The Millennium Group of Schools has announced the winners of the Millennium AI Creators Championship 2026, a national initiative that brought together school students from across India to explore the creative possibilities of Artificial Intelligence while developing responsible, ethical and future-ready approaches to technology.

Winners of Millennium AI Creators Championship 2026 organised by Millennium Group of Schools

Held around the theme ‘Sustainable Cities. Intelligent Futures.’, the championship encouraged students to imagine how AI and human creativity can come together to address real-world challenges and contribute to cleaner, greener, kinder and more inclusive cities. The initiative was open to students from Grades 5 to 12 across India and was organised with Times Now, the leading English news channel from The Times Network, as the Official Broadcast Partner.

The championship featured three age-specific creative challenges:

• Grades 5–7: Storytelling Challenge
  • Winner: 
  1. Vishuddhi Jain
  2. Angad Mehta
  3. Aarav Mahajan
• Grades 8–9: Song Creation Challenge
  • Winner: 
  1. Ibrahim Siddiqui
  2. Hadiya Noor
  3. Rehan
• Grades 10–12: Short Film Challenge
  • Winner: 
  1. Karanjot Singh
  2. Krishna Chaudhary
  3. Abhiraj Sanjay Mokashi

The championship brought together students from across India, with entries evaluated on originality, creativity, storytelling, relevance to the theme, responsible use of AI and overall impact. 

Commenting on the conclusion of the championship, Neha Vaz, Head of Events & Strategic Alliances, The Millennium Group of Schools, said, “The response to the Millennium AI Creators Championship has demonstrated the curiosity and creative potential that young learners bring to conversations around Artificial Intelligence. What stood out was the way students used AI not simply to create, but to explore ideas, tell stories and engage with real-world challenges. Through this championship, we wanted to reinforce that responsible AI use begins with human imagination, critical thinking and intent. The winning entries reflect that spirit and serve as an encouraging reminder of what is possible when technology becomes a tool for young minds to express and build their ideas.”

As part of the championship, registered participants also received access to expert-led sessions covering prompt engineering, AI ethics and digital citizenship, helping students understand the responsible use of AI while strengthening critical thinking, creativity and innovation.

The Top 15 National Winners will receive an exclusive, fully sponsored AI Fellowship powered by TechnoKids in association with Knowledge Hub, providing advanced learning and coding opportunities to further develop their AI capabilities and future-ready skills. Winners will also receive robotics kits from E-BOT Plus, a solution designed around Computer Science, Coding, AI and Robotics, with a focus on practical and intuitive learning.

Speaking on the educational significance of the championship, Dr. Priyanka Jain, Head of Academics, The Millennium Group of Schools, said, “The Millennium AI Creators Championship has given students an opportunity to engage with Artificial Intelligence through creativity, inquiry and real-world problem-solving. The quality and diversity of the submissions demonstrate that when learners are given the right guidance, AI can become a powerful medium for expressing ideas and exploring solutions. Our focus has been to help students understand that responsible use of technology is as important as technical capability, and we hope this experience encourages them to continue questioning, creating and learning with purpose.”

The championship forms part of The Millennium Group of Schools’ broader focus on preparing students for a technology-led future while keeping creativity, critical thinking, ethical awareness and human imagination at the centre of learning. By bringing AI into a structured, creative and age-appropriate learning environment, the initiative sought to encourage students to build with AI rather than simply depend on it.

About The Millennium Group of Schools

The Millennium Group of Schools is a prominent chain of K-12 schools across India that follows the CBSE curriculum. Known for its holistic, child-centric approach, the institution follows the award-winning, research-backed Millennium Learning System™ (MLS™), developed through 10+ years of action research, to create personalised, experiential learning experiences that nurture curiosity, creativity, conceptual understanding and real-world application, while integrating global learning theories with the Indian education and value system.

In a significant step towards building future-ready classrooms, Oxford University Press (OUP), a leading education publisher with a longstanding commitment to advancing learning, today announced a strategic collaboration with Canva, the world’s leading all-in-one visual communication platform. The collaboration brings together OUP’s pedagogical expertise and trusted educational content with Canva’s intuitive creative tools to embed design thinking and digital creativity into classroom learning through OUP’s revised Keyboard computer science series.

Oxford University Press partners with Canva to empower future-ready learners

As rapid advances in automation and visual communication reshape how current and future generations learn, work and create, schools are moving beyond traditional instruction to build skills that prepare students for the future. Reflecting this shift, the collaboration brings together OUP’s decades of pedagogical expertise with Canva’s intuitive, industry-leading visual communication platform. Through the textbook series, students gain hands-on opportunities to develop digital creativity, communication and design skills, aligned with the aspirations of India’s National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework (NCF).

Under the partnership, all OUP partner schools adopting the Keyboard series will receive complimentary access to Canva Education, providing teachers and students with hands-on access to professional-grade design tools in the classroom. A key highlight is the integration of Canva-based projects across Keyboard and OUP’s other computer science series, Reboot!, for Grades 3 to 8, with Reboot! available through the Oxford Educate platform.

Sukanta Das, Managing Director, Oxford University Press India, said, “At Oxford University Press, we are committed to developing educational resources that prepare learners to thrive in a rapidly evolving digital world. By embedding Canva into the curriculum, OUP and Canva are empowering students to think like creators from an early age, using technology to imagine, design and bring their ideas to life. Together, we aim to equip learners not only with technical knowledge, but also with the critical digital, communication and problem-solving skills essential for the future and envisioned by NEP 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework.”

“At Canva, our mission is to empower the world to design, and education is at the very heart of that goal. We are thrilled to collaborate with Oxford University Press to bring together their rich legacy of trusted educational content and Canva Education’s intuitive visual communication tools. Together, we are making it easier than ever for educators and students to create highly engaging, interactive learning experiences.” – Megan Townes, APAC Lead, Canva Education.

Featuring age-appropriate templates, including presentations, logos, flyers, websites and social media content, these projects encourage students to apply their learning in meaningful, real-world contexts while building creativity, digital literacy and visual communication skills. The collaboration broadens the impact beyond a single series, extending creative digital learning across OUP India’s wider learning ecosystem.

Designed for young learners from Grades 1 to 8, the Keyboard series combines theoretical knowledge with hands-on application, covering everything from foundational digital productivity to advanced areas like Python coding, AI, machine learning, IoT, big data, and AR/VR, making computer science engaging and interactive. Aligned with NEP 2020’s emphasis on experiential, competency-based, and interdisciplinary learning, the series helps students build confidence in using technology while developing essential digital skills for the 21st century.

In addition to student resources, Canva will conduct a series of teacher-training sessions and webinars for OUP user schools, equipping educators to effectively lead design-based, visually driven learning into classroom instruction.

With technology continuing to reshape education and the workplace, the OUP-Canva partnership represents a significant step toward empowering learners with the digital fluency, creativity, and computational thinking skills required to thrive in the future.

About Oxford University Press

Oxford University Press (OUP) is a department of the University of Oxford. It furthers the University’s objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide. OUP is one of the world’s largest university presses with a wide global presence. It currently publishes thousands of new publications a year, has offices in around fifty countries, and employs approximately 5,000 people worldwide. It has become familiar to millions through a diverse publishing program that includes scholarly works in all academic disciplines, bibles, music, school and college textbooks, children’s books, materials for teaching English as a foreign language, business books, dictionaries and reference books, and academic journals.

About Canva

Launched in 2013, Canva is the world’s leading all-in-one visual communication platform, empowering individuals, educators, and organizations to design, collaborate, and communicate visually through an easy-to-use online platform. Canva Education is designed specifically for schools and educators, providing tools that foster creativity, collaboration, and digital skills development in the classroom.

Smile Train, the world’s largest cleft-focused organization, celebrated World Smile Day with its partner hospitals and communities across the country, inviting people to share what makes them smile and help raise awareness about cleft conditions and care.

Smile Train India Celebrates World Smile Day with a mobile “Smile Wall on Wheels”

Through Smile Walls at partner locations, patients, families, cleft care teams and visitors were encouraged to add messages or drawings about the people and moments that bring them joy. The activities were part of Smile Train’s wider World Smile Day campaign, which uses the simple act of sharing a smile to spread kindness and build awareness for children with clefts.

