The festive season may still be a little while away, but the anticipation has already begun. The plans are being made, the get-togethers are finding their way onto calendars, and cravings for all those festive favorites are slowly making a comeback. But really, who decided the delicious part needs to wait?

Consider this your permission to start the celebrations a little early. With their rich flavour, satisfying crunch, and incredible versatility, California walnuts can turn everyday treats into something worth celebrating. From indulgent bites, everyday crowd pleasers and comforting favorites to desserts made for sharing, these California walnut-inspired recipes bring a little festive goodness to the table before the festivities even begin.

Because when something this delicious is coming, why wait?

California Walnut Halwa – By Chef Nehal Karkera

California Walnut Halwa

Ingredients
200g California walnuts
¼ cup ghee (clarified butter) 
1 tablespoon milk powder
½ cup khoya* (grated)
1½ cup milk
½ cup sugar
½ teaspoon cardamom powder
*Concentrated milk solids

Preparation
1. Powder the walnuts in a grinder until semi coarse ground.
2. Heat the ghee in a pan over low heat. Add the powdered walnuts and cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring continuously until the mixture turns golden and releases a fragrant, nutty aroma.
3. Add milk powder and khoya and stir. Mix thoroughly to ensure everything is well incorporated.
4. Pour in the milk and continue to cook the mixture on medium heat, stirring occasionally. Allow the milk to reduce to half, which will thicken the halwa.
5. Once the milk has reduced, add the sugar. Cook for another few minutes, stirring continuously, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture thickens to a halwa-like consistency, and the ghee starts to separate.
6. Remove from heat and sprinkle cardamom powder for flavor. Garnish with chopped walnuts and edible gold leaves before serving.

California Walnuts Chowpatty Bhel Puri – Chef Varun Inamdar

California Walnuts Chowpatty Bhel Puri

Ingredients
4 cups puffed rice
2 onions, finely chopped
2 tomatoes, finely chopped
2 green chilies, finely chopped
4 tablespoons mint chutney
4 tablespoons sweet tamarind chutney
1 tablespoon chaat masala powder
1/4 cup chana dal
1/4 cup roasted chana
Salt to taste
1/2 cup California walnuts, chopped roughly
1/4 cup sev
12-15 papdi puris

Preparation
1. Firstly, pre-prepare every ingredient as mentioned above in respective bowls as per quantities and sizes and set the table.
2. All you need to do is toss all ingredients together in a large bowl.
3. Garnish generously with a sprinkling of sev, chopped California walnuts and serve a papdi puri alongside.
4. Serve immediately.

California Walnut Keema Stuffed Pav – Shumaila Chauhan 

California Walnut Keema Stuffed Pav

Ingredients 
4 hard-boiled eggs, halved
400g minced mutton or chicken keema
2 teaspoons coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
2 onions, finely chopped
4 green chilies, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ginger paste
4-6 cloves of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon garam masala
Handful of fresh coriander, chopped
1/2 cup California walnuts, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon ghee
Salt to taste

For the pav buns:
8 pav buns
2 eggs
1-2 teaspoons milk
A pinch of salt and pepper

Preparation
1. In a pan, heat ghee. Cook the meat with coriander powder, turmeric powder, salt, and 2-3 teaspoons of water until water evaporates and keema is cooked. Set aside.
2. In the same pan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil, and sauté the onions till translucent. Add the green chilies, garlic, and ginger paste and fry till fragrant.
3. Add the minced meat, garam masala, coriander, and walnuts. Adjust seasoning. Stir till the masala is dry. Remove from flame.
4. Using a knife, make a round or square cut on the bottom side of the pavs. Keep the cut piece.
5. Remove some crumbs from the inner section without breaking the bun. Repeat with the remaining buns.
6. Stuff each bun with 1 – 1 ½ tablespoons of keema masala (depending on the size of the pav, adjust the filling).
7. Place an egg half on top of the filling. Top with 1-2 tablespoons of the keema masala. Cover with the reserved cut-out. Press gently.
8. Repeat for the other buns. Make sure the buns are properly filled but take care that you do not break the buns while filling.
(Note: In case a part of the bun breaks, use the crumbs that were removed to patch up the open part. Once you coat it with egg and cook, the crumb will also cook and the breaks will be fixed.)
9. Beat the eggs with 2 teaspoons of milk and a tiny pinch of salt and pepper.
10. Heat 1 tablespoon of ghee/butter over medium heat. Dip the bun in the beaten egg covering all sides with the egg batter. Place the bun’s bottom side first in the pan. This will help seal the bottom part.
11. Cook for 1 – 2 minutes per side. Serve warm.

