cross border investment ties. We look forward to continuing this dialogue and exploring areas of mutual interest.”

About Port City Colombo

Port City Colombo is a modern, master-planned city development envisioned as a world-class international business and lifestyle hub in South Asia. Spanning 269 hectares along the main East–West maritime route, it is Sri Lanka’s first foreign currency-designated multi-services Special Economic Zone (SEZ) and the country’s largest public–private partnership development project. Governed by the Colombo Port City Economic Commission, the project operates under a dedicated regulatory framework that offers internationally benchmarked standards, strong investor protection, ease of doing business, and competitive fiscal and non-fiscal incentives.

Designed to attract high-value Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), Port City Colombo facilitates sectors including financial services, IT and digital services, global trading, maritime and logistics, professional services, and regional headquarters operations. Upon completion, the estimated US$15 billion development is expected to generate significant employment, knowledge transfer, and long-term economic growth for Sri Lanka.

For more information, visit www.portcitycolombo.lk

The Indian Beverage Association (IBA), representing manufacturers across India’s non-alcoholic beverage sector, has assured its full support to the sustainability commitments outlined in the BRICS New Delhi Declaration, particularly its emphasis on integrated waste management, material circularity, and resource efficiency.
 

“The Declaration’s recognition of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), eco-design, and sustainable public procurement as national policy instruments reflects a direction the beverage industry in India has already embraced,” said IBA Secretary General Dr. Gunveena Chadha.
 

Dr. Gunveena Chadha, Secretary General, Indian Beverage Association
 

“Our members have invested significantly in packaging redesign, lightweighting, and PET collection and recycling systems, and we see this Declaration as a strong endorsement of this continued journey,” she added.
 

Dr Chadha outlined that India’s beverage industry has been an early adopter of EPR frameworks under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change’s Plastic Waste Management Rules, with member companies actively partnering with waste collection agencies, urban local bodies, and recycling enterprises nationwide. The Association stated that the Declaration’s call for enhanced monitoring mechanisms and investment in recovery infrastructure aligns closely with ongoing industry efforts to build robust, traceable, and verifiable circularity systems across the country.
 

The IBA also expressed support for the proposed Network of BRICS Institutions to Advance Knowledge Sharing, Research and Innovation in Sustainable Lifestyles, describing it as a valuable platform for cross-border collaboration on packaging innovation, alternative materials, and recycling technologies. “Learning from and contributing to a shared knowledge base among BRICS nations can accelerate the pace of innovation far more effectively than any single country acting alone,” Dr Chadha added.
 

Additionally, the Association welcomed the possibility of a BRICS Sustainable Lifestyle Week in 2026, noting its potential to raise consumer awareness around responsible consumption and disposal practices.
 

The IBA reiterated its commitment to working closely with policymakers, implementing authorities, and recycling partners to strengthen India’s integrated waste management ecosystem, and to supporting national priorities on circularity as India continues to scale its manufacturing and consumption base.
 

“As an industry, we recognise that sustainable growth is only possible through shared responsibility — between producers, consumers, and governments,” IBA Secretary General said.

About IBA
The Indian Beverage Association represents leading non-alcoholic beverage manufacturers operating in India, working collaboratively on sustainability, public health, and industry standards.