The Game Developer Association of India (GDAI), India’s apex industry body representing the Indian gaming ecosystem, today announced Supernova, a national incubation program designed to scale Indian gaming studios from development to publishing. 

GDAI’s Supernova bridges the gap in India’s Indie game development segment of access to structured mentorship, venture funding, publishers, and guidance on integrating AI into production pipelines. The incubation program is developed with global industry partners like Tencent, PhonePe’s Indus Appstore, 1312 Interactive, Sanchi Connect and more, making it one of the largest programs facilitated by GDAI to enable ecosystem growth. In its inaugural year, Supernova will support 40 high-potential studios selected nationally, with applications opening today.

Designed for studios across different stages of development, from student teams and early prototypes to publisher-ready and investment-ready companies, the incubation program will provide founders with stage-specific mentorship from experienced game industry leaders, publisher and investor readiness support, and AI-focused game development workflows and technical guidance. The program also offers business, legal and IP advisory, cloud infrastructure, startup tools and technology benefits, and direct connections to publishers, platform holders and ecosystem partners.

According to Mintegral’s India Gaming Growth Outlook 2026, India has one of the world’s largest gaming audiences; the next challenge is enabling studios to scale sustainably through better publishing, growth, monetisation, and access to global markets. As per the MIXI Global Investments’ India’s State of Play report, India’s gaming market is maturing with combined in-app and advertising revenue projected to reach USD 2.4 billion by 2029. GDAI’s Supernova incubation program will aid India’s expanding developer ecosystem of more than 2000 companies employing 130,000 talented professionals, and GDAI’s vision to create 2 million+ jobs in gaming by 2034.  

Speaking on the launch, Rajan Navani, Board Member and Chairperson, GDAI Incubation Subcommittee, added, “India has all the ingredients to become a global powerhouse for game development, be it creative talent or entrepreneurial energy, and a rapidly growing domestic market. The next phase of growth will depend on our ability to help founders build sustainable studios capable of creating globally successful IP. Supernova is an important step towards building that long-term ecosystem.”

Shruti Verma, CEO, GDAI, said, “Over the past few months, our conversations with founders across India have revealed a common set of challenges. Many studios struggle to move from building games to building sustainable businesses, securing publisher access, raising growth capital, adopting AI-driven production workflows, and navigating the path from prototype to commercial success. Through Supernova, we’re bringing together mentorship, publishing access, AI expertise and industry networks to help founders build investment-ready, globally competitive game studios.” 

The incubator will conclude with a Demo Day at the India Game Developer Conference (IGDC) 2026, where participating studios will showcase their games to publishers, investors and industry leaders from India and around the world.

The first cohort will be announced by August 2026. The last day to apply is 31st July 2026. Interested studios may apply here.

About GDAI
The Game Developer Association of India (GDAI) is India’s apex industry body for the video gaming ecosystem and a non-profit organisation that unites game developers across every state into one shared national ecosystem. GDAI is committed to enabling business opportunities, upskilling of talent, and shaping policy framework with the government to position India as a global hub for game development. GDAI is supporting the journey from individual talent to strong studios with access to global markets, incubating 5,000 game start-ups and impacting 25,000+ students nationwide in choosing games as a career.

South India’s top police chiefs and central intelligence heads gathered at a high-level summit to integrate Operation Toofan: The Narco Hunt into a seamless cross-border anti-narcotics grid. Launched by Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala within hours of assuming office, the mission has evolved into one of India’s most comprehensive anti-drug initiatives, with five southern states agreeing to establish a permanent joint coordination mechanism to combat interstate narcotics trafficking.

South India’s top police chiefs and central intelligence heads gathering at Thiruvananthapuram for Operation Toofan High Level Summit chaired by Home Minister Ramesh Chennnithala

Officially inaugurated by Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan at the beginning of the current academic year, Operation Toofan is now entering its next phase through a unified operational framework aimed at strengthening intelligence sharing, coordinating enforcement, and enhancing interstate cooperation against organised drug networks.

The Operation Toofan Summit, chaired by Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala, brought together top regional police chiefs, including Kerala DGP Ravada Azad Chandrasekhar IPS, Tamil Nadu DGP Mahesh Kumar Aggarwal IPS, Puducherry DGP Shalini Singh IPS, and Karnataka ADGP R. Hitendra IPS. Elite central enforcement agencies were also represented by NCB Deputy Director General R. Sudhakar, DRI Additional Director General K. Padmavathi, Customs Preventive Commissioner T. Tiju, and SIB Joint Director Don K. Jose. Concluding the high-level briefings, IG and Operation Toofan Nodal Officer Putta Vimaladithya, IPS, presented the core operational strategies and timelines for the new interstate alliance.