Anarock today announced the launch of ARC, an integrated marketing agency with an objective to reimagine the marketing stack and focus on Outcomes over Output. ARC leverages cutting edge AI technology to score, prioritise, nurture, and reactivate business leads so that every interaction converts into tangible business outcomes.

With ARC, Anarock extends its integrated marketing expertise in building sharp, high-impact creative and marketing programs for industries like real estate, BFSI, auto, retail, consumer durables, FMCG and beyond.

Nikhil Kumar

Nikhil Kumar has been appointed as Head – Anarock ARC. Kumar brings close to two decades of experience across advertising, media, and marketing, having held senior roles at MullenLowe Lintas Group, Publicis Groupe, and Dentsu Creative. Nikhil has led large client portfolios and built high-performing teams across creative, media, and business strategy functions.

“ARC’s proposition rests on three integrated pillars – creative development that builds distinctive brand and campaign narratives, performance media that converts attention into measurable demand, and experiential activations that deepen consumer engagement at the point of decision,” says Nikhil Kumar, Head – Anarock ARC. “Underpinning all three is the Firm’s proprietary AI Predictive Engine, which turns every lead and enquiry into actionable intelligence, prioritising and nurturing prospects based on their propensity to convert and reactivating dormant leads into immediate business.”

He adds that the same intelligence layer that has driven outcomes in real estate marketing at Anarock has been re-engineered to work across sectors, giving ARC’s clients a data-backed system for converting demand into revenue, not just impressions into activity.

The agency has been established under the advisory of Akshay Gurnani, Ex-Co-founder & former CEO of India’s first creative, media, and digital agency Schbang.

Aashreen Puri

“ARC is not built as another standalone creative, performance or experiential agency – those are tools, not the destination,” says Aashreen Puri, Regional Director – Anarock Group. “ARC stands for Activation, Response and Conversion. It is a unique assemblage of cutting-edge creative marketing tools and knowhow that creates real access between businesses and their consumers and converts that access into measurable growth regardless of category. Anarock has always believed in investing in opportunities that have the potential to reimagine categories, not simply participate in them.”

Santhosh Kumar, Vice Chairman – Anarock Group, says, “Marketing has evolved dramatically, but agency accountability hasn’t kept pace. Too many businesses still measure success through activity rather than outcomes. ARC changes that equation – it connects strategy, creative, media, experience, and technology to drive measurable business outcomes. This will ensure that marketing spend converts into a measurable growth engine rather than a cost line. Bringing in Nikhil Kumar to lead ARC is a deliberate step toward that goal.”

ARC hits the ground running with a 55-member team of creative, media and technology specialists headquartered in Mumbai, with presence across Delhi NCR, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Chennai, and several major mandates already in hand and underway.

About Anarock
Anarock is a leading independent real estate services company operating across India and the Middle East. Established in 2017, Anarock draws upon a legacy of over three decades of real estate expertise and advises clients across all property sectors including residential, commercial, retail, hospitality, land, industrial and logistics, data centres and flexible workspaces.