In Delhi, Smile Train India took the celebration beyond fixed locations through Smile Wall on Wheels, a mobile Smile Wall traveling to schools and public spaces across North, South and Central Delhi, including Delhi University North Campus and various popular market areas. The school visits continue Smile Train India’s awareness outreach with children and educators. At public stops, people can write what makes them smile on the wall and learn where families affected by cleft conditions can seek support.

Mamta Carroll, Senior Vice President and Regional Director for Asia, Smile Train, shared, “World Smile Day gives us a wonderful reason to bring people together. Across India, our partners are creating spaces where families and communities can share moments of happiness while learning more about cleft care. With Smile Wall on Wheels in Delhi, we are taking that conversation into schools and everyday public spaces, so that more people know support is available for children born with clefts.”

The nationwide celebrations build on last year’s Smile Wall initiative, which brought partner hospitals, schools and communities together around the same question: What makes you smile?

People can learn more about the World Smile Day campaign at www.smiletrain.org. Families in India seeking information about cleft care can call Smile Train India’s toll-free helpline at 1800 103 8301.

MBD Group, a diversified business group marks its 70th Establishment Day today. Established on September 30, 1956, by Shri Ashok Kumar Malhotra with a small bookshop in Jalandhar, the Group has evolved over seven decades across businesses including printing, publishing, EdTech, hospitality, real estate, retail, food and beverage, robotics and coding. 

MBD Group celebrated 70th Establishment Day

For seven decades, this growth has been accompanied by a continued commitment to giving back to society. Through My Best Deeds, MBD Group’s umbrella for its CSR initiatives, and the Ashok Malhotra Charitable Trust, the Group has supported causes spanning girl-child education, access to learning through Love to Learn, empowerment of specially abled children through Ashok Karya, disaster relief, environmental conservation and support for underserved communities. 

Commenting on the occasion, Satish Bala Malhotra, Chairperson, MBD Group, said, “Seventy years is a landmark in the journey of MBD Group and a reflection of the strong foundation laid by our founder, Shri Ashok Kumar Malhotra. Our journey has always been about building institutions for the long term and growing without losing sight of the people and communities connected with us. The 70th Establishment Day is a moment to recognise that journey and the many people who have contributed to it over the years.”

Education has been central to MBD Group’s journey, and remains closely connected to its vision for the next generation. As the education landscape has evolved from publishing to technology-enabled and experiential learning, the Group has continued to expand access to new-age learning opportunities, particularly for students who may have fewer resources. Through initiatives such as Love to Learn and Robotics Lab on Wheels, students in budget schools are gaining hands-on exposure to robotics, coding, IoT, automation and emerging technologies, while the Group’s AI-STEAM initiatives are introducing students to the possibilities of artificial intelligence and future-ready learning.

In 2026, the Group launched the AASOKA Science Kit initiative, aimed at bringing practical science learning to 25,000 students across 400 schools. This focus on access and experiential learning also extends to Robotics Lab on Wheels, which takes technology-led learning directly to schools. The Group aims to reach 1,000 schools and one lakh students over the next five years, reflecting its larger objective of making future-ready learning more accessible. Together, these initiatives seek to equip young people with the skills, confidence and exposure to solve problems, innovate and contribute to a changing society.

The AI-STEAM Lab Championship, held on September 28 at MBD House, is a recent example of this approach. The Championship brought together four students each from 16 schools out of the many schools that participated to develop and present technology-led solutions to real-world challenges, with a prize pool of ₹3.25 lakh. More than a standalone event, the Championship gave students an opportunity to put sustained, hands-on learning into practice and demonstrate how access to emerging technologies can translate into confidence, creativity and problem-solving.

Monica Malhotra Kandhari, Managing Director, MBD Group, shared, “Education has been an integral part of MBD Group’s journey and continues to shape the way we think about the future of youth. From our early years in publishing and learning resources, the education landscape has evolved significantly with technology, and MBD has continued to evolve with it. Through Love to Learn and our other initiatives, we want to make emerging technologies and experiential learning more accessible to students across communities, particularly those who may have fewer opportunities to access them.”

Winner of the MBD AI-STEAM Championship, Lavi Public School, Ghevra, New Delhi, said, “Lab on Wheels gave us the opportunity to understand robotics by actually working with the kits, building things and testing our ideas. The MBD AI-STEAM Championship was a chance to take everything we had learnt and put it into practice. The biggest takeaway has been the confidence to build something ourselves and see that our ideas can become real solutions.” 

The well-being of people and communities is an important part of MBD Group’s broader social responsibility approach. Over the years, the Group’s focus has extended beyond education and business growth to initiatives that support mental well-being, physical fitness, community participation, environmental stewardship, animal welfare and outreach to underserved communities. Through the Ashok Karya framework and its wider CSR efforts, MBD continues to recognise that healthier, more resilient communities are an important part of building a better society.

This year’s association with Run Yodha 2026 is one recent expression of that larger focus. The marathon brought employees together on September 27 and encouraged healthier, more active lifestyles while supporting awareness around hunger. The initiative reflects the Group’s belief that well-being is not limited to a single event, but is part of creating a culture in which people are encouraged to look after their physical and mental health and participate in causes beyond the workplace.

Sonica Malhotra Kandhari, Joint Managing Director, MBD Group, said, “As MBD Group marks 70 years, our focus remains on building on the values that have guided us through our journey while responding to the needs of a changing India. The well-being of our people and communities is an important part of that responsibility. Whether through initiatives that encourage physical and mental well-being, create access to learning or give young people exposure to new technologies, we want our efforts to create meaningful and lasting opportunities. Run Yodha is one such example, but our larger commitment extends well beyond any single initiative.”

As MBD Group enters its eighth decade, it remains focused on building on its legacy while responding to the changing needs of people, businesses and communities. The journey ahead will continue to connect the Group’s roots in education and community development with new opportunities in technology, learning, well-being and innovation. For MBD, the 70th Establishment Day is not only a milestone to look back on, but a moment to reaffirm the responsibility of creating meaningful opportunities for the generations ahead.

MYCPE ONE has been awarded in the Service Export: EdTech category at the Payoneer India Cross-Border Excellence Awards 2026 for its technology-led approach to serving CPA and accounting firms globally. The awards, presented by Payoneer in association with The Economic Times, are a jury-led program honoring Indian businesses and entrepreneurs driving India’s cross-border growth. 

MYCPE ONE awarded in the service Export EdTech Category at the Payoneer India Cross-Border Excellence Awards 2026

Shalin (Shawn) Parikh, Co-Founder & CEO, and Nemin Vora, VP of Client Relationship Management, received the award on behalf of MYCPE ONE at the ceremony in New Delhi.

Shalin (Shawn) Parikh and Nemin Vora represented MYCPE ONE at the Payoneer India Cross-Border Excellence Awards 2026 in New Delhi

The award recognizes MYCPE ONE’s approach to combining AI, automation, digital learning, and compliance technology to support the evolving needs of CPA and accounting firms. 

Unlike traditional EdTech platforms focused primarily on course delivery, MYCPE ONE combines professional education with technology and operational capabilities designed for the day-to-day needs of accounting firms. 

At the center of its learning ecosystem is MYCPE ONE’s CPE platform, providing CPA and accounting firms with access to professional education across 100+ qualifications, along with tools for CPE compliance and learning management. The platform brings together 15,000+ hours of content, 50-state compliance tracking, automated reminders, audit-ready reporting, and a centralized Learning Management System for managing users, learning plans, assignments, practical training, assessments, and performance. It also supports customized learning paths, firm academies, and AI-powered learning tools to help firms develop skills across their teams. 

The company is also developing practical training programs, AI-focused academies, and AI-monitored assessments to help accounting professionals build skills for an increasingly AI-driven workplace. Its assessment platform uses AI-based monitoring to strengthen assessment integrity. 

Beyond learning, MYCPE ONE is developing an AI-first, technology-enabled offshoring model that combines offshore talent with structured workflows, digital productivity tools, candidate assessments, centralized management, and technology-enabled operations. Through its offshoring solutions, accounting firms can build their own offshore teams or use managed offshoring models while accessing accounting professionals across multiple locations. 

“This award reflects the journey we have taken at MYCPE ONE to bring technology, talent, and learning together to create more meaningful solutions for accounting and professional services firms,” said Shalin (Shawn) Parikh, Co-Founder & CEO, MYCPE ONE. “We are proud to be awarded in the Service Export: EdTech category. It reinforces our belief in building solutions that help firms access the right talent, develop skills, and embrace technology as they grow globally.” 

MYCPE ONE’s technology and processes are backed by a SOC 2 Type 2 and ISO 27001:2022-certified Information Security Management System covering technology, development, operations, and offshore staffing activities. 

As accounting and professional services firms look beyond geographic boundaries for talent, technology, and learning, MYCPE ONE continues to expand its capabilities across AI-enabled education, compliance, and cross-border service delivery. 

About MYCPE ONE 

MYCPE ONE is a full-stack accounting and business services platform headquartered in Ahmedabad, India, serving 3,000+ CPA and accounting firms, along with 300+ growing businesses across North America, the UK, and Europe. 

Founded by Shalin (Shawn) Parikh and Valay Parikh, the company has evolved into an integrated platform offering offshore staffing, continuing professional education and learning and development, digital marketing, website solutions, managed IT, cybersecurity, AI implementation and other professional solutions. With SOC 2 Type II certification, ISO 27001 compliance, GDPR readiness, and a proven track record of zero data breaches, MYCPE ONE delivers secure, scalable workforce, education, and business enablement solutions. 

Backed by a talent pool of 500,000+ vetted professionals and a global team of 3,000+ members, MYCPE ONE operates as a unified ecosystem supporting firms and businesses at every stage of growth.

Kerala took its war on drugs to the grassroots on Monday. Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala inaugurated Toofan Thaddesham, the second phase of Operation Toofan, at Malabar College in Vengara, Malappuram. It is the state’s largest mass mobilisation against drugs so far. The programme turns the anti-narcotics campaign into a people’s movement in association with the local self-government institutions, led by the Kerala Police, with Kudumbashree networks working alongside them.

Toofan Phase 2 Begins: Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala hoists the Toofan flag in Vengara, inaugurating Toofan Thaddesham in collaboration with the Local Self-Governments

As the state-level launch took place, the Toofan flag was raised in local bodies across Kerala. Everyone present at the venue was declared a Toofan Warrior.

Chennithala called the programme a mass mobilisation against drugs that goes all the way down to the grassroots, and said the women of Kerala would be at its centre.

“The biggest strength in this fight is the participation of our mothers and sisters,” he said. “A mother is the first to notice when something changes in her child. That is why mothers will play a decisive role in this people’s movement. Mahatma Gandhi dreamt of Gram Swaraj: villages strong enough to govern and protect themselves. That is what we are building against drugs. Every ward will become its own first line of defence. It is time for every one of us to say, ‘Njan ente naadinte kaavalaal’: I am the guardian of my land.”

What Toofan Thaddhesham brings

Toofan Thaddesham is built on two tiers, so that the anti-drug campaign reaches every home in Kerala.

Toofan Jagratha Samithis in every local body:

There will be 1,034 committees, one in each of Kerala’s 941 grama panchayats, 87 municipalities and 6 corporations. Each is headed by the panchayat president, municipal chairperson or mayor. The local Station House Officer, the local body secretary and elected representatives sit on each committee, which plans, coordinates and monitors anti-drug work in its area.

Toofan Janasabhas in every ward:

Each ward will have a people’s assembly led by the ward member or councillor. It brings together residents, enrolled Toofan Warriors, Kudumbashree members, ASHA workers, Haritha Karma Sena members, rural employment scheme workers, residents’ associations and local volunteers. Their job is to carry the anti-drug message to every family, run awareness sessions and keep a close watch on the neighbourhood.

Ward volunteers will be trained with audio-visual modules covering five areas: the medical, social and economic harm of drugs, rehabilitation, and the law and safety. On the ground, the Janasabhas will run awareness classes with doctors and local police officers, hold follow-up programmes in schools and special PTA meetings, and convene Toofan neighbourhood group meetings. They will also keep watch around schools and residential areas, and help people struggling with addiction get treatment through rehabilitation and palliative care centres. Ward and local body committees will review their work every month, and the state will review it every quarter.

The aim, in the programme’s own words, is to make every Keralite a Toofan Warrior and turn Kerala into a ‘lahari-mukta desham’, a drug-free land.

Industries Minister P.K. Kunhalikutty presided over the function, and Local Self-Government Minister K.M. Shaji delivered the welcome address. Dr. Divya S. Iyer, Principal Director of the Local Self-Government Department, administered the anti-drug pledge.

About Operation Toofan

Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala launched Operation Toofan on 2 June 2026 as Kerala’s flagship anti-narcotics mission. It rests on three pillars: Toofan Strike (enforcement), Toofan Warriors (student and community mobilisation, which has reached over 1 lakh school children in person) and Toofan Care (treatment and rehabilitation). The mission has since grown into an interstate coordination effort across South India.

Bisleri International Pvt. Ltd., India’s leading packaged drinking water company, has been conferred with the prestigious Mahatma Award for the second time. The CSR Excellence Award recognises Bisleri’s commitment to water conservation, plastic waste management, and community engagement under Greener Promise, its flagship sustainability program. This year, the Mahatma Award received over 1,900 entries, of which only 70 winners were recognised across diverse categories. 
 

Bisleri Wins Mahatma Awards 2026 in CSR Excellence for its Greener Promise initiative

The award ceremony was graced by Dr Santrupt Mishra, Rajya Sabha MP, Dr Kiran Bedi, the first woman IPS Officer of the country, as the Chief Guest, along with Guests of Honour Ms Sukanya Bharat Ram, Mahatma Gandhi Ji’s Great-Granddaughter.

The Mahatma Award draws its inspiration from the life and principles of Mahatma Gandhi. Embodying the spirit of his enduring legacy, this prestigious award recognises and celebrates individuals and organisations that catalyse positive change, dedicate their efforts to making the world a better place, and exemplify Mahatma Gandhi’s ideals through their transformative work. The award was instituted by Gandhian and lawyer Mr Amit Sachdeva, CSR Man of India and supported by Ms Rajashree Birla, Chairperson of the Aditya Birla Centre for Rural Development and Communication Initiatives.

Speaking on the achievement, Dr Angelo George, CEO, Bisleri International, said, “Receiving the Mahatma Award for the second time is especially meaningful, as it reflects the consistency and commitment of Bisleri’s sustainability efforts. Our Greener Promise is shaped by the choices our teams make, the partnerships we build, and the communities we work with. This recognition is a testament to the collective efforts of our employees, partners and people on the ground who continue to translate our sustainability ambitions into meaningful, measurable action. As we grow, our focus remains on building a responsible business that contributes meaningfully to India’s sustainable progress.”

As part of the event, Mr K Ganesh, Director – Sustainability and Corporate Affairs, Bisleri International, participated in a panel discussion on Corporate Environmental Responsibility: How businesses can adopt and champion eco-friendly practices, sharing insights on Bisleri’s approach to embedding sustainability across its business operations.

The event also saw the launch of CSR Good Book, a compendium of Sustainable and Socially Responsible Brands, Corporations, Public Sector enterprises and foundations. The edition featured Bisleri’s sustainability journey, including the extensive work the company has done to advance circular economy models, water stewardship, and a water credits framework to encourage water conservation across industries and sectors.

For Bisleri, the consecutive Mahatma Awards reflect how the company has made Greener Promise integral to business growth, value chain, and stakeholder interactions.  By linking environmental responsibility to people’s participation, community livelihoods, and scalable systems, the company continues to foster positive, long-term change for individuals and communities to maintain greener planet.

About Bisleri International Pvt. Ltd
With a legacy of over 50 years, Bisleri International Pvt. Ltd has grown to become one of the largest premium beverage businesses in India. Being the makers of the country’s largest-selling packaged drinking water, Bisleri follows a stringent process of 90 quality tests and a 10-stage purification. It remains true to its core value of providing consumers with pure, safe and healthy water.

Bisleri International has a strong presence with 130 operational plants and a robust distribution network of over 6,000 Distributors and 7,500 Distribution Trucks across India and UAE market. It offers a range of beverages that are produced for all occasions. Whether it is the promise of goodness, trust, and purity with Bisleri packaged drinking water, or a daily dose of health offered through Vedica Himalayan Spring Water. Besides, Bisleri International has ventured into fun-filled refreshments with a diverse range of carbonated drinks available in multiple flavours, such as Bisleri Limonata, Bisleri Pop and Bisleri Soda. These Bisleri products are also available on the e-commerce platform – Bisleri@Doorstep. This D2C platform reassures customers that they will receive a safe and uninterrupted supply of their most trusted brand at their doorstep.

The core values of Bisleri International lie in yielding growth and embedding sustainability by being responsible in all aspects of the business. The organization has unveiled Sustainability 2.0 with Bisleri Greener Promise that focuses on creating greener future for all through implementing initiatives under the program of recycling, water conservation, and sustainability. For more information on Bisleri International, our people, brands, and OSR initiatives, visit www.bisleri.com.

SRM University-AP has made its debut in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2027, securing a place in the 1001-1200 band in its very first year of participation. Established less than a decade ago, SRM University-AP says the recognition makes it the youngest private university in India to achieve this distinction within 10 years of its inception. The milestone marks a significant step in the University’s emergence as a research-led institution with a growing global presence. This also makes SRM AP Andhra Pradesh’s first university, to achieve this honour in this span.
 

SRM University-AP, Amaravati Campus
 

Other than achieving a strong position overall, SRM University-AP’s performance was particularly strong in International Outlook, where it recorded a score of 58.5 and was placed fifth in India on this indicator, above some of best academic institutions. Its Research Quality score of 55.4 further reflects the strong reach, influence and growing impact of the University’s scholarly output within the global research community.

Dr P. Sathyanarayanan, Pro-Chancellor, SRM AP, expresses, “Entering the Times Higher Education World University Rankings within a decade of our founding affirms that we are moving in the right direction. It reflects the quality, purpose and ambition that define SRM University-AP. With a focused roadmap for research and academic growth, we will build on this foundation by further strengthening academic quality, global engagement and meaningful impact.”
 

For Vice-Chancellor, SRM AP, Prof. Ch Satish Kumar, the recognition reflects the culture of inquiry the university has built in under a decade: “To be placed in the 1001-1200 bracket of the THE World University Rankings so early in our journey is a moment of real pride, and it deepens our resolve toward the vision we have set for this university. It reflects the culture of curiosity we have nurtured at SRM University-AP, where faculty and students pursue questions that matter and share their findings with the global scholarly community. We will now strengthen every pillar, with re-energized focus so that the university increasingly transforms as a global destination for learning and research.”
 

The University’s inaugural participation was coordinated by its Quality Assurance and Rankings (QAR) team. Dr Karthik Rajendran, Associate Dean, Quality Assurance and Rankings, said, “This was our first submission to THE, and securing a place in the rankings on our first attempt is deeply encouraging. It validates our efforts to benchmark teaching, research and international engagement against global standards. More importantly, it gives us a meaningful international baseline from which to measure progress and build further.”

With its schools spanning engineering and sciences, liberal arts, and business, as well as dedicated institutes in artificial intelligence and quantum technology, SRM University-AP continues to build a research-driven academic community with global ambitions. The THE World University Rankings 2027 recognition provides an important international reference point as the University expands its research ecosystem, academic collaborations and global partnerships.

SRM University-AP is a multidisciplinary private university in Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh, committed to advancing knowledge through high-quality education, research, innovation and international collaboration.

Hinge, the app designed to be deleted, today announced an updated experience in India for singles looking for love on their own terms with more clarity, and confidence. Hinge is introducing and bringing together features designed to create more trust from the first step, including a phased waitlist for new members, Face Check for verification, Screenshot Protection of profiles and Block List for contacts.
 

Source: Hinge
 

The way people find love in India is changing. Singles want to feel confident about who they’re meeting and free to pursue relationships in a way that feels true to them. Hinge offers a more intentional experience that gives them greater agency on their path to love.

“Love is deeply personal to each individual, and there is no singular path to finding it. At Hinge, we want to listen and learn from singles in India, so that we can adapt our app to meet their needs. We’re excited to help more people in India find meaningful relationships in a way that feels right for their lives,” said Jackie Jantos, Hinge’s Chief Executive Officer (she/her).
 

Link to brand film: www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PZl82HTLOQ&rco=1
 

A waitlist built for balance and intention

As part of its next phase in India, some new users will join Hinge through a waitlist after creating their profile. The goal is to create a more thoughtful and intentional experience, where users have the time and space to build a complete profile and enter the community ready to make meaningful connections.

The waitlist encourages everyone who joins to show up with intention, which is why the care they put into their profile counts. While waiting to begin matching and liking, users can add photos, answer Prompts that share who they are and what they are looking for, and verify their profile. That means people can enter the Hinge community ready to make a thoughtful first impression and connect more meaningfully from the start. 
 

Source: Hinge
 

Trust from day one

For many people in India, especially women, feeling safe and having privacy are important for them to be able to interact on an app. Hinge puts trust, privacy and respect at the front of the experience.

Key features include:

• Face Check – Helps confirm the person behind an account is real, making Hinge a more authentic place.

• Block List at onboarding – Allows users to avoid seeing, or their profile being seen by, people they already know, such as an ex, a colleague or a family member.

• Screenshot Protection – Adds another layer of privacy by blocking screenshots on surfaces containing personal identifiable information, including profiles being shown in Discover, Likes You and Standouts. Users can still take screenshots of conversations if they need to report a concern.

Together, these features are designed to give more confidence over who can find them, how their content can be shared and ensuring the person they are talking to is who they say they are.

“People are more open to connection when an experience feels safe and thoughtful. In India, we’ve designed Hinge around what helps daters feel comfortable signing up, expressing themselves and giving each other their full attention. As the community grows, we’ll continue evolving the experience so that singles can focus on getting to know one another,” said Ben Celebicic, Hinge’s Chief Product & Technology Officer (he/him).
 

Source: Hinge
 

More Control, Better Conversations

Building trust doesn’t end at signing up for Hinge. It matters most in the everyday interactions on the app, such as matching, the messages they send, and what they choose to share. Hinge brings a set of tools to India that keep users in control throughout their experience, including:

• Signals – A profile badge that recognises daters who have shown up with care and consistency on the app. It is a category first feature that makes it easier to see the small, thoughtful actions that lead to real dates. In Settings, daters can choose whether their own Signals badge is shown on their profile.

• Comment Filter – Allows users to filter out unwanted words, emojis, or phrases, either with a personalized list they create or with our AI-powered auto filter. This helps users avoid receiving unwanted comments when someone likes their profile. They can review those comments if they choose or delete them without ever opening.

• Match Note – Allows users to privately share key details about themselves with matches before the conversation starts, such as a value, a boundary, their faith, or their communication style.

• Daters on Hinge cannot send photos or videos directly to their matches.

• “Are You Sure?” & “Did This Bother You?” – Promotes thoughtful and respectful conversations by encouraging reflection before a hurtful message is sent and a thoughtful check-in afterward for the message receiver.

Together, they make the experience feel safer, clearer, and more respectful at every step.

A Self-Led Path to Love

Singles in India are navigating a relationship culture with more choice, but that does not mean they want more ambiguity.

Hinge is made for Indians who are on an intentional, self-led path to finding love and its Designed to be Deleted promise reflects exactly that. The app measures success differently: not by how long someone stays on the app, but whether they find someone worth leaving it for.

As Hinge continues introducing itself to singles in India, it will keep building for people who want real connection, meaningful conversations and an experience that takes love seriously.

About Hinge

Hinge is the app designed to be deleted. Built for people looking for meaningful relationships, Hinge helps people move from conversation to real dates through thoughtful profiles, unique conversations, respectful interactions, and safety tools designed to support more intentional connection.