Under Operation Toofan, each state decided to appoint a nodal officer (SP rank or above) to coordinate joint crackdowns on road, rail, air, and sea smuggling. A major focus will be on tackling courier networks and “mid-route train drops” that bypass station security. Internally, Kerala is expanding its DANSAF force and establishing 12 new specialised NDPS courts to fast-track convictions.

“The drug mafia operates without borders—and from this day forward, so will our response,” Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala stated. He recently held direct talks with Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, strategically linking Kerala’s operational framework with Karnataka’s efforts to eliminate illicit networks. As the next major operational step, Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge will arrive in Kerala on July 15 for crucial bilateral talks with Chennithala to finalise joint border-control protocols between the two states.

Operation Toofan structurally attacks the problem from multiple angles. It is divided into four human-centric pillars: Toofan Strikes for aggressive enforcement, Toofan Warriors for mass civic mobilisation, Toofan Care focusing on rehabilitation, and the newly integrated Toofan Jagaran—a comprehensive mass-awareness initiative designed to keep the entire nation vigilant against the encroachment of illicit networks without borders or barriers.

Moving forward, Operation Toofan will expand its reach through high-level visits to the Chief Ministers and Home Ministers of all neighbouring southern states to finalise bilateral security pacts. Administratively, Operation Toofan is drawing widespread acclaim as a practical regional model for zero-tolerance drug enforcement. The collaborative multi-state framework directly supports the multi-agency approach consistently advocated by the Union Home Ministry in national NCORD forums to dismantle cross-border cartels. The mission will interface directly with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi to request critical statutory amendments to federal anti-narcotics laws, specifically focusing on plugging legal loopholes.

Within 24 hours of the summit, coordinated enforcement operations under Operation Toofan resulted in the registration of 57 narcotics cases and the arrest of 58 individuals.

Drawing on his decades of legislative experience as a four-time Member of Parliament and former Kerala Minister for Home and Rural Development, senior Indian National Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala is leveraging his administrative experience to foster seamless interstate cooperation across South India, positioning Operation Toofan as a common anti-drug platform for the region.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup has produced numerous surprises and none of them would have shocked the international footballing world as two European giants, Germany and the Netherlands, crashed out of the tournament at the Round of 32 stage.

Julian Nagelsmann’s men lost to Paraguay on penalties

While teams like Egypt, Cape Verde, and Paraguay, along with co-hosts USA and Canada, have punched above their weight continuously in the ongoing World Cup, several teams have underachieved given their past achievements and on-paper strength of the squad.

Let’s have a look at the top five teams which failed to make it to the Round of 16 stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup:

#5 Senegal’s late meltdown causes their elimination

In their first three matches of the ongoing World Cup, Belgium looked like a shadow of the team that achieved a third-place finish at the 2018 FIFA World Cup. In fact, Senegal was leading Belgium 2-0 when the second hydration break of the match was taken around the 70th-minute mark.

While the players were walking out, Belgium’s key players Youri Tielemans and Leandro Trossard were involved in a verbal spat as the two were caught on camera arguing about a potential chance.

With five minutes to go and the Red Devils still two down, substitute Romelu Lukaku found the back of the net, followed by Trossard and Tielemans combining for the equalizer as Belgium extended the game to extra time.

There was late drama yet again as the match extended past the 120th minute and Tielemans was fouled inside the Senegal penalty area, followed by his second goal of the evening, which helped Belgium make it to the Round of 16.

#4 Croatia ended up losing in a toe-to-toe contest

Two Real Madrid legends, Cristiano Ronaldo and Luka Modric, were captaining their respective nations, Portugal and Croatia in the Round of 32 clash. The match was being touted as the farewell fixture for one of the legendary players and the action on the field did not disappoint.

After a drab first half, Ivan Perisic opened the scoring for the Croats early in the second half followed by Cristiano Ronaldo scoring his first World Cup knockout stage goal from the spot. In injury time, Goncalo Ramos headed in the goal that completed the comeback for Roberto Martinez’s men.

In the dying embers of the game, Croatia had a goal disallowed for offside as one of the Croatian players headed on the free kick to the far post which was ultimately headed in before VAR stepped in and chalked off the goal, handing Portugal an Iberian Derby in the Round of 16.

#3 Uruguay crashed out of the group stage

Marcelo Bielsa came into the tournament with hopes of leading Uruguay to new heights, but the veteran manager failed to even get them out of Group H. After a 1-1 draw with Saudi Arabia in their World Cup opener, Bielsa’s men drew 2-2 with Cape Verde, followed by a crushing defeat to Spain, which sealed their fate in the tournament.

Uruguay made it to the World Cup courtesy of a strong showing by Darwin Nunez in front of goal in the CONMEBOL qualifiers, but the former Liverpool striker blanked at the main stage, leaving the South American nation wanting more from its best players.

Bielsa is famous for making his sides play attacking football, but the failure to keep a clean sheet against all three teams in their group ultimately cost La Celeste as they crashed out of the World Cup group stage for the second consecutive time.

#2 The Netherlands endured another poor tournament campaign

The Netherlands remained unbeaten throughout the group stage and topped their group, but had to face Group C runners-up Morocco in the Round of 32, which turned out to be the most closely contested encounter in the whole round.

In a battle of defensive stars, Morocco fielded skipper Achraf Hakimi, Issa Diop, Chaddi Riad, and Noussair Mazraoui while Netherlands head coach Ronald Koeman decided to change the formation and field five defenders in Denzel Dumfries, Paul van Hecke, Virgil van Dijk, Nathan Ake, and Micky van de Ven.

With Cody Gakpo’s opener cancelled out by Diop and later the Dutch losing on penalties, the decision to change the formation for a crucial fixture was criticised heavily by fans and pundits alike.

#1 Germany’s disappointing showings at major tournaments go on

After winning their first two matches of the ongoing World Cup, Germany was exposed by Ecuador as they came back from a goal down to win against the Germans and qualify for the knockout stage.

Paraguay qualified for the Round of 32 as one of the best third-placed sides, finishing behind Australia on goal difference in Group D, and was the clear underdog against Germany.

Julio Enciso shocked everyone at the cusp of half-time as he opened the scoring, giving his side the lead. Leroy Sane equalized for the 2014 FIFA World Cup winners in the second half and Jonathan Tah seemed to have given them the lead in the first half of extra time, but his goal was controversially ruled out for a debated foul by Waldemar Anton on the goalkeeper.

The match went down to the penalties and sudden death, where none of the back-up penalty takers, including the experienced Leon Goretzka, stepped up to take responsibility, and ultimately central defender Tah blasted over to send his team packing towards Europe.

In the immediate aftermath of the defeat, Julian Nagelsmann accepted that big changes are needed to help German football flourish, and the former Bayern Munich manager followed up with his resignation soon after the debacle.

Former Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool icon Jurgen Klopp is being touted as the favorite to fill the German hot seat ahead of a crucial four-year period for Die Mannschaft, where they would be competing at the 2028 Euros in the United Kingdom and the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which would be mainly played in Europe.

The outcry after the defeat to Paraguay signals a requirement for a big change in the national team system, and a well-loved German coach like Klopp is exactly what Joshua Kimmich’s men need ahead of two crucial tournaments for the national team.

Contributed By – Mohak Arora, Parimatch Sports Analytics Expert

Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA), a global leader in mother and child care, today announced the launch of the Philips Avent Sterilizer and Dryer Premium (SCF293/00) in India, a compact all-in-one appliance designed to help parents sterilize, dry and store baby feeding essentials with greater convenience. The launch builds on Philips Avent’s recent science-led infant hygiene awareness campaign⁽¹⁾ featuring actor and new mother Yami Gautam Dhar, which encouraged parents to rethink traditional boiling and adopt sterilization as an important step in infant bottle hygiene.
 

Philips Avent Launches Sterilizer and Dryer Premium in India
 

With this new innovation, Philips Avent is addressing a clear parent need: trusted hygiene support that fits into daily feeding routines. Survey findings from the campaign indicated that the Philips Avent Sterilizer delivers up to 2x better germ protection than boiling⁽²⁾, with infants falling ill less often in households using the sterilizer versus boiling⁽³⁾. The new Sterilizer and Dryer Premium enable drying functionality by combining sterilization and filtered air drying in one appliance.
 

The launch reflects Philips Avent’s continued commitment to supporting informed parenting through consumer education and meaningful innovation. The new product is designed to make infant hygiene routines easier to adopt every day, bringing together effective sterilization, filtered-air drying and convenient storage in one appliance.
 

Commenting on the launch, Smit Shukla, Country Head – Philips Personal Health, Philips Indian Subcontinent, said, “Philips Avent as a brand has always believed in being an ally to parents and help them in their parenting journey. This also means we have to stay close to the consumer and listen to them. After an overwhelming response to our sterilizer campaign, many consumers reached out to us and asked for a drying function as well. We are therefore introducing the new sterilizer and dryer from Philips Avent which not only gives 2X better germ protection vs boiling but also dries baby essentials making parent’s life easier and protect babies from germs.”
 

Philips Avent Sterilizer and Dryer
 

Philips Avent Sterilizer and Dryer Premium helps simplify daily hygiene routines

Baby essentials hygiene is one of the routines parents repeat every day. Designed to make that routine easier to sustain, the Philips Avent Sterilizer and Dryer Premium (SCF293/00) combines sterilization, drying and storage in one compact appliance. Using pure steam technology, it helps eliminate 99.9% of harmful germs without chemicals⁽⁴⁾, giving parents a trusted and convenient way to care for baby feeding essentials.

• Sterilizes and dries in 40 minutes: The appliance completes a full sterilization and drying cycle in 40 minutes, helping bottles and accessories be ready for the next feed.

• Keeps contents sterile for up to 24 hours⁽⁵⁾: When the lid remains closed, contents can remain sterile for up to 24 hours, giving parents more flexibility throughout the day.

• Designed for everyday capacity: The Sterilizer and Dryer can hold up to six Philips Avent bottles, along with accessories such as teats, soothers and a manual breast pump.

• Compact all-in-one design: Its compact footprint, spacious capacity and combined sterilization, drying and storage functionality help simplify bottle hygiene without adding extra steps to parents’ daily routines.

• Available starting at Rs. 7,495
   

About Royal Philips

Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) is a leading health technology company focused on improving people’s health and well-being through meaningful innovation. Philips’ patient- and people-centric innovation leverages advanced technology and deep clinical and consumer insights to deliver personal health solutions for consumers and professional health solutions for healthcare providers and their patients in the hospital and the home.
 

Headquartered in the Netherlands, the company is a leader in diagnostic imaging, ultrasound, image-guided therapy, monitoring and enterprise informatics, as well as in personal health. Philips generated 2025 sales of EUR 18 billion and employs approximately 64,300 employees with sales and services in more than 100 countries. News about Philips can be found at www.philips.com/newscenter.
 

L&T Finance Ltd. (LTF), one of the leading Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) in India has recorded consolidated Profit After Tax (PAT) of Rs. 902 Crore, up 29% Year-on-Year for the first quarter ended June 30, 2026. During the quarter, LTF achieved a milestone of highest-ever consolidated book of Rs. 1,29,634 Crore, up 27% Year-on-Year. The retail book size during the quarter reached Rs. 1,27,535 Crore, up 28% YoY. The Company has recorded robust retail disbursement of Rs. 23,852 Crore for the first quarter ended June 30, 2026, up 36% YoY. The Company has accelerated technology deployment to transform to an AI-native lender.

Highlights of L&T Finance Ltd.’s financial performance in Q1FY27

The Company’s customer-facing PLANET app, which has emerged as a powerful digital channel for customers, crossed more than 2.5 Crore downloads as of June 30, 2026, comprising more than 20 Lakh customers on the Rural side. As of June 30, 2026, this channel has done collections of over Rs. 11,500 Crore while servicing over 14 Crore requests and has sourced loans of around Rs. 34,462 Crore. Additionally, the Company’s Partner PLANET app continues to strengthen digital engagement with its dealer network. As of June 30, 2026, the platform has onboarded over 4,400 dealers, facilitated more than 51,000 logins, and enabled trade advance (TA) withdrawals of over Rs. 590 Crore.

Commenting on the financial results Mr. Sudipta Roy, Managing Director & CEO, LTF, said, “Q1FY27 was another quarter where we remained focused on disciplined execution amidst an evolving macroeconomic environment marked by geopolitical uncertainties, inflationary pressures and elevated borrowing costs. Despite these external factors, our diversified retail franchise continued to demonstrate resilience, delivering strong business momentum and healthy book growth in line with the goals of our Lakshya 31 strategic plan. Our consistent investments in technology, analytics and AI continue to be a key differentiator, both in terms of customer experience as well as credit outcomes. In our bid to transform into an AI-native organization, we are increasingly embedding our proprietary AI ecosystem across the entire lending stack from sourcing and underwriting through our in-house AI credit engine ‘Project Cyclops’ to portfolio monitoring through ‘Project Nostradamus’ and our expanding suite of in-house developed AI co-pilots and agents. These capabilities are enabling superior credit selection, improved customer experience, faster turnaround times and enhanced operating efficiencies, while strengthening the quality and sustainability of our growth.

The economy continues to exhibit resilience, supported by healthy government spending, improving infrastructure and sustained consumption trends. We are also pleased to note that our Rural Business Finance vertical has resumed its growth trajectory, with healthy business parameters across new customer acquisition, disbursement growth and collection efficiencies.

As we embark on the first full year of our Lakshya 31 journey, our focus remains on delivering consistent, profitable and high-quality growth. We will continue to invest in innovation, strengthen our distribution capabilities and enhance customer experience as we build a future-ready, AI-native financial institution that will be resilient across economic cycles.”

Key Highlights:

Building a diversified retail franchise:

Rural Business Finance:

Book size up 22% YoY to Rs. 32,493 Crore vs. Rs. 26,616 Crore in the quarter ended June 30, 2025 (Q1FY26). Quarterly disbursements for the quarter ended June 30, 2026, at Rs. 6,961 Crore vs. Rs. 5,618 Crore, up 24% YoY.

Farmer Finance:

Book size up 11% YoY to Rs. 17,514 Crore vs. Rs. 15,756 Crore in Q1FY26. Quarterly disbursements for the quarter ended June 30, 2026, at Rs. 2,453 Crore vs. Rs. 2,200 Crore, up 11% YoY.

Two-wheeler Finance:

Book size up 22% YoY to Rs. 15,068 Crore vs. Rs. 12,331 Crore in Q1FY26. Quarterly disbursements for the quarter ended June 30, 2026, at Rs. 3,006 Crore vs. Rs. 2,128 Crore, up 41% YoY.

Personal Loans:

Book size up 80% YoY to Rs. 16,917 Crore vs. Rs. 9,383 Crore in Q1FY26. Quarterly disbursements for the quarter ended June 30, 2026, at Rs. 4,380 Crore vs. Rs. 1,942 Crore, up 126% YoY.

Housing Loans and Loan Against Property (LAP):

Book size up 20% YoY to Rs. 31,630 Crore in Q1FY27 vs. Rs. 26,464 Crore in Q1FY26. Quarterly disbursements for the quarter ended June 30, 2026, at Rs. 3,401 Crore vs. Rs. 2,780 Crore, up 22% YoY.

SME Finance:

Book size up 28% YoY to Rs. 8,884 Crore in Q1FY27 vs. Rs. 6,964 Crore in Q1FY26. Quarterly disbursements for the quarter ended June 30, 2026, at Rs.1,567 Crore vs. Rs. 1,273 Crore, up 23% YoY.

Gold Finance:

Book size up 182% YoY to Rs. 3,829 Crore in Q1FY27 vs. Rs. 1,360 Crore in Q1FY26. Quarterly disbursements for the quarter ended June 30, 2026, at Rs. 1,928 Crore vs. Rs. 1,530 Crore, up 26% YoY.

About L&T Finance Ltd. (LTF)

L&T Finance Ltd. (LTF) ( www.LTFINANCE.com ), is a leading Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC), offering a range of financial products and services. Headquartered in Mumbai, the Company has been rated ‘AAA’ — the highest credit rating — by four leading domestic rating agencies. In August 2025, S&P Global Ratings upgraded LTF long-term Issuer Credit Rating to “BBB/Stable” from “BBB-/Positive” and short-term issuer credit rating to “A-2” from “A-3”. Fitch Ratings has affirmed LTF Long-Term Foreign and Local-Currency Issuer Default Ratings of “BBB-” with a Stable outlook. It has also received leadership scores and ratings by global and national Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) rating providers for its sustainability performance. The Company has been certified as a Great Place To Work® and has also won many prestigious awards for its flagship CSR project – “Digital Sakhi”- which focuses on women’s empowerment and digital and financial inclusion. Under Right to Win, being in the ‘right businesses’ has helped the Company become one of the leading financiers in key Retail products. The Company is focused on transforming into a Risk-first, Technology-first, AI-native Retail financial services institution as part of the Lakshya 2031 strategic plan. The Company has over 2.9 Crore customer database, which is being leveraged to cross-sell, up-sell, and identify new customers.

X: x.com/LnTFinance

Facebook: www.facebook.com/LnTFS

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/company/lntfinance

Instagram: www.instagram.com/lntfinance

YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/ltfinance

KaarTech, a global AI-led enterprise transformation company, has been recognized among India’s Top 100 Best Companies to Work For 2026 in the Large Enterprises category by Great Place To Work India. This marks KaarTech’s sixth Great Place To Work recognition, reaffirming its sustained commitment to building a high-trust workplace where employees are empowered to innovate, grow, and create meaningful impact.

KaarTech leadership and team at the Great Place To Work® India felicitation

The recognition comes during a landmark year for KaarTech. Earlier this year, the company consummated Series B funding led by Playbook Partners, accelerating investments in AI innovation, data and analytics capabilities, global AI Labs, and enterprise platforms. As KaarTech enters its next phase of growth, it continues to strengthen investments in its people and workplace culture, reinforcing its belief that exceptional businesses are built by exceptional teams.

Home to more than 2500+ professionals representing over 15+ nationalities, KaarTech has cultivated a workplace where learning, ownership, and collaboration drive both individual growth and business success. Employees work on complex enterprise transformation programmes spanning AI, SAP, cloud, and data technologies while developing deep technical expertise and global consulting capabilities.

Recognizing that the future of enterprise transformation will be shaped by AI, KaarTech continues to invest significantly in preparing its workforce for emerging technologies. Employees have access to structured learning pathways across Anthropic Claude, Microsoft Copilot, SAP Joule, Google Cloud Platform (GCP), and Amazon Web Services (AWS), alongside technical certification programmes, mentorship opportunities, internal career mobility, employee wellbeing initiatives, and the KaarTech Global Leadership Program (KGLP), the company’s flagship leadership development initiative designed to nurture future leaders.

Commenting on the recognition, Maran Nagarajan, Founder & CEO, KaarTech, said, “At KaarTech, our growth has always been driven by one simple belief that great organizations are built by great people. As we continue to expand globally and shape the future of AI-led enterprise transformation, we remain committed to creating an environment where talent can thrive, ideas are encouraged, and innovation becomes a way of life. Being recognized among India’s Top 100 Best Companies to Work For is a proud milestone because it reflects the culture our people have built together over the years.”

Vignesh Ramesh Kumar, Chief HR Officer, KaarTech, added, “Being recognized among India’s Top 100 Best Companies to Work For is especially meaningful because it reflects the experiences and voices of our employees. At KaarTech, we strive to create an environment where people feel trusted, supported, and empowered to reach their full potential. Through continuous learning, meaningful career opportunities, and an inclusive workplace culture, we remain committed to helping every employee grow while contributing to our collective success.”

Today, KaarTech has successfully delivered more than 3,300 enterprise transformation projects for leading organizations worldwide and has been honoured with 23 SAP Quality Awards. With women comprising 34% of its workforce, a globally diverse talent base representing 15+ nationalities, and an industry-leading single-digit attrition rate, the company continues to demonstrate that investing in people is fundamental to delivering customer success and building an enduring organization.

The India’s Top 100 Best Companies to Work For 2026 recognition by Great Place To Work India is based on a comprehensive assessment of workplace culture and employee experience. It recognizes organizations that consistently build high-trust workplaces founded on credibility, respect, fairness, pride, camaraderie, and opportunities for employees to realize their full potential.

As KaarTech continues to scale its AI-led enterprise transformation business globally, the company remains committed to building an enduring institution where innovation is powered by technology and sustained by its people, enabling employees to grow alongside the company’s next phase of global growth.

WAE Limited, a sustainability-led water solutions company, has entered into an association with Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) to support the deployment of environmentally responsible water infrastructure across select hospitality operations. The engagement includes a long-term supply arrangement for WAE’s glass bottling plants and water purification systems, designed to deliver premium drinking water solutions that align with the evolving sustainability priorities of the hospitality sector.

IHCL Entrusts WAE to Advance Carbon-Neutral Water Solutions Across Hospitality

Under the arrangement, WAE will provide glass bottling plant systems integrated with advanced water purification technology, delivering treated drinking water conforming to BIS 10500 specifications. The solution is intended to support IHCL’s broader commitment to responsible operations by enabling a shift away from single-use packaged water towards a more circular, in-house water management model.

At the centre of the partnership is a shared focus on rethinking how water is produced, served and experienced within hospitality environments. By combining on-site purification with reusable glass bottling, the WAE platform is designed to reduce packaging waste, limit the transport footprint associated with externally sourced bottled water, and strengthen control over water quality at the point of consumption. In doing so, it offers hotels a practical pathway towards lower-carbon water service systems—where sustainability is embedded not as an adjunct to guest experience, but as part of operational design itself.

Commenting on the association, Binita Singh, Head – Brand Advocacy, WAE Limited, said, “We are delighted to associate with IHCL, a company whose leadership in hospitality has long been complemented by a deep and visible commitment to sustainability. For us, this engagement reflects a common conviction that the future of premium hospitality will be shaped as much by operational responsibility as by service excellence. Through our glass bottling and purification solutions, we hope to contribute to a water ecosystem that is safer, more elegant in its design, and meaningfully lower in environmental impact.”

The WAE system has been developed for hospitality settings where guest experience, environmental stewardship and operational efficiency must coexist seamlessly. The integrated model enables purified water to be processed and bottled on-site in reusable glass formats, helping properties reduce reliance on conventional packaged water while advancing internal sustainability goals with greater transparency and traceability.

This association also reinforces WAE’s growing role as a sustainability partner to the hospitality industry, with solutions built around water quality assurance, circular packaging, resource efficiency and carbon reduction. Rather than treating water merely as a utility, WAE’s approach positions it as an essential part of the built sustainability architecture of modern hotels and resorts.

WAE’s sustainability credentials are further underpinned by its validation through EcoVadis, one of the world’s most respected business sustainability ratings platforms. The company has been assessed across key pillars including environment, ethics, labour and human rights, and sustainable procurement, reflecting its commitment to responsible business practices and transparent ESG performance.

As the hospitality sector continues to align luxury with accountability, WAE believes water systems will play an increasingly important role in shaping future-ready guest infrastructure. Through its association with IHCL, WAE aims to support this transition by delivering safe, premium, BIS-compliant and lower-carbon water solutions that reflect the next chapter of sustainable hospitality in India.

About WAE Limited
WAE Limited is an engineering and sustainability-focused water solutions company delivering advanced systems across water purification, treatment, dispensing and circular hydration infrastructure. Its solutions are designed to help organisations improve water quality, reduce environmental impact, and transition towards more responsible, resource-efficient operations. WAE works across hospitality, commercial and institutional environments with a focus on innovation, sustainability and measurable outcomes.

PanIIT Alumni India, the apex body representing the alumni of all 23 Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), today announced two key additions to its national leadership team. Dr Amitabh Ranjan (Registrar IIPA) has been elected Vice Chairman, and Rajeev Singh (Chief General Manager, Engineers India LTD) has been elected General Secretary of the organisation for the 2026-28 term.
 

(From left) Rajeev Singh, General Secretary; Prabhat Kumar, IRS, Chairman; and Dr Amitabh Ranjan, Vice Chairman, all of PanIIT Alumni India
 

The two office bearers join Chairman Prabhat Kumar, IRS, and Treasurer Ashish Kela, CFA, on the Executive Council, which represents a community of over five lakh IIT alumni across India and around the world, including active chapters in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Korea, Singapore, and Australia.
 

Dr. Amitabh Ranjan currently serves as Registrar at the Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA), New Delhi, one of the country’s premier institutions for the training and capacity-building of civil servants. A petroleum engineering graduate, he has previously served in leadership roles within the Government of Uttar Pradesh, where he was widely credited for spearheading the digitisation of the state’s Transport Department through the “Vahan“ (vehicle registration) and “Sarathi“ (driving licence) digital platforms, now used nationwide. He has been an active voice within the PanIIT ecosystem, frequently moderating and speaking at flagship PanIIT summits on themes ranging from public governance to India’s knowledge traditions, and brings with him a keen interest in the energy, renewable energy and climate domains.
 

Rajeev Singh has been a long-standing and active member of PanIIT Alumni India’s core team, having played a key role in organising several of the organisation’s flagship initiatives, events and community engagement programmes over the years. He takes charge as General Secretary at a time when PanIIT Alumni India continues to expand its footprint across India’s technology, entrepreneurship and public policy landscape.
 

Commenting on the new appointments, Prabhat Kumar, Chairman, PanIIT Alumni India, said, “Dr Amitabh Ranjan and Rajeev Singh bring with them years of dedicated engagement with the PanIIT movement. Their leadership will add further depth to our efforts in strengthening alumni collaboration, driving thought leadership, and contributing meaningfully to nation-building. We warmly welcome them to their new roles and look forward to their continued contribution.”
 

Speaking on his election, Dr Amitabh Ranjan, Vice Chairman, PanIIT Alumni India, said, “It is a privilege to take on this responsibility within an organisation that has consistently channelled the IIT community’s talent towards public good. I look forward to working with the Executive Council to deepen PanIIT’s engagement with public policy, governance and the larger national development agenda.”
 

Rajeev Singh, General Secretary, PanIIT Alumni India, added, “PanIIT has always been a platform built on the collective energy of its volunteers and alumni. As General Secretary, my focus will be on strengthening this ecosystem further and ensuring that our chapters, initiatives and members remain closely connected in pursuit of shared goals.”
 

PanIIT Alumni India serves as an umbrella organisation for the alumni of all IITs, promoting collaboration, thought leadership, and national service through a strong, unified network. Over the years, the movement has expanded significantly, organising flagship summits and initiatives across the country in the areas of technology, entrepreneurship, public policy and education. The newly strengthened Executive Council is expected to build on this momentum, fostering deeper alumni engagement, innovation-led partnerships and initiatives that contribute meaningfully to society and nation-building.

Celebrity Prime Hospitality, a pioneering multi-domain luxury conglomerate, is officially announcing the grand opening of its newest premium hospitality destination, opening on 15th July, 2026: Casa Hotel by Trunk and Trolley in HITEC City. 

Strategically positioned at the absolute epicenter of Hyderabad’s thriving tech corridor, this luxury hotel in Hyderabad is being meticulously engineered to cater to corporate leaders, international business travellers, and design connoisseurs who demand superior extended-stay experiences.

Trunk and Trolley Hotel, Hyderabad

The launch of the HITEC City branch represents a critical step in the group’s rapid hospitality footprint expansion, beautifully complementing its highly successful premier properties across Financial District, Madhapur, HITEC City, and Jubilee Hills with upcoming branches in Nanakramguda and Warangal. Every location within the Casa Hotel & Suites network is operating with a singular objective: blending the expansive comfort of residential-style grandeur with the flawless operational standards of an elite luxury hotel.

Signature USPs of Casa Hotel by Trunk and Trolley (HITEC City)

• Bespoke Extended-Stay Suites: Generously proportioned suites featuring elegant living areas, master-crafted workstations, and establishing a flawless “home-away-from-home” paradigm.

• Unmatched Location Context: Located directly inside Hyderabad’s primary Tech Hub, reducing commute times to an absolute minimum for visiting executives and multinational teams.

• Tech-Enabled Seamless Luxury: Smart automation suites, ultra-secure, hyper-speed connectivity, and rapid digital concierge services engineered for global corporate workflows.

• Wellness & Business Ecosystems: Executive lounges, sophisticated meeting pods, and fully equipped wellness facilities tailored for high-performance travellers.

By creating hyper-targeted connectivity across Financial District, Madhapur, HITEC City, and Jubilee Hills—along with an upcoming strategic regional hub in Nanakramguda and Warangal—Casa Hotels is ensuring that corporate entities enjoy unmatched continuity, service precision, and preferential luxury access wherever their businesses operate.

Elevating the Standard of Luxury Across India: The Celebrity Prime Hospitality Ecosystem

“True luxury isn’t just being built; it’s being curated.”

At Celebrity Prime Hospitality, we are transforming the landscape of real estate, boutique hospitality, premium events, and high-end interiors.

With a proud presence across Hyderabad, Bangalore, Goa, and Warangal, our multi-domain conglomerate is delivering end-to-end luxury ecosystems meticulously crafted for corporate leaders, international travellers, and design connoisseurs.

Our Signature Portfolio:

• Trunk & Trolley: Sophisticated, design-focused boutique hotels situated in Hyderabad’s corporate hubs (Gachibowli, Nanakramguda, Goa, and Bangalore).

• Casa Hotel by Trunk and Trolley: Premium, extended-stay luxury spaces located near vibrant business districts (Financial District, Madhapur, HITEC City, Warangal, Nanakramguda, and Jubilee Hills).

• Zen Convention: An ultra-premium event venue on Shankarpally Road, where important life moments are coming to life, setting the standard for everything from major corporate gatherings to deeply personal milestones like weddings and landmark anniversaries.

Whether you require executive stay solutions, an iconic event venue, or end-to-end luxury interior architecture, Celebrity Prime Hospitality is delivering unmatched excellence.

We are connecting to explore how we can be elevating your corporate hospitality needs or transforming your premium spaces.

Contact us today or visit our website to partner with us!

+91-7856473876 / 6546789876

info@celebrityprime.in | Visit Celebrity Prime Hospitality