With a team of over 2,600 professionals, Anarock delivers integrated real estate solutions spanning investment banking, bespoke research, strategic advisory and valuations, project management and engineering services and digitised community management. Backed by a proprietary AI-led ecosystem, advanced CRM infrastructure and strong relationships with developers, occupiers, investors and government stakeholders, the firm combines market intelligence, technology, and disciplined execution to create long-term value across the real estate lifecycle.

For more information, please visit www.anarock.com.

Tetra Pak, a world-leading food processing and packaging solutions company, successfully convened a leadership workshop on ‘Strengthening Food Security for a Growing India’ in collaboration with the International Council for Circular Economy (ICCE) and Primus Partners in Delhi, India. The event brought together policymakers, industry leaders, academia, research institutions, multilateral organizations, and development partners to deliberate on strengthening India’s food systems through greater collaboration, innovation, and sustainable solutions. Leading organizations including NIFTEM, ICAR, TERI, UNIDO, Nestlé, PepsiCo, BASF, IFPRI, and Good Food Institute (GFI), among others, attended the workshop.

Industry leaders and policymakers engaged in strategic discussions on strengthening food security in India at the workshop convened by Tetra Pak in collaboration with ICCE and Primus Partners

The event commenced with a keynote address by Shri Siraj Hussain, Former Secretary, Ministry of Food Processing Industries and Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare. Asking the audience a pertinent question – “How can we bring innovation and technology to build a more resilient, efficient and much more sustainable supply chain in India?”– he highlighted that India’s food security challenge extends beyond increasing production to minimizing food losses through improved preservation, processing and supply-chain systems. He stressed the importance of leveraging innovation and technology to strengthen the resilience, efficiency and sustainability of India’s food systems.

Dr. Rajbir Singh, Deputy Director General (Agricultural Extension), ICAR, then took the stage and spoke about how the growth in food production is a testament to the resilience of India’s agricultural system. Going forward, the focus must be on reducing post-harvest losses from the current 15–20% to around 5% by 2047, while improving nutrient-use efficiency, mechanization and water-use efficiency. “At present, overall post-harvest losses are around 15–20%, and we want to reduce them to around 5% by 2047,” he added.

Strengthening the ‘critical middle’

A central theme emerging from the discussions was the need to strengthen the ‘critical middle’ of the food value chain- the infrastructure and systems connecting agricultural production with consumption, including aggregation, processing, packaging, storage, logistics and distribution.

The discussions underscored the importance of strengthening integrated food systems through better coordination across stakeholders, improving farmer access to technology and markets, adopting digital solutions for supply chain efficiency, promoting circular economy approaches to food systems, and scaling evidence-based interventions that simultaneously address food security, climate resilience, and food loss and waste reduction.

Other key priorities emerging from the roundtable included:

• Strengthening food security and resilience across India’s food systems.

• Reducing food loss and waste through improved post-harvest management, processing, packaging, and logistics.

• Investing in processing and packaging infrastructure and innovative technologies to extend shelf life, improve food availability, and reduce losses across the food value chain.

• Leveraging food processing, sustainable packaging, and digital technologies to improve supply chain efficiency and minimize losses.

Building a stronger evidence base for action

From a policy perspective, participants highlighted the need for agencies to collect more granular, ground-level data on food loss and waste to enable better identification of hotspots, inform targeted interventions, and track progress. The discussions also emphasized that, without specific and measurable targets for reducing Food loss and Waste (FLW)efforts to address the issue are likely to remain only partially successful. It was therefore underscored that the need to consider the inclusion of FLW reduction targets in India’s NDCs, alongside greater recognition of innovative technologies in food processing and packaging that can help India achieve these targets.

Tetra Pak and NIFTEM research on the climate impact of food loss and waste (Link: Food loss and waste | Tetra Pak India)

A key highlight of the event was the launch of the NIFTEM – Tetra Pak report on ‘GHG Emissions from Food Loss and Waste,’ which presents research on the environmental implications of food loss and waste in India and reinforces the importance of reducing FLW as a pathway to improving food security while advancing climate action

The session concluded with a shared commitment to deepen collaboration across sectors, strengthen evidence-based policymaking and data collection, promote investment and innovation across the critical middle of the food value chain, and identify actionable next steps to improve food security, reduce food loss and waste, and build a more sustainable food ecosystem for India.

About Tetra Pak
Tetra Pak is a world-leading food processing and packaging solutions company. Working with our customers and suppliers, we provide access to safe, nutritious food for hundreds of millions of people in more than 160 countries every day. With over 24,000 employees worldwide, we commit to making food safe and available everywhere, and we promise to protect what’s good: food, people and the planet.

More information about Tetra Pak is available at www.tetrapak.com.

Razorpay, India’s Omnichannel Payments Platform for Businesses, today announced the launch of the Multi-Currency EEFC Account, enabling exporters and international businesses to receive payment settlements directly into their Exchange Earners’ Foreign Currency (EEFC) accounts in the original transaction currency.

Razorpay Launches Multi Currency Account

With this launch, merchants can receive settlements in USD, EUR, GBP, AED, and SGD directly into their EEFC accounts through Razorpay’s banking partner ecosystem, eliminating the need for immediate conversion into Indian Rupees (INR).

For many Indian exporters and globally operating businesses, managing foreign currency earnings efficiently remains an operational challenge. While international payments are typically settled in INR, businesses with ongoing foreign currency expenses often need to convert those funds back into foreign currencies to meet overseas obligations, resulting in multiple conversion cycles and avoidable foreign exchange costs. At the same time, as Indian businesses expand globally, the need for better control over foreign currency cash flows has become increasingly important. Businesses today require greater flexibility in deciding when and how to convert their earnings, especially when they have ongoing foreign currency obligations.

Through Razorpay’s Multi-Currency EEFC Account, the company aims to address these challenges by enabling businesses to retain earnings in the original currency and convert only when required. The solution extends Razorpay’s export payments stack beyond collections, helping businesses manage international earnings more efficiently. Key benefits of Multi-Currency EEFC Settlements include:

• Direct foreign currency settlements: Businesses can receive payment settlements directly into their EEFC accounts without mandatory INR conversion

• Reduced FX leakage: By eliminating multiple conversion cycles, businesses can avoid unnecessary foreign exchange costs

• Improved cash flow management: Merchants gain greater control over when to convert foreign currency based on their operational needs

• Seamless integration with existing workflows: The solution is built within Razorpay’s existing dashboard, settlement engine, and reconciliation processes

• No additional setup required: Businesses can access EEFC settlements without separate onboarding or changes to their current payment setup

Commenting on the launch, Rahul Kothari, COO, Razorpay, said, “Indian businesses are selling to the world like never before – reaching a record USD 860 billion in FY26, and they need financial infrastructure that grows with them. Because Indian exporters deserve the same flexibility to manage their global earnings as they have in growing their businesses. With our Multi-Currency EEFC Account, we’re making it easier for businesses to retain foreign earnings, reduce conversion costs, and operate with greater confidence in global markets. This is another step towards building financial infrastructure that helps Indian businesses compete and grow on the global stage.”

The launch reinforces Razorpay’s commitment to supporting the entire export money lifecycle, from collecting international payments to retaining foreign currency earnings and enabling cross-border payouts.

About Razorpay
Razorpay, an omnichannel payments platform for businesses, strives to help Indian businesses with innovative solutions built with technology to address the payment and banking journey for businesses. Established in 2014 by alumni of IIT Roorkee, Shashank Kumar and Harshil Mathur, the company strives to provide technology payment solutions to many businesses. A few angel investors have also invested in Razorpay’s mission to simplify payments and business banking.

A major national dialogue on sustainable technology, innovation and India’s green growth journey began at Manipal University Jaipur (MUJ) with the inauguration of the International Conference on Advanced Sustainable Technologies (ICAST-2026). Organised by the Department of Biotechnology and Chemical Engineering, MUJ, with the Indian Chemical Council (ICC) as industry partner, the three-day international conference is being held from August 19 to 21, 2026.

Dignitaries present at the ICAST 2026 inaugural session

Sponsored by the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), ICAST-2026 has brought together around 250 participants and 18 keynote and invited speakers from academia and industry from India and across the world. The conference provides a significant platform for deliberations on translating emerging technologies and scientific research into scalable solutions to India’s environmental, industrial and developmental challenges.

The inaugural ceremony was graced by Shri V. Srinivas, Chief Secretary, Government of Rajasthan, as the Chief Guest. Padma Shri Prof. G. D. Yadav, Emeritus Professor of Eminence and Former Vice Chancellor, Institute of Chemical Technology (ICT), Mumbai, was the Guest of Honour, while Prof. N. N. Sharma, President, Manipal University Jaipur, presided over the ceremony. Dr. Amit Soni, Registrar; Dr. Nitu Bhatnagar, Provost; Dr. Kuldip Singh Sangwan, Dean, Faculty of Science, Technology & Architecture; and Dr. Ravi Kant Gupta, Associate Dean, were also present.

Addressing the gathering in the virtual mode, Shri V. Srinivas stressed the need to move beyond the conventional choice between development and sustainability. He emphasised that the goal must be to achieve development through sustainability, supported by scientific knowledge, technological feasibility, strong institutions and social responsibility.

Drawing upon his academic background as a Chemical Engineer, Shri Srinivas identified green hydrogen, sustainable energy, critical minerals, advanced energy storage and recycling, environmental remediation, circular economy, sustainable materials, biotechnology, artificial intelligence and digital technologies as critical areas that will shape India’s technological future.

He also highlighted Rajasthan’s immense potential in renewable energy, green hydrogen and sustainable industrial development in line with the State’s vision of Viksit Rajasthan 2047. Calling for deeper collaboration among academia, industry, government, entrepreneurs and young innovators, he emphasised the need to develop solutions to pressing challenges related to water, energy, waste, agriculture and climate resilience.

Padma Shri Prof. G. D. Yadav, in his inspiring address, highlighted the expanding role of Chemical Engineering in the era of sustainability and technological transformation. He said the discipline has moved well beyond conventional chemical industries and now has a crucial role in green chemistry, renewable energy, green hydrogen, advanced materials, biotechnology, energy transition, circular economy and sustainable manufacturing.

Encouraging young researchers and students to embrace interdisciplinary research and emerging technologies, Prof. Yadav underlined the role of Chemical Engineering in connecting science, engineering, industrial applications and sustainability. His message, “Pause, Ponder and Proceed,” urged researchers to understand problems deeply before developing solutions. He also shared his three-pronged philosophy, “Patent, Publish and Prosper,” calling upon researchers to convert knowledge into intellectual property, high-quality publications, innovation and societal impact.

In his Presidential Address, Prof. N. N. Sharma emphasised that challenges such as climate change, resource depletion, environmental degradation and energy security cannot be addressed within traditional disciplinary boundaries. He highlighted the convergence of engineering, biotechnology, materials science, environmental sciences, artificial intelligence and digital technologies as a powerful pathway towards sustainable development.

Prof. Sharma reiterated MUJ’s commitment to building an ecosystem where knowledge is transformed into innovation, innovation into technology, and technology into meaningful societal impact. He also stressed the importance of strengthening academia–industry partnerships to accelerate the translation of research from laboratories into real-world applications.

ICAST-2026 comes at a crucial juncture as India accelerates its transition towards green growth, energy security, circular economy, advanced manufacturing and technology-driven sustainable development. Through interdisciplinary research, expert dialogue and stronger academia–industry–government collaboration, the conference seeks to strengthen research networks and advance innovative solutions for a greener, more resilient and sustainable India.

To know more about Manipal University Jaipur, please visit the official website of Manipal University Jaipur: jaipur.manipal.edu

Timezone and Play ‘N’ Learn have relaunched their entertainment spaces together at Pacific Mall, Delhi, unveiling a refreshed line-up of experiences for families, friends and guests across age groups.

Play ‘N’ Learn and Timezone Store

Designed as an all-in-one entertainment destination, the revamped venue brings together two complementary experiences under one roof. Guests can enjoy games, rides and immersive attractions at Timezone, alongside development-led play for young children at Play ‘N’ Learn, offering something for every member of the family.

Timezone offers older children, young adults and families a mix of popular favourites and new attractions, including bumper cars, a cricket pitch, immersive virtual reality rides and revamped bowling lanes. At Play ‘N’ Learn, children aged two to seven can explore thoughtfully curated play and role play stations that encourage creativity, cognitive development and social interaction.

Dedicated party spaces across both brands make the destination ideal for birthdays, school outings, family celebrations and social gatherings. The venue also features its popular café, serving a curated selection of food prepared without added preservatives or artificial additives. Together, these offerings give guests more ways to play, connect, dine, celebrate and spend quality time together.

Speaking about the relaunch, Abbas Jabalpurwala, CEO of Timezone and Play ‘N’ Learn India, said, “The way people spend their leisure time is evolving, with entertainment becoming an increasingly an important part of how they connect and unwind. People are looking for experiences where they can step away from their everyday routines and have fun, while also having something that appeals to every member of the family. With the refreshed Timezone and Play ‘N’ Learn at Pacific Mall, our aim is to bring two complementary entertainment destinations together under one roof. From immersive attractions to older guests and purposeful play for younger children to celebrations with family and friends, there is something for everyone to enjoy.”

The destination maintains a strong emphasis on safety, hygiene and well-maintained facilities, ensuring guests enjoy the experience in a clean and comfortable environment.

With the relaunch, Timezone and Play ‘N’ Learn invite guests of all ages to discover the ultimate fun destination at Pacific Mall, Delhi.

About Timezone

Timezone was founded in 1978 in Perth, Australia and is the leading chain of Family Entertainment Centres in the Asia-Pacific region, offering state-of-the-art interactive game, rides, and attractions. Timezone provides a social experience filled with non-stop fun for all ages. Our best-in-class venue design and well-trained Fun Squad assures a safe, friendly, and fun environment for all our guests. Timezone internationally operates over 320 locations across 7 countries, with 75 venues in India. Join us for an exciting, unforgettable experience at any of our locations or visit www.timezonegames.com to learn more.  

About Play ‘N’ Learn

Play ‘N’ Learn is one of India’s leading indoor play destinations for young children and families. Its thoughtfully designed spaces bring together fun, movement and imagination through safe, engaging and developmentally enriching play experiences. With interactive play and role play activities that encourage creativity, cognitive development and social interaction, Play ‘N’ Learn creates meaningful experiences for children while giving families more ways to connect and spend quality time together. Play ‘N’ Learn operates 19 locations across India.

To learn more, visit www.activeedufun.com.

• A first-of-its-kind initiative to accelerate AI adoption across India’s infrastructure and strategic sectors. 

• Four challenge themes to tackle critical opportunities in energy, transport, climate resilience and public service delivery. 

• Startup India to support national outreach, with winning innovators progressing towards pilot deployments and long-term collaboration opportunities.

Rodic Consultants, one of India’s leading infrastructure and engineering consultancies, has partnered with Nasscom to launch the Rodic InfraAI Innovation Challenge, a first-of-its-kind initiative aimed at accelerating the adoption of artificial intelligence across India’s infrastructure and strategic sectors. Supported by Startup India through outreach to DPIIT-recognised startups, the initiative seeks to bring together the country’s rapidly expanding AI and deep-tech ecosystem to develop scalable, deployment-ready solutions for some of India’s most pressing infrastructure challenges.

The Innovation Challenge marks the first milestone in a broader strategic partnership between Rodic Consultants and Nasscom to discover, nurture and deploy frontier AI technologies across live infrastructure projects in India. By combining Rodic’s extensive domain expertise, real-world project environments and infrastructure problem statements with Nasscom’s innovation ecosystem, while leveraging Startup India’s outreach to DPIIT-recognised startups, the partnership aims to bridge the gap between technological innovation and on-ground implementation and create pathways for promising AI solutions to be tested, validated and scaled across real-world infrastructure applications.

Unlike conventional innovation programs built around hypothetical use cases, the National AI Innovation Challenge is anchored in real-world infrastructure challenges drawn from Rodic’s live projects. Participating startups will gain access to actual project contexts, enabling them to develop practical solutions with a clear pathway from concept validation to pilot implementation and eventual commercial deployment.

The inaugural edition of the Challenge will focus on four priority themes aligned with India’s infrastructure needs. AI on India Energy Stack invites innovators to build solutions leveraging the Ministry of Power’s emerging digital public infrastructure for the energy sector. AI for Roads, Bridges and Tunnels focuses on applications such as asset monitoring, defect detection, predictive maintenance and construction intelligence. Climate-Resilient Infrastructure seeks AI-driven solutions to strengthen roads, railways and transmission networks against floods, landslides and extreme heat. The fourth theme, GenAI for Public Works and Citizen Benefit Delivery, aims to improve access to public services and government health entitlements through multilingual AI-powered platforms.

Speaking on the partnership, Raj Kumar, CMD Rodic Consultants and CEO Rodic digital Advisory said, “India is at an inflection point where artificial intelligence can fundamentally transform how infrastructure is planned, built and managed. At Rodic, we have spent a considerable time working inside the country’s most complex highways, bridges, tunnels and urban infrastructure programmes, and we know exactly where technology can make the biggest difference on the ground. Through our partnership with Nasscom, we are creating a platform that connects India’s brightest AI innovators with real infrastructure challenges, not hypothetical ones. Our objective is to identify technologies that can be tested, deployed and scaled across live projects, accelerating India’s digital transformation while building infrastructure that is smarter, safer and more resilient for the decades ahead.”

Sharing his thoughts, Ankit Bose, Head of AI, Nasscom, said, “Infrastructure is the backbone of India’s growth story, and AI has the power to reshape how it is built and maintained. The InfraAI Innovation Challenge gives tech startups access to real industry problem statements, expert mentorship and a genuine pathway to deployment. By combining Nasscom’s innovation ecosystem with Rodic’s deep infrastructure expertise, we hope to accelerate practical AI adoption that delivers measurable impact across India’s infrastructure landscape, while giving the country’s deep-tech founders a stage where their work can truly move the needle.”

The Challenge has been conceived as more than a startup competition. It is a long-term innovation platform connecting emerging AI companies with industry, enabling promising technologies to be tested, refined and deployed within live infrastructure environments. 

High-potential startups emerging from the Challenge will have the opportunity to advance into Rodic’s Pilot Partnership Program, where selected solutions are validated on live projects before progressing towards commercial deployment. The partnership also envisages strategic investment in select startups as part of Rodic’s long-term innovation roadmap.

Rodic Consultants has played a significant role in shaping the country’s development across highways, bridges, tunnels, urban infrastructure, water, hydropower, energy, railways, metros and smart technologies. Through this collaboration, the company aims to systematically identify, validate and scale artificial intelligence, Generative AI, hardware and software innovations capable of addressing complex infrastructure challenges, creating growth opportunities for India’s startup ecosystem and strengthening the country’s position in AI-led infrastructure development.

About Nasscom
Nasscom represents the voice of over USD 300bn technology industry in India with the vision to establish the nation as the world’s leading technology ecosystem. Boasting a diverse and influential community of over 3500 member companies, our network spans the entire spectrum of the industry from DeepTech and AI startups to multinationals and from products to services, Global Capability Centres to Engineering firms. Guided by our vision, our strategic imperatives are to accