India’s EV market may have reached the point where selling the car is only half the job, but the harder part may be making sure customers can live with it comfortably after the test drive.

VinFast ranked No. 1 among electric passenger vehicle OEMs in dealer satisfaction, according to the latest FADA study
 

Electric passenger-vehicle registrations rose 50% year on year to 30,325 in August, taking EV penetration to 7.4%, according to Vahan⁽¹⁾. And as EVs become more common, the dealership itself is taking on a bigger role in the ownership experience.

A conventional car buyer can usually walk into a traditional dealership with a rough idea of how the machine works. EVs come with a few more question marks. How should the battery be charged? What does ownership cost? What happens when a software issue appears? And where is the nearest technician who knows what to do?

Those questions also matter to dealers—especially those that want to have all their bases covered—because answering them well requires training, equipment and a workable business model. FADA’s 2025 Dealer Satisfaction Study surveyed more than 1,800 dealer principals representing nearly 5,000 outlets. After-sales service emerged as the most important factor in dealer satisfaction, followed by business viability and policy, while inventory, margins and training costs were among the concerns affecting dealers.

Against that backdrop, the latest FADA study offers an interesting EV-specific signal. VinFast ranked No. 1 among electric passenger-vehicle OEMs in dealer satisfaction. The study measures dealers’ perceptions and experiences in their engagement with OEMs, making the ranking less a measure of the cars themselves and more a snapshot of the relationship between an automaker and its retail partners.

That relationship becomes especially important when an EV maker is trying to build a network at the same time as it builds a customer base. VinFast recently opened its 60th dealership in Patna, a 3S facility bringing sales, after-sales service and customer support together. The company plans to reach 75 dealerships across more than 60 cities by the end of 2026, with the network extending into tier-2 and tier-3 markets. It has also signed with multiple Indian banks to support inventory financing, a crucial part of the dealer equation as new outlets require dealers to put more capital behind a growing stock of vehicles.

The push beyond India’s biggest cities also points to the next challenge for EV adoption: making ownership feel accessible wherever the buyer lives. The next wave of buyers will come from cities where the nearest service centre may be more important than another 20 kilometres of claimed range. A familiar local face can sometimes do more for confidence than another feature on a specification sheet.

Building that network, however, is not simply a matter of putting up more signs and opening more showrooms. As EVs spread into more cities, dealers have to become comfortable selling a technology that many of their customers are still learning about themselves. That means training sales teams, preparing technicians and making sure the service operation can keep pace with the sales operation.

The result is a “same same but different” kind of relationship between an automaker and its dealers, where the satisfaction of that relationship can bear fruit for both sides. A dealer that feels supported has more reason to invest in training, service capacity and inventory, while an OEM with a well-supported network has a better chance of reaching customers beyond the biggest cities. Coming back to the example of VinFast, it has built a nationwide dealer network in less than two years in India and is now among the country’s top five EV automakers. Its No. 1 ranking in FADA’s latest study does not explain that growth on its own, but it offers a useful indication of how the company’s relationship with its dealers may be supporting the expansion.

DEKA International of Italy, and GeoBio, through its healthcare technology vertical GeoMedics Pharma Pvt. Ltd., are strengthening their presence across the Indian aesthetic medicine landscape, with a series of technology inaugurations and installations across Mumbai, Pune and Chennai.

L to R – Mr Somen Banerjee Mr Francesco Badii and Mr Neehar Gandhi at Inauguration Programs in India

The growing footprint reflects a shared commitment to bringing scientifically backed, research-driven and precision-engineered technologies to Indian dermatologists, aesthetic physicians and leading medical institutions.

As Indian aesthetic medicine continues to mature, physicians and patients are increasingly looking beyond marketing claims and device specifications. The focus is shifting towards the science behind the technology, quality of engineering, clinical relevance, treatment precision, physician training and long-term support.

It is in this evolving environment that DEKA and GeoBio are making a stronger mark in India, bringing a portfolio of advanced laser and energy-based platforms to leading clinics and institutions across the country.

