The 7th edition of the MATECIA Exhibition (Materials & Products for Construction, Interiors & Architecture), held alongside the 11th Edition of THE WADE ASIA, India Furniture Conclave (IFC) and the Material Technology Conference (MTC), concluded at Yashobhoomi, New Delhi, following four days of business, networking and industry engagement from 20 to 23 August 2026. The national edition of MATECIA Exhibition and THE WADE ASIA Architecture Event concluded in Delhi with more than 350+ brands, and 65,000+ visitors from 700+ towns & cities.

National edition MATECIA Exhibition and THE WADE ASIA Architecture Event saw massive success, 350+ brands, 65,000+ visitors, 700+ towns & cities

MATECIA is the largest exhibition of India with a 3-in-1 ecosystem of dealers-distributors, OEMs, and architects-designers. THE WADE ASIA commands huge pull from designers and is a complete event in itself. India Furniture Conclave and India Interior Retailing dedicatedly deliver for the OEMs & Showrooms of India while MATECIA draws unparalleled visitors from the B2B dealers & wholesalers.

Beyond its national edition, MATECIA has two distinctive regional editions: the South India edition in Bengaluru, covering 7 states across South, and the East & Northeast edition in Kolkata, bringing 12 states of E&NE. This unique positioning strengthens MATECIA’s position as the largest and most comprehensive exhibition & ecosystem for interior and building products.

The event was inaugurated in the presence of Chief Guests Aman Gupta, Co-founder, boAt and Founder & CEO, OFF/BEAT; Mr. Rajesh Mittal, President, FIPPI and CMD, Greenply Industries Ltd.; and Mr. Surinder Arora, President, ILMA and Managing Director, Virgo Laminates Ltd., along with Guest of Honour, Mr. N.K. Agarwal, Patron, FIPPI. Rupal Dalal, Managing Director, JD Institute of Fashion Technology, and Nandita Das, Filmmaker, Actor and Producer, joined the event as Guests of Honour on Days 2 and 3, respectively, where they also presented awards to the winners. Dr. Ananta Raghuvanshi, Chairperson, NAREDCO MAHI, and Ms. Chitra Jain, President Elect, NAREDCO MAHI, were also among the distinguished guests associated with the THE WADE ASIA programme.

The exhibition featured 350+ exhibitors showcasing 1,000+ products across an expansive 5,00,000 sq. ft. exhibition area, and recorded 65,000+ visitors from 700+ towns and cities across India, along with participation from 15+ foreign countries. The showcase covered a diverse range of categories including interior and architecture products, furniture, wood panels, surfaces, flooring, laminates, plywood, doors and windows, kitchens, wardrobes, hardware, machinery and allied products.

Commenting on the conclusion of the event, Verticaa Dvivedi, Director of MATECIA Exhibition and Founder of THE WADE ASIA Architecture Event, said, “For our exhibitors and partners, MATECIA is the platform not only to showcase what they make, but to demonstrate what they believe in, what they are innovating and how they are contributing to the future of the built environment. I attribute the grand success of the national edition of MATECIA to our exhibitors & visitors. The team is already busy preparing for the East and Northeast edition happening from 12-14 Feb 2027 at BBMP Kolkata.”

A key highlight of the platform was the India Interior Retailing (IIR) Conference & Awards, which brought together dealers, distributors, retailers, manufacturers and industry leaders for conversations around the evolving interior retail and building materials ecosystem. The programme featured discussions on the way forward for the wood panel and decorative furniture industry, alongside conversations around demand, competition and prospects for the interior infrastructure trade amid global volatility. These discussions brought industry perspectives on changing market dynamics and opportunities across the value chain.

The one-and-a-half-day India Furniture Conclave brought together furniture manufacturers, designers, architects, retailers and industry experts for discussions on emerging trends and opportunities across the furniture ecosystem. Key sessions included “Luxury Furniture: Craftsmanship and Quality Making Indian Brands Global,” which explored the potential for Indian furniture brands to build global recognition through craftsmanship and quality, and “Turnkey Fit-Outs: Workspaces, Commercial, Hospitality,” which focused on the evolving requirements of commercial and hospitality spaces.

THE WADE ASIA is India’s leading architecture and design platform and one of the world’s largest business ecosystems dedicated to celebrating, recognising and connecting women across architecture, interior design, real estate, construction and the built environment.

Speaking on THE WADE ASIA’s growing influence and its role in the architecture and design ecosystem, Maddhu Chaudhury, Associate Director, THE WADE ASIA Architecture Event, said, “With 3000+ entries received annually from across India, 250 finalists and 50+ distinguished awardees across 28+ categories, THE WADE ASIA has established itself as one of the most coveted platforms for excellence, innovation and leadership in the design and built environment.”

THE WADE ASIA Designs India Conference featured the panel “The Business of Design Amidst Changing World and Disruptions”. The discussion examined the changing business realities of architecture and design and the distinction between being a great designer and building a great firm.

The programme also featured a keynote by Dr. Ning Huo, Executive Principal, AEDAS, Singapore, on “Designing Future Cities: From Infrastructure to Inspiring Urban Destinations.” The session explored lessons from Asia’s fastest-growing cities and how transit investment can contribute to more sustainable urban development and create long-term environmental, social and economic value.

Another key session, “The Gen Next Women in Real Estate,” presented by THE WADE ASIA + NAREDCO MAHI, brought together Dr. Priya Shah, Co-Founder & Joint Managing Director; Ms. Aashi Dua, Executive Director, Chintamanis Group; and Ms. Nidhi Aggarwal, Director, Signature Global, with Ms. Preeti Singh Mundra, Additional Director General, NAREDCO, as moderator. The session examined the changing role and opportunities for the next generation of women in the real estate sector.

Over the years, THE WADE ASIA has evolved far beyond an awards platform into a powerful, influential ecosystem that brings together the country’s leading architects, interior designers, developers, brands, manufacturers, business leaders and design professionals.

The WADE ASIA SheDesigns National Competition and Live Jury Presentations featured finalists across multiple categories, including SheDesigns, Healthcare Interiors, Landscape Public Spaces, Commercial Office Spaces, Best Use of Colour in Interiors, Most Sustainable Design, Fascinating Facade, Residential Architecture and Retail Interiors, among others.

Addressing the audience at the event, Nandita Das, Filmmaker, Actor and Producer, said, “Platforms like THE WADE ASIA are important because when women come together as leaders and professionals, they also bring other women with them. It creates a space to learn, grow and discover what is possible. I would encourage women, and everyone interested in architecture and design, to come to such platforms, engage with each other and continue learning.”

Beyond the exhibition and conference sessions, the event also provided opportunities for brands and professionals to connect through informal interactions, business meetings and collaborative engagements, helping extend conversations beyond the show floor.

Speaking on the overall response to the event, Pragat Dvivedi, Director, MATECIA Exhibition, said, “MATECIA 2026 has reinforced the scale of opportunity emerging across India’s building materials and interiors market. What stood out this year was the quality of business conversations and the strong interest in new products, materials and solutions across the industry. For us, the value of the platform lies in creating meaningful connections that can translate into long-term business relationships and market opportunities. The response to this edition gives us confidence in the continued growth of the sector and the need for platforms that can support that growth.”

MATECIA 2026 and THE WADE ASIA concluded following four days of strong participation, industry engagement and knowledge exchange, creating opportunities for business, collaboration and continued dialogue across the building materials, architecture, interiors and design ecosystem.

About MATECIA EXHIBITION
MATECIA is India’s premier building materials and interiors business platform, connecting manufacturers, brands and exhibitors with architects, interior designers, dealers, distributors, retailers, builders, developers, OEMs, consultants, procurement professionals and other stakeholders across the built environment.

A flagship initiative of Bigsea Marcom India Pvt. Ltd., MATECIA is backed by 25 years of industry experience and supported by knowledge platforms including SURFACES REPORTER, PLY REPORTER and Furniture Design & Technology. MATECIA brings together architecture and interior products, furniture, materials, surfaces, hardware and allied categories on a common business platform.

The MATECIA National Edition 2026 is being held from 20–23 August 2026 at Yashobhoomi (IICC), Dwarka, New Delhi.

For more information: www.matecia.com.

About THE WADE ASIA
THE WADE ASIA is one of India’s leading architecture and design platforms and the country’s largest platform dedicated to women in architecture and design. It brings together architects, interior designers, design professionals, brands and industry stakeholders to celebrate creativity, innovation and excellence while creating meaningful opportunities for business, knowledge exchange and collaboration.

More than an awards or recognition platform, THE WADE ASIA is an ecosystem that connects the design community with the businesses, materials and products shaping the built environment. Through its architecture events, competitions, networking platforms and knowledge initiatives, it works to bridge the gap between designers and the wider building, interiors and real estate industries, while promoting greater visibility and participation for women in design.

THE WADE ASIA is built around the convergence of creativity, commerce and change, creating platforms that support professional growth, industry dialogue, inclusion and excellence across the architecture and design ecosystem.

For more information: www.wadeasia.com.

Aditya Birla Capital, one of India’s leading diversified financial services providers, has unveiled its whitepaper, ‘Agentic AI for Bharat’s BFSI: A Practitioner’s View’ at the Global Fintech Fest 2026. The whitepaper examines how the next phase of AI adoption can move beyond isolated automation to enable deeper financial participation, make financial services more contextual, responsive, and augment human capabilities across the BFSI ecosystem.

Aditya Birla Capital unveils ‘Agentic AI for Bharat’s BFSI: A Practitioner’s View’

Click here to download the whitepaper

The whitepaper presents a fundamental shift in financial inclusion, from providing access to the depth of offering. With access to financial services having expanded significantly, the next frontier lies in helping customers understand, adopt and appropriately use products that are relevant to their financial needs.

The whitepaper also explores how Agentic AI can make personalised guidance, engagement, onboarding and servicing more economically viable at scale, enabling financial institutions to reach wider customer segments and serve them better.

Mr. Pankaj Gadgil, MD & CEO, Aditya Birla Housing Finance Limited and Head, Digital Platforms and Payments Strategy, Aditya Birla Capital, said, “Our vision is to build a future-ready, scalable enterprise where intelligence, foresight, and customer-first approach drive decision making. Through our AI-first strategy, we are simplifying customer journeys, accelerating product innovation, automating underwriting, enhancing service delivery, and delivering greater operational efficiency. Responsible AI is a core enterprise capability for us to drive sustainable scale, trust, and resilience. As we evolve from individual AI use cases to enterprise-wide connected intelligence, robust governance, human accountability, and customer trust will remain fundamental to how we innovate, grow, and create long-term value for all stakeholders.”

Drawing from Aditya Birla Capital’s experience, the whitepaper presents eight areas of Agentic AI deployment across the enterprise, from orchestration of customer journeys, tele-sales and cross-sell, top-of-funnel engagement, customer service and retention, sales coaching, marketing and personalisation, software development, and audit, finance, investment and compliance. Several of these initiatives are already operating in production and demonstrate how AI can be embedded into end-to-end workflows rather than deployed as standalone point solutions.

Agentic AI in Action: Areas of Deployment at Aditya Birla Capital

A central proposition of the whitepaper is that the value of Agentic AI should be measured not just through efficiency gains, but through its ability to deepen financial participation and augment human capacity to potentially serve more customers. It examines what it takes to move from AI experimentation to responsible enterprise-scale deployment. It highlights the importance of trusted data, connected systems, workflow redesign, workforce readiness and clearly defined human decision rights. It also highlights responsible AI practices including traceability, monitoring, accountability, security and data protection by design.

At the Global Fintech Fest 2026, Aditya Birla Capital won the ‘Best Digital Transformation Program’ award under Excellence in Banking Technology for its use of Generative AI, intelligent automation and real-time data insights to streamline processes, enhance customer experience, and make finance simpler, smarter and more connected.

Through ‘Agentic AI for Bharat’s BFSI: A Practitioner’s View,’ Aditya Birla Capital brings together its experience and learnings from scaling AI across the enterprise, offering a practitioner’s perspective on how financial institutions can build the capabilities required to move from individual AI use cases to responsible, scalable deployment, with customer outcomes and human judgement at the core.

Aditya Birla Capital Limited and its subsidiaries/JVs provide a comprehensive suite of financial solutions across Loans, Investments, Insurance, and Payments to serve the diverse needs of customers across their lifecycles. Powered by over 66,500 employees, the businesses of ABCL have a nationwide reach with over 1,759 branches and more than 200,000 agents/channel partners along with several bank partners. ABCL and its subsidiaries/JVs manage aggregate assets under management of about Rs. 7.53 Lakh Crore, and the consolidated lending book crossed Rs. 2.19 Lakh Crore as of June 30, 2026 www.adityabirlacapital.com.

In keeping with WHO’s World Mental Health theme for this year, ‘Lived experiences heard: real voices, real change’, a key focus of the India Mental Health Alliance’s convening in Delhi this week was ‘experience-based knowledge’. This encompasses not only individual lived experience, but also the knowledge and insights generated by community and grassroots organisations through their work within specific cultural contexts and local realities, that help shape care practices and policy.
 

The 3rd convening under IMHA’s ‘Connecting India for Mental Health’ series took place in Delhi with 86 member organisations from 12 states

As part of the year round series ‘Connecting India for Mental Health’, 86 member organisations convened in Delhi for the third regional convening following Guwahati & Mumbai meets. The series brings IMHA 370+ alliance organisations together across geographies and sectors to build connections, share knowledge and strengthen collaboration within India’s mental health ecosystem. The next regional meet is scheduled in Bengaluru on 4th December 2026.

Neha Kirpal, Co-founder IMHA said, “In a country as diverse as India, where needs, experiences and realities vary significantly across communities; a decentralised, community-driven approach to mental healthcare is critical. Such an approach can help bridge the fragmentation & lack of access, bring greater cohesion across stakeholders, and ensure that mental health systems are informed by the realities of the communities they serve for lasting impact.”

Nearly a third of the Alliance’s pan-India membership was represented at the Delhi convening; organisations working across health, education, gender, livelihoods, child development, climate in addition to mental health grassroot organisations such as Amar Trishala Sewa Aashram (Muzaffarpur and Sitamarhi, Bihar), Dalit Vikas Abhiyan Samiti (Bihar), Gramin Adiwasi Samaj Vikas Sansthan (Madhya Pradesh), Jago Foundation (Jharkhand), Mithila Kala Vikas Samiti (Bihar), Sahyadri Foundation (Nagpur, Maharashtra), SATRA (Assam), Shikshit Rojgar Kendra Prabandhak Samiti (Rajasthan), Stand for Kashmiri Youth Trust (Jammu & Kashmir), and Swanthana Seva Samithi (Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Bihar).

Dr Kavita Arora, Founding Cohort, India Mental Health Alliance; Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist; Co-founder at Children First said, “It is now widely recognised, both in India and global institutions like WHO; that an expert-driven, biomedical model focused on tertiary care, cannot by itself address the scale and complexity of mental health needs in a country. To truly respond to the mental health needs of our young and diverse population, we need a more decentralised, preventive and community-driven approach that can reach people earlier, closer to where they live, learn and work. ” 

She adds, “There are undiscovered strengths and immense value in surfacing existing community based learnings and knowledge from caregivers and persons with mental illness. IMHA believes the way forward lies in bringing these forms of expertise together with clinical knowledge, grounded in diverse local contexts and realities.” 

With this intent, IMHA shared plans for an open-access knowledge exchange hub that will help activate and make these accessible widely for mental health professionals, community organisations and policy makers.

About the India Mental Health Alliance 

The India Mental Health Alliance (IMHA) is a Section 8 not-for-profit organisation launched in late 2023 as a partnership between Vasvi and Ashish Bharat Ram, Amaha Health and Children First. IMHA is a cross-sectoral platform working to strengthen India’s mental health ecosystem by convening stakeholders, building capacity and catalysing collaboration at scale. With 370+ member organisations across 30+ states and Union Territories, IMHA brings together organisations and stakeholders working across sectors and disciplines to mobilise existing strengths, identify gaps in care and enable stronger coordination and collaboration across India. Its capacity-building efforts support community organisations, healthcare and educational institutions, as well as individual mental health practitioners through multi-channel knowledge sharing and learning initiatives. Through its work, IMHA aims to mainstream mental health as a national development priority; improve the quality of care; embed Lived Experience Expertise (LEE) in care design and practice; champion social justice in mental health; and mobilise greater long-term, unrestricted philanthropic capital to support systemic, scalable solutions across India.

Kadhaishorts, World’s first micro-drama platform designed for smartphone audiences, hosted a creators’ meet in Chennai titled “Vertical Cinema – Is Flipping the Camera Enough?” at Hotel Savera. 
 

L-R Actor-Director Rohini, Screenwriting mentor John Edathattil, Cinematographer Alphonse Roy At KadhaiShorts Creator Event “Microdrama – Camera va thirupina pothuma?” At Savera

The event brought together key voices from the film industry, including actor-director Rohini, cinematographer Alphonse Roy, screenwriting mentor John Edathattil, and writer-director Arun Karthik. The session focused on how mobile-first, short-form content is shaping the future of storytelling.

Actor-director Rohini described vertical cinema as an inevitable shift in content consumption, emphasizing that the emotional core of storytelling remains paramount. She added that vertical web series enable a more direct and personal connection with audiences.

Cinematographer Alphonse Roy highlighted how AI is democratizing filmmaking by making complex visual storytelling more accessible. He emphasized that vertical cinema requires a reimagined approach to framing and scene composition, describing it as a “new artistic vocabulary,” while also pointing to emerging challenges in sound design unique to the format.

Screenwriting mentor John Edathattil noted that with vertical content typically lasting just three to four minutes, storytelling must establish an immediate emotional connection. He stressed the pivotal role of writers in crafting authentic, engaging narratives that capture audience attention instantly.

Writer- director Arun Karthik reiterated that irrespective of format, strong characters and genuine emotions are essential. While smartphones have made content widely accessible, he observed that only truly creative storytelling can captivate and sustain audience engagement.

The interactive session encouraged active audience participation, with attendees posing insightful questions to the panel. 

Speaking at the event, Geevee, Head of Content at Kadhaishorts, said “At Kadhaishorts, we are committed to empowering creators, enabling new voices, and connecting audiences worldwide through meaningful, high-quality content. Kadhaishorts is not just a platform, but an ecosystem for creators. From our writers’ room model to initiatives like the Kalaiclub Vertical Film School, we are focused on nurturing talent and redefining how stories are told in a mobile-first world. Our goal is to create compelling, short-form content that resonates emotionally while opening new avenues for creators and brands alike”.

“Today, we are witnessing a significant shift from the attention economy to the immersion economy. Advertisers are also embracing this change, as the platform offers innovative opportunities for brands to engage audiences through micro dramas and tell their stories more effectively,” he added.

About Kadhaishorts
Kadhaishorts is a Tamil vertical OTT platform created exclusively for smartphone users. It offers short, high-quality content across genres such as drama, comedy, action, thriller, and horror, with each episode limited to around two minutes.

The platform plans to expand into multiple languages including Malayalam, Telugu, Kannada, Bengali, and Hindi. It also supports emerging talent through training initiatives and creator collaborations.

Nexdigm, a leading Indian-origin professional services and business consulting organization, today announced the launch of ERT (Easy Remittance Tool), its first licensed technology solution for corporates. ERT simplifies and streamlines foreign remittance compliance for organizations managing cross-border transactions. Purpose-built digital platform helps organizations streamline Indian foreign remittance compliance through a unified compliance workflow, process automation, and stronger governance.
 

Nexdigm Launches ERT, its First Licensed Technology Solution, to Simplify Foreign Remittance Compliance
 

As businesses continue to expand their global footprint, foreign remittance compliance has become increasingly complex. Organizations making payments outside India must manage tax documentation, certifications, approvals, and regulatory submissions throughout the remittance process. Coordinating these requirements across multiple stakeholders and managing extensive documentation through emails, spreadsheets, and fragmented communication channels can create operational inefficiencies, limited visibility, and increased compliance risks.
 

ERT was developed by Nexdigm’s international tax and regulatory specialists, drawing on decades of professional services experience. ERT brings domain expertise and technology together to address this documentation-intensive area of cross-border business operations.
 

ERT digitizes and standardizes the end-to-end compliance lifecycle, enabling organizations to manage Form 145 and Form 146 requirements prescribed under India’s Income-tax framework for foreign remittances through a structured workflow. The platform brings finance teams, tax professionals, business stakeholders, and Chartered Accountants together on a single system, providing
 

• Centralized documentation

• Real-time status tracking

• Role-based access controls

• Audit-ready records and comprehensive audit trails

• Enhanced visibility across the compliance lifecycle
   

ERT is available as a standalone solution or alongside Nexdigm’s advisory and managed services support, and can be deployed within an organization’s existing compliance ecosystem.
 

The launch represents an important milestone in Nexdigm’s journey from being technology-enabled to becoming increasingly technology-led, reflecting the firm’s broader push to convert client-facing expertise into scalable, licensable technology products.

“ERT represents our ability to translate the expertise and insights built over decades of client engagement into scalable technology solutions that address real business needs. It is designed to align with our clients’ evolving needs and to strengthen the value we deliver as their business environments grow more complex. ERT marks an important step in extending this approach across Nexdigm’s growth and client proposition,” Mayank Lakhani – Co-CEO, Nexdigm.
 

“Foreign remittance compliance involves multiple forms, stakeholders, approvals, and supporting documents. The compliance complexity increases with transaction volume. ERT consolidates these requirements into a single, structured process, enabling greater consistency, reduced manual intervention, and stronger oversight. The solution is designed to make the overall remittance process simpler, more controlled, and more efficient to execute,” Maulik Doshi, Managing Director – Direct Tax, Nexdigm.
 

About Nexdigm

Nexdigm is an Indian firm operating globally, delivering consulting, technology, outsourcing, and professional services across industries, helping companies address challenges across all stages of their business lifecycle. Through our direct operations in the USA, Poland, the UAE, and India, we serve a diverse client base spanning multinational corporations, listed companies, privately owned businesses, and family-owned enterprises across more than 50 countries.

Finnable, an RBI-licensed NBFC offering personal loans, loan against property, and consumer finance across India, today announced the appointment of Mr. Sreeram Ranganathan Iyer as a Non-Executive Nominee Director on its Board, effective May 2026, representing TVS Capital, an investor in Finnable.

Finnable appoints Mr. Sreeram Ranganathan Iyer as a Non-Executive Nominee Director on its Board, representing TVS Capital, an investor in the Company

TVS Shriram Growth Fund 3 and 4 (funds managed by TVS Capital) collectively invested Rs. 250 crore across two tranches in Finnable and the nomination of Sreeram Iyer is their commitment of capability capital to the investee companies.

With significant leadership experiences covering major markets like India, Singapore, Dubai, London, and Australia, Mr. Iyer’s expertise lies in digital transformation, adoption of new-age technologies, offshoring & governance in complex, and multi-cultural environments.

Other notable roles he has held include CEO of Scope International, Standard Chartered Bank’s global shared services arm, and more recently as an Independent Director and board-committee leader across several Indian companies.

Mr. Iyer holds an MBA from Henley Business School, UK, and is a qualified Company Secretary, Chartered Financial Analyst, and Cost Accountant, with executive leadership training from MIT, London Business School, and INSEAD Singapore.

Why it matters

Iyer’s appointment adds large-scale banking operations, digital transformation, and cross-border governance experience to Finnable’s Board, strengthening the Company’s capabilities as it scales its lending business.

“Sreeram brings exactly the kind of global banking scale and institution-building experience we need as we scale responsibly. His deep understanding of technology, governance and building high-performing institutions will be valuable as we strengthen our capabilities for the next phase of growth. His perspective, paired with TVS Capital’s continued partnership, gives us real confidence as we grow,” said Nitin Gupta, CEO, Finnable.

“I see real potential for Finnable to become one of India’s top five, profitable, well-governed NBFCs. As we grow, I believe Technology, compliance, governance, risk management, and balanced people-practices are necessary conditions to support the growth and ambition of Finnable. It’s a privilege to represent TVS Capital and to serve on Finnable’s Board,” said Sreeram Iyer, Board Member, Finnable.

About Finnable Group

Finnable Group is on a mission to make credit simple, fast, and fair for people who’ve long been overlooked and underserved by traditional lenders. Founded by Nitin Gupta and Amit Kumar Arora, the Company has grown into a Rs. 4,000 crore AUM lending business as of June ‘26, built on the belief that access to credit shouldn’t depend on who you know or where you bank.

The Group offers a range of lending products, including personal loans, loan against property (LAP), as well as consumer finance, catering to diverse customer needs. Finnable combines technology-led processes, data-driven underwriting and a customer-centric approach to simplify the borrowing journey, while maintaining a strong focus on responsible lending, risk management and compliance. As it continues to scale, the Company remains focused on building a sustainable lending franchise with strong technology, governance and customer-centricity at its core.

What happens when a painting leaves the canvas, a hand-carved block finds its way onto fabric, and fashion becomes a canvas for stories waiting to be discovered? This festive season, Max Fashion and Kalki Koechlin explore that idea through a collection that brings together fashion, art and purpose — one original artwork and one hand-crafted print at a time.
 

Kalki Koechlin wears a Sanganeri block print inspired by Japanese sakura blooms, brought to life through the craftsmanship of Sanganeri artisans
 

At the heart of it is Max Project New, Max Fashion’s purpose-led platform, which looks at fashion through a different lens, one where creativity begins beyond the design studio and finds its way into what people actually wear.
 

For its debut edition, Kalki and the Max Fashion design team went looking for work with a story behind it, eventually bringing together two very different worlds: the expressive work of specially-abled artists and the centuries-old craft of hand block printing from Sanganer. The result is a festive collection where the artwork isn’t merely inspiration, it is the design.
 

One of its most distinctive stories comes through the Kairassi Foundation, Chennai, a design-inclusive organisation that empowers specially-abled artists. Through the foundation, Max Fashion worked with three artists — Simron, Pavithra and Manas — translating their original paintings into fashion for the first time.
 

Simron’s watercolour landscapes bring an almost dreamlike quality to skirts, while Pavithra’s fluid ocean-inspired blues make their way across shirts. Manas, the youngest of the three, creates his artwork using a straw instead of a brush, giving his work a spontaneous, playful quality that now finds a new expression on a tote bag. These aren’t interpretations of their work; they are the artists’ original paintings, carried from canvas to fabric.
 

Kalki Koechlin wears original artwork by three specially-abled artists, translated from canvas to contemporary fashion for Max Fashion’s Festive 2026 collection
 

Then there is Sanganer, Rajasthan, where the same idea takes shape through a completely different craft. Working with artisans from Sanganer, Max Fashion developed an exclusive design created specifically for the collection, bringing together the quiet elegance of Japanese florals with the distinctive craft of Sanganer block printing. The original piece was painstakingly developed by hand — from carving the wooden blocks and mixing the colours to printing each layer of fabric, one colour at a time.
 

It is a meeting of two worlds — paint and pigment, canvas and cloth, contemporary expression and traditional craftsmanship — but the thought behind both remains the same: to celebrate the creativity, craft and stories behind what we wear.
 

“Fashion, for us, has always been more than what we wear, it’s a form of expression, a way to tell stories, and a platform that can create real impact,” said Sumit Chandna, CEO, Max Fashion. “Kalki shared a vision with us that we instantly connected with, and together we built on it, the idea that festive dressing could carry meaning, not just style. MAX PROJECT NEW brings that belief to life, whether through an artist’s brushstroke or an artisan’s hand-carved block. And this is only the beginning.”
 

For Kalki, the collection is rooted in the belief that fashion can carry something more personal than a trend. “I’ve always wanted festive fashion to feel like it’s saying something, not just selling something,” she says. “Whether it’s a tiny painted detail on a bag or a hand-carved print on a dress, you put it on and you’re carrying someone else’s story with you. I think that makes what you wear feel much more special.”
 

That spirit extends to how Kalki has approached the collection itself, styling it with an effortless, contemporary sensibility that moves beyond traditional festive dressing. Fluid silhouettes and unexpected combinations make the collection as relevant for a festive evening as they are for bringing a little more colour and personality into an everyday wardrobe.
 

The collection brings the stories behind its artwork and craft into everyday wardrobes, making creative expression part of how people dress and celebrate.
 

And while this may be the first chapter, Max Project New is designed to go much further. The initiative will continue across seasons, opening the door to new artists, craftspeople and creative voices and bringing their work into the world of fashion.
 

Because sometimes, new isn’t just a new look. It is a new story waiting to be worn.
 

The campaign captures that spirit with its line: “HOW NEW IS YOUR NEW.”

About Max Fashion

Max Fashion, a global fashion leader born in the Middle East in 2004 and now present across 20+ countries, has evolved into a global powerhouse of everyday style. With over 900 stores across markets including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, India and Indonesia, the brand’s journey is defined by scale, speed and a deep instinct for contemporary fashion.
 

India sits at the heart of that growth story. Since opening its first store here in 2006, Max has become deeply woven into the country’s fashion landscape, celebrating 20 years in India this year. Today, the brand operates 530+ stores across 220+ cities, spanning over 5.8 million sq. ft. of retail space nationwide. This expansive footprint translates into over 1 million daily customer interactions and more than 130 million garments sold annually across men, women and kids.
 

Beyond its formidable scale lies its defining edge — the seamless blend of international design direction with an intuitive understanding of Indian preferences. From elevated everyday essentials to occasion-ready fashion for men, women and kids, Max captures the rhythm of modern India, delivering style that is current, versatile and deeply connected to its audience.

XCath Robotics, a medical device company advancing endovascular surgical robotics, has received Breakthrough Device Designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its Iris Surgical Robotic System for remote robotic-assisted mechanical thrombectomy in patients with acute ischemic stroke.

Dr Vitor Mendes Pereira and team

The FDA’s Breakthrough Devices Program is designed to support the development of medical devices that have the potential to provide more effective treatment for patients with life-threatening or irreversibly debilitating conditions. For XCath, the designation provides increased opportunities to interact with FDA experts and receive support during the regulatory development and review process as the company advances the Iris System.

“FDA Breakthrough Device Designation is an important milestone for our mission,” said Eduardo Fonseca, Chief Executive Officer of XCath. “We look forward to continued collaboration with the FDA as we advance the development and evaluation of the Iris System. The real-world learnings from our investigational cases are helping us shape the system to expand access to life-saving stroke care for the millions of patients we ultimately hope to serve.”

The designation follows XCath’s landmark March 2026 achievement: the world’s first remote telerobotic mechanical thrombectomy in a living patient. During a clinical investigation known as Operation Robo Angel, renowned neurosurgeon Dr. Vitor Mendes Pereira, operated the Iris System from a control station in Santiago, Panama, to treat a patient more than 120 miles away at The Panama Clinic in Panama City.

By enabling specialist physicians to operate on patients remotely, the Iris System could help break down the geographic barriers to specialist stroke care. Mechanical thrombectomy is widely regarded as the gold standard treatment for patients suffering a large vessel occlusion (LVO) stroke – the deadliest and most disabling type of ischemic stroke. However, access to the procedure remains unequal.

The potential significance of remote treatment is particularly clear in India, which faces a growing stroke burden and significant disparities in access to specialist treatment. Stroke is the fourth biggest killer in India, resulting in 700,000 deaths each year. The country accounts for 10% of the global stroke burden, with cases rising 51% over the last three decades.

It is estimated that each year, more than 270,000 patients in India are eligible for a mechanical thrombectomy – but only 1,000-2,000 procedures are performed nationwide. Just 20% of the population lives within one hour of a stroke centre capable of performing a thrombectomy, while 55% of stroke and cardiac deaths are caused by a delay in seeking care.

For patients suffering an LVO stroke, the consequences of missing timely treatment can be devastating, with 77% of patients either dying or being left with severe disability. Globally, it is estimated that one in four adults will experience a stroke during their lifetime, yet the global median rate of access to mechanical thrombectomy is just 2.79%.

Next month, XCath is due to release a documentary about Operation Robo Angel.