From Mumbai and Pune to Chennai, the recent inaugurations showcase the expanding partnership between DEKA and GeoMedics, while demonstrating the breadth of technologies available across dermatology, aesthetics, body contouring, skin rejuvenation and other clinical applications.

A Stronger Presence across Three Major Indian Cities

In Mumbai and MMR region, DEKA technologies have been introduced across multiple leading practices.

Mumbai:

At the Clinics of Dr. Satish Savant and Dr. Sushil Savant in Andheri West , four DEKA Platforms—Toro Pico Nano, Punto, VasQ and Motus Pro have been introduced, bringing advanced technologies for pigmentation, fractional resurfacing, vascular applications, hair reduction and other dermatological indications.

At Dr. Rashmi Shetty’s Clinic in Santacruz, ONDA PRO, powered by DEKA’s patented Coolwaves® microwave technology, has been introduced for non-invasive applications including localised fat reduction, cellulite improvement and skin tightening.

At Alok Dermatology Institute in Panvel, led by Dr. Dipak Kulkarni, Dr. Ojas Kulkarni and Dr. Ruta Joshi Kulkarni, the DEKA portfolio includes DuoGlide, Red Touch Pro, ONDA PRO, MiniSilk and Motus Pro, reflecting the growing demand for versatile, advanced energy-based platforms.

Pune:

In Pune, DEKA’s presence has expanded across both Academic Institutions and Private Clinical Practices.

Bharati Hospital and Bharati Vidyapeeth has introduced Red Touch Pro and Toro Pico Nano, supporting both patient care and medical education.

At the practice of Dr. Vijay Nagdev and Dr. Pooja, the technology portfolio includes Toro Pico Nano, PHYSIQ 360 and ONDA PRO with Coolwaves® technology, offering a combination of advanced laser, body-contouring and muscle-electro stimulation technologies.

At D. Y. Patil Medical College, Hospital and Research Centre, DEKA Again Pro Plus has been introduced, further strengthening the presence of advanced DEKA technology within a leading medical and academic institution.

Chennai:

Dr. Prasanthi G’s HALOS Clinic in Chennai has introduced ONDA PRO with patented Coolwaves® technology and MiniSilk, extending the DEKA–GeoMedics footprint further into South India.

Making a Mark through Science, Technology and Education

The expansion is not limited to the installation of devices. Through the DEKA–GeoMedics association, emphasis is being placed on physician education, hands-on training, clinical protocols, application support and technical service.

The recent inauguration programme across the three cities brought together Mr. Francesco Badii, Head of DEKA International, Italy; Mr. Somen Banerjee, CMD, GeoMedics Pharma Pvt. Ltd.; and Mr. Neehar Gandhi, Director – Sales & Marketing, GeoMedics Pharma Pvt. Ltd., along with leading dermatologists, physicians, medical institutions and members of the media. The programmes provided an opportunity for physicians to engage directly with the technology and understand its underlying engineering and clinical applications.

DEKA and GeoBio : Building the Future of Aesthetic Technology in India

Speaking during the India programme, Mr. Francesco Badii, Head of DEKA International, Italy, said, “DEKA has always been fundamentally research driven. Our objective is to develop technologies where engineering, research and clinical application come together to create meaningful solutions for physicians and patients. India is an important and rapidly evolving market, and we are pleased to strengthen our presence here together with GeoMedics.”

Mr. Somen Banerjee, CMD, GeoMedics Pharma Pvt. Ltd. Said, “Our association with DEKA is built around a common philosophy—that advanced technology should be supported by science, knowledge, training and service. We are not looking at technology simply as a machine to be placed in a clinic. We are focused on creating the ecosystem around it.”

Mr Banerjee added, “With the growing presence of DEKA across Mumbai, Pune and Chennai, we believe we are making a meaningful mark in India’s aesthetic medicine landscape. The market is moving towards more informed decision-making, and we want to be at the forefront of that transformation by bringing technologies that are scientifically backed, precisely engineered and clinically relevant.”

Mr. Neehar Gandhi, Director – Sales & Marketing, GeoMedics Pharma Pvt. Ltd. Commented, “Indian doctors are increasingly asking deeper questions about technology—about R&D, engineering, clinical applications, training and long-term support. This evolution is encouraging. Through GeoMedics and our association with DEKA, our objective is to ensure that advanced technologies reach physicians together with the knowledge and support required to use them effectively.”

A Growing National Footprint

The growing presence of DEKA and GeoBio across Mumbai, Pune and Chennai represents more than an expansion in geographical reach. It reflects a broader transformation in Indian aesthetic medicine—where technology, scientific credibility, precision, education and clinical relevance are becoming increasingly important.

With platforms including Toro Pico Nano, Punto, VasQ, Motus Pro, DuoGlide, Red Touch Pro, MiniSilk, Again Pro Plus, PHYSIQ 360 and ONDA PRO with patented Coolwaves® technology, DEKA and GeoMedics are building a comprehensive technology ecosystem for Indian dermatologists and aesthetic physicians.

Together, DEKA International and GeoBio are making a stronger mark across India—bringing Italian engineering, research-driven technology and a commitment to physician education and clinical excellence to the evolving landscape of aesthetic medicine.

GeoMedics Pharma

GioMedics Pharma Pvt Ltd, Pune headquartered company is engaged in the business of procuring from abroad and distributing the innovative medical technologies and solutions to the Indian healthcare ecosystem, with a focus on advanced technologies, professional support and collaboration with medical experts.

To know more about Geomedics Pharma visit www.Geomedicspharma.com

Your Board Profile, founded by boardroom branding and strategic storytelling coach Dr Amit Nagpal, is marking its third anniversary with another milestone—the launch of its third book. The platform works at the intersection of personal branding, governance and boardroom leadership, helping current and aspiring Independent Directors and senior executives build credible board-level identities through strategic narratives, governance signalling and greater professional visibility and credibility. Its focus is on enabling leaders to become not merely board-ready, but board-relevant, visible and referable.

The Safety Pin Leadership: Why Leaders Need to Hold Before They Move | By Anil Yadav, Steward of Stability & Trust, Notion Press

The anniversary is being marked by the launch of The Safety-Pin Leadership: Why Leaders Need to Hold Before They Move, by Anil Yadav. The book uses the humble safety pin as a powerful metaphor for an often-overlooked responsibility of leadership—the ability to hold people, trust, perspective and purpose together during periods of pressure and uncertainty. Yadav describes the safety pin as something that “does not remove the strain. It holds through the strain.” The book draws upon his experiences in business and the chemical industry, as well as conversations with senior leaders and Board members across industries.

The new release builds on Your Board Profile’s growing publishing initiative around governance, leadership and the evolving responsibilities of Boards and C-suite leaders. In September 2025, to mark Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 75th birthday, Your Board Profile and OakBridge Publishing launched Mastering Governance, Leadership & Strategic Storytelling: Lessons from PM Modi for Boards & C-Suite Leaders, authored by Dr Amit Nagpal. The book drew leadership, governance and strategic storytelling lessons from PM Modi’s journey and translated them into practical insights for corporate leaders, with particular emphasis on governance effectiveness, stakeholder alignment and strategic communication.

The publishing journey was further strengthened in January 2026 with Digital Transformation – A Playbook for Boards & C-Suite co-authored by Uphar Srivastava and Dr Amit Nagpal. The publication reflected Your Board Profile’s expanding focus on contemporary boardroom issues and the growing need for directors and senior executives to understand transformation not merely as a technology agenda, but through the wider lenses of leadership, strategy and governance. Together, the three publications reflect the platform’s evolving knowledge agenda—connecting governance, leadership, transformation and strategic storytelling for today’s boardroom.

Over the past three years, Your Board Profile has also developed a portfolio of products and services aimed at strengthening the professional positioning and board readiness of senior leaders. Its offerings include customised Board CVs, Speaker Profiles, digital profile optimisation, personal branding consultations and strategic brand audits. Its Brand Audit assesses leaders across six dimensions—Identity Clarity, Digital Visibility, Governance Alignment, Thought Leadership, Trust Signals and Strategic Networking—to identify gaps and create an action plan for strengthening boardroom presence and influence.

Speaking on the third anniversary, Dr Amit Nagpal, Founder, Your Board Profile, said, “Our journey from profiles to publications reflects the evolution of our larger purpose. A Board CV can communicate a leader’s value, but thought leadership can multiply that value across an ecosystem. Three years and three books later, we want Your Board Profile to become not only a platform for boardroom branding, but also a knowledge platform for governance, leadership and strategic storytelling.”

He added, “The Safety-Pin Leadership is particularly relevant to today’s leadership environment. Leadership is often associated with moving fast, taking decisions and driving transformation. Anil Yadav brings attention to an equally important capability—the ability to hold before you move. Holding trust, people, perspective and purpose together during difficult times is itself an important expression of leadership. Safety pin is such a powerful metaphor not just for holding things together but also for celebrating the unsung heroes of the corporate world.”

The collaboration also reflects Your Board Profile’s larger philosophy of co-creation—bringing practitioners, board leaders, authors and governance experts together to convert lived leadership experience into accessible knowledge for the wider corporate ecosystem. As Your Board Profile enters its fourth year, the platform plans to deepen its work around boardroom branding, governance signalling, board readiness, strategic storytelling and thought leadership, helping senior executives transition from executive visibility to boardroom credibility.

On 7th September, Your Board Profile is launching the first cohort of its “Classroom to Boardroom” program. Classroom to Boardroom is a leadership development initiative designed to identify and nurture MBA students from premier institutes who aspire to shape the future of business, governance, and executive leadership.

About Your Board Profile

Founded by Dr Amit Nagpal, Your Board Profile is a boardroom branding platform focused on helping Independent Directors, aspiring directors, CXOs and senior professionals build compelling board-level identities. Its work combines personal branding, strategic storytelling, governance alignment, digital visibility and thought leadership to help leaders articulate their Board Value Proposition and strengthen their readiness for board opportunities. The platform is also a Knowledge Partner of Board Stewardship, Mumbai.

To know more, visit: yourboardprofile.in

About The Safety-Pin Leadership

The Safety-Pin Leadership: Why Leaders Need to Hold Before They Move is authored by Anil Yadav. Built around the metaphor of a safety pin, the book explores leadership under pressure and the often-invisible responsibility of holding trust, perspective, people and purpose together before moving an organisation forward. Pre-orders for the book opened on August 15, 2026.

For more information about the organisation and its Founder, please visit www.yourboardprofile.in and dramitnagpal.com/ respectively. Queries for collaboration can be directed to amit.nagpal@yourboardprofile.in

We all have that one teacher or perhaps a few we remember long after leaving school. The teacher who encouraged us, believed in us, challenged us, or simply saw something in us before we saw it ourselves.

Shree Niketan Schools’ #CallYourTeacher campaign invites people to call the teachers who shaped their lives and share the memories that still stay with them
 

We often think about them. We speak about them. But how often do we actually speak to them?
 

This Teachers’ Day, Shree Niketan Schools is encouraging people to change that with a simple call.
 

Through the #CallYourTeacher campaign, the school group is inviting everyone to pick up their phone, call a teacher who made a difference in their life, and tell them how they helped shape the person they became.
 

The idea is deliberately simple. People are encouraged to record themselves making the call, share what the conversation meant to them, and invite others to do the same. The call could be to a teacher who shaped their career, inspired a passion, gave them confidence, or made them believe in themselves at a crucial moment.
 

Participants can share their call and their experience on social media using #CallYourTeacher and tag @ShreeNiketanSchools, encouraging others to reconnect with the teachers who helped make them who they are.
 

At the heart of #CallYourTeacher is a belief that education goes far beyond textbooks and classrooms. The values, encouragement and sense of identity that teachers help instil can stay with a child for a lifetime. And sometimes, the people who shaped us simply deserve to know the difference they made.
 

About Shree Niketan Schools

Indian Roots; Global Outlook is at the heart of Shree Niketan Schools’ educational philosophy. The school believes that children with a strong foundation in their cultural heritage can reach unprecedented heights in a global future.
 

At Shree Niketan, India’s rich legacy of values, traditions and knowledge is brought into the context of a rapidly globalising world. Respect, prayer, festivals, family and the celebration of India’s diversity are viewed not merely as cultural practices, but as opportunities to nurture empathy, leadership, collaboration and a strong sense of identity.
 

With a vision to nurture students who are deeply connected to their Indian roots while being intellectually and emotionally equipped to thrive on the world stage, Shree Niketan Schools continues to build an education that prepares children for both where they come from and where the world is going.
 

Today, Shree Niketan Schools is a growing community of 700+ staff members and 12,000+ children across five campuses, with a presence in Thiruvallur, Tambaram East, Tambaram West and Nolambur.
 

For more information: Shree Niketan Schools – Call Your Teacher
 

Instagram: @ShreeNiketanSchools
 

Campaign Assets

Video 1: Watch Video 1

Video 2: Watch Video 2

Medical expenses can arise even when hospitalisation is not needed. Doctor consultations, prescribed medicines, diagnostic tests, and routine check-ups can create recurring costs throughout the year. These expenses can be easy to overlook when choosing health insurance, yet they may affect your healthcare budget.
 

Understanding outpatient benefits can help you assess what your policy provides beyond hospital treatment. Outpatient Department (OPD) refers to medical care received without hospitalisation. An OPD cover in health insurance can help cover eligible outpatient expenses.
 

OPD Cover in Health Insurance: Understanding What Your Policy Covers
 

Let’s understand its benefits, coverage, and claims process before choosing a suitable plan.

What is an OPD Cover in Health Insurance?

OPD care refers to medical treatment received without being admitted to a hospital. OPD cover in health insurance is a benefit that can help pay eligible expenses incurred during visits to doctors, clinics, or other healthcare providers.
 

For instance, a consultation for viral fever, a prescribed diagnostic test, or medicines may qualify under an eligible OPD benefit. Some insurers include this feature within their health plans, while others offer it as an add-on. The coverage limit, exclusions, waiting periods, and claim conditions depend on the policy.

What are the Benefits and Features of OPD Cover?

Regular outpatient expenses can add up over time, making this benefit relevant for specific healthcare needs.

No 24-hour Hospitalisation Requirement

Eligible outpatient expenses can be claimed without requiring an overnight hospital stay. This makes the benefit relevant for minor treatments, consultations, and investigations that do not involve hospital admission.
 

Pharmacy and Diagnostic Support
Some plans cover prescribed medicines and diagnostic tests under their outpatient benefits. Depending on the policy, this may include blood tests, X-rays, scans, and other eligible investigations, subject to applicable limits.
 

Support for Preventive Healthcare
Coverage for eligible consultations and health check-ups can support regular healthcare visits. OPD cover in health insurance may make routine appointments easier to manage by providing financial support for eligible outpatient expenses.
 

Benefits May Be Available From Day One
Certain plans provide eligible outpatient benefits from the beginning of the policy. However, waiting periods and other eligibility conditions vary between insurers, so the policy wording should be checked carefully.
 

Cashless and Reimbursement Options
Eligible expenses may be settled through cashless facilities at network providers or through reimbursement. The availability of either option depends on the insurer, healthcare provider, and policy terms.

What is Covered Under OPD Health Insurance Plans?

The scope of OPD cover in health insurance can vary by policy. Here are the common outpatient expenses you may find covered.

What may not be Covered Under OPD Insurance?

Policies can have exclusions that affect claim eligibility. Non-prescribed medicines, expenses above the permitted OPD limit and excluded treatments may not qualify for reimbursement.
 

Cosmetic procedures and other expenses outside the policy’s medical coverage may also be excluded. Always review the policy wording to understand what OPD cover in health insurance actually includes before incurring an expense.

Which Documents are Required for OPD Reimbursement Claims?

Having the right documents can help support your reimbursement request. The following records are commonly required when submitting an OPD claim.

Why is OPD Cover in Health Insurance Worth it?

OPD cover in health insurance can be useful when routine medical expenses form a regular part of your healthcare spending.
 

Helps Manage Frequent Medical Expenses
Eligible consultations, prescribed medicines and diagnostic tests can create recurring costs. An OPD benefit can help cover these expenses according to the policy’s terms and limits.
 

Provides Support Without Hospitalisation
The benefit can cover eligible medical care that does not require hospital admission. This makes it relevant for routine consultations, minor treatments and other outpatient healthcare needs.
 

Makes Preventive Healthcare Easier to Access
Coverage for eligible consultations and health check-ups can support regular healthcare visits. It may make routine medical appointments easier to manage within an annual healthcare budget.
 

Covers More Than Doctor Consultations
Depending on the policy, OPD cover in health insurance can extend to prescribed medicines, diagnostic tests, minor procedures and teleconsultations. This gives the benefit wider practical use for outpatient care.
 

Offers Cashless Convenience
Cashless OPD facilities can reduce the need to pay eligible expenses upfront at participating network providers. This can make routine healthcare payments and claims more convenient.
 

Complements Hospitalisation Cover
Hospitalisation insurance focuses on eligible expenses related to hospital treatment, while OPD cover in health insurance addresses eligible outpatient costs. Having both benefits can provide broader financial support for different healthcare needs.
 

Supports People With Regular Healthcare Needs
People who frequently consult doctors, take prescribed medicines or undergo diagnostic tests may find OPD benefits useful. Its value depends on the premium, OPD limit, exclusions, waiting periods and claim conditions.

Choose OPD Cover that Matches Your Healthcare Needs

Outpatient expenses can form a regular part of healthcare spending, making OPD cover in health insurance a useful benefit for eligible consultations, medicines, diagnostics and other services. Its suitability depends on your healthcare requirements and the policy’s terms. Check the coverage limit, exclusions, waiting periods, network facilities and claim requirements before choosing a plan.
 

Online insurance brokers like Jio Insurance Broking Ltd can help you compare available health insurance options and understand their features. Compare health insurance plans with OPD benefits today and choose coverage that matches your regular healthcare needs.

Pepper has launched Agent Atlas, an AI agent that runs generative engine optimization work instead of reporting on it. It is live inside Pepper’s GEO platform and on every Pepper account from today.

Pepper’s Agent Atlas: Turning GEO Insights into Action

Search has changed, and so has the place where a brand gets judged. People put their questions to ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Copilot, Claude and Google AI Overviews, and they act on what they hear without ever opening a website. Pepper tracks more than 10 million prompts across those engines, and the pattern it sees is that whether a brand turns up in those answers now decides whether it makes a buyer’s shortlist at all. Sangeeta Bavi, Head of Sales for Digital Natives, Startups and Growth at Anthropic, framed the test at Index: “Go ask your marketing, product and engineering team: if you search for your product or brand, is it discoverable, and will an agent actually complete the transaction?”

Agent Atlas is built to answer that. It sits as the chat layer of Pepper’s GEO platform. A question goes in the way you would put it to the sharpest analyst on the team. Atlas works across AI search visibility, rankings, analytics and content in one pass, shows what is happening, recommends what to do in order of impact, then carries out the work once it is approved.

One thing Atlas is not: software the client logs into. “You do not log in. Pepper does,” is how the company puts it. Every Pepper customer is on Atlas from today, and their Pepper growth team runs it. Self-serve is not part of this release.

“We are not trying to build another tool in the category,” said Anirudh Singla, Co-founder and CEO of Pepper. “We are trying to engineer organic growth for an AI era. Our understanding of organic growth has moved from SEO to Search Everywhere Optimization, and that needs strategy, agents and human subject matter experts working together.”

“Atlas has brought our decision time right down,” Singla said. “An analysis that used to take two weeks now runs through Atlas, so our teams spend their hours on leads and business outcomes instead. If you are a CMO with two minutes before you walk into your CEO’s office, you should not have to wait a week for an agency report. You ask Atlas and you have the answer before you sit down.”

Along with the launch, Pepper was clear about what it will and will not be measured on. The company said it will not sign a contract against a one-shot AI visibility score, because the same prompt run repeatedly against the same model comes back with a different answer each time. What it commits to instead goes into the contract: a full strategy and a projected number before a client signs, KPIs written in, weekly reviews against baseline, and an annual term Pepper keeps only if the number moves.

“Every AI engine is a black box today, and anyone claiming clean attribution is guessing with confidence,” said Rishabh Shekhar, Co-founder and COO of Pepper. “That will change, because advertisers will not spend without reporting and these models will have to open a console. We are making sure our customers are already measuring the right things when it does.”

The chain Pepper says it stands behind runs from Earned Authority, the agreement across the third-party sources that buyers and models trust, through citations and mentions, to branded search lift, to demand.

The launch came at the third Index, Pepper’s GEO Growth Summit, held in Bengaluru after San Francisco and New York, in front of 150+ marketing leaders. Anant Vidur Puri, Partner at Bessemer Venture Partners, made the case for moving now: “Unless AI is front and center of your marketing strategy, I don’t think the business can go fast.” Ashutosh Wadhwani, Head of Growth at Swiggy, put the same shift more bluntly: “Stop optimizing for clicks. Start optimizing for recommendations and citations.”

Pepper’s argument has not changed in eight years. Organic is the channel a brand owns rather than rents. With Agent Atlas, a lean team can own all of it. Agents for scale. Humans for judgment. One team that owns the number.

Union (Mauritius) Holdings Ltd., owned and promoted by Dr. Azad Moopen and family, has acquired 46.09 lakh equity shares of Aster DM Quality Care Limited, representing approximately ~0.57% of the company’s paid-up equity share capital, from TPG-backed Centella Mauritius Holdings Limited. With the recent purchase of additional stake, the Moopen family now has increased shareholding in Aster DM Quality Care Ltd. to ~24.58%.
 

Dr. Azad Moopen, Founder and Executive Chairman, Aster DM Quality Care Ltd.
 

The shares were acquired on September 2, 2026, at a price of Rs. 760 per share, for an aggregate consideration of approximately Rs. 350.34 crore.
 

The acquisition further strengthens the promoter family’s ownership interest in Dr. Moopen-led Aster DM Quality Care and underscores the Moopen family’s commitment to the company’s long-term growth. It also reflects the family’s confidence in the potential of the larger, integrated healthcare platform, Aster DM Quality Care Ltd., and its ability to deliver sustainable long-term value for shareholders.

About Aster DM Quality Care

Aster DM Quality Care Limited is one of India’s leading integrated healthcare providers, formed through the merger of Aster DM Healthcare Limited and Quality Care India Limited. The merged entity will bring together four leading healthcare brands – Aster DM, CARE Hospitals, Evercare and KIMSHEALTH, creating a scaled and diversified healthcare platform with a network of 39 hospitals across 28 cities and over 10,890 beds. With a strong presence across South and Central India, the merged entity will deliver comprehensive healthcare services spanning primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary care, supported by centers of excellence across key specialties including oncology, cardiac sciences, neurosciences, gastro sciences, orthopaedics, nephrology, organ transplantation, mother and child care, and critical care.

Sydney, Australia, Singapore, Stellenbosch, South Africa 

Canva, the global visual communication platform, has become the first international company to offer recurring subscription payments to South African customers via Capitec Pay, the account-to-account payment method built by South Africa’s largest personal bank — Capitec. The milestone is made possible through Canva’s ongoing partnership with EBANX, a global technology company specializing in payment services for emerging markets.

South Africa: a USD 23 billion e-commerce market, largely cardless

The announcement represents a shift in how global subscription businesses can reach South African consumers. Credit card penetration in the country ranges between 8% and 10% of the adult population, according to the South African Reserve Bank (https://www.resbank.co.za/content/dam/sarb/publications/media-releases/2024/payments/SARB%20Payments%20Study%20Report%202023%20Executive%20Summary.pdf) and the World Bank (https://www.worldbank.org/en/publication/globalfindex). This limitation has historically restricted the reach of traditional card-on-file subscription models, excluding 44 million people in South Africa who do not own credit cards.

Instead of needing a credit card, Capitec Pay lets clients approve a recurring payment once in the Capitec app (https://www.ebanx.com/en/insights/articles/south-africa-s-subscription-gap-has-a-bank-native-solution/). After that, participating businesses can collect future subscription payments automatically. Canva is the first international subscription service to offer recurring payments with Capitec Pay.

Capitec is South Africa’s largest personal bank by customer base, with 26 million clients (https://www.capitecbank.co.za/blog/news/2026/annual-results/) and over 16 million app users. According to Capitec, one in three South African adults uses its mobile app. “For Canva, going live as the first global merchant on this infrastructure is a removal of a structural barrier that was preventing a large portion of South Africans from accessing our platform at all,” said Bianca Sibiya, Canva Africa Lead.

The offering of recurring payments through Capitec Pay by Canva in South Africa is possible thanks to its partnership with EBANX, which helped enhance the solution and became the first global payment service provider (PSP) to integrate it into cross-border payment flows.

“For years, card-based billing has been treated as the default model for global subscription products, but that default was built around consumer behavior in the United States and Western Europe, not South Africa,” explained Wiza Jalakasi, Commercial Lead for Africa and the Middle East at EBANX.

EBANX has become a leading enabler of recurring alternative payment methods (APMs) (https://www.ebanx.com/en/insights/articles/ebanx-expands-recurring-alternative-payments-offering/) in cross-border digital commerce across the world. Including South Africa, the company supports recurring APMs across 12 emerging markets, enabling global merchants to reach more than 1 billion consumers, many of whom lack access to credit or debit cards.

“Capitec’s philosophy is to ensure that our clients experience simple, affordable and innovative services. Recurring payments through Capitec Pay is just one of the many ways we bring that simplicity to life, offering clients a payment experience they already know and trust. Through this partnership with Canva, we are expanding our trusted payment experience and giving clients access to international merchants in an accessible way,” said Francois Viviers, Group Executive of Marketing and Client Experience at Capitec.

South Africa’s digital commerce market continues to grow rapidly, reaching 74% of adults and annual growth projected at 20% through 2028, according to Payments and Commerce Market Intelligence (PCMI) data analyzed by EBANX. By that year, South Africa’s e-commerce market is expected to represent a USD 23 billion opportunity, based on PCMI insights featured in EBANX’s Beyond Borders study (https://hubs.ly/Q040LdtF0).

https://www.ebanx.com/en/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/ebanx

About EBANX

EBANX is the leading technology platform connecting global businesses to the world’s fastest-growing digital markets. Founded in 2012 in Brazil, EBANX was built with a mission to expand access to international digital commerce. Leveraging proprietary technology, deep market expertise, and robust infrastructure, the platform enables global businesses to offer hundreds of local payment methods and streamline cross-border payments across Latin America, Africa, and Asia. With a global footprint, it established a technology and regulatory headquarters in Singapore in 2026. More than just payments, EBANX drives growth, enhances sales, and delivers seamless purchase experiences for businesses and end users alike.

For further information, please visit:

Website: https://www.ebanx.com/en/  
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ebanx

About Canva

Launched in 2013, Canva is a free online visual communications and collaboration platform with a mission to empower everyone in the world to design. Featuring a simple drag-and-drop user interface and a vast range of templates ranging from presentations, documents, websites, social media graphics, posters, apparel to videos, plus a huge library of fonts, stock photography, illustrations, video footage, and audio clips, anyone can take an idea and create something beautiful.

For more information:

Website: https://www.canva.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/canva-africa/

About Capitec 

Capitec Limited (JSE: CPI) is South Africa’s largest retail bank by active client numbers, serving 26 million active clients. It is recognized as the country’s leading digital bank, with 16 million active app users. Capitec offers simple, affordable and transparent banking solutions through innovative technology and personalized service via its app, online banking, and a network of 866 branches and 8,771 ATMs and cash-accepting devices. The Group uses data and technology to understand client needs and provide tailored solutions across Personal Banking, Business Banking, value-added services, insurance, and international consumer lending through its subsidiary AvaFin. Capitec aims to make a meaningful difference and unlock growth opportunities for all.

For further information, please visit:

Website: https://www.capitecbank.co.za/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/capitec-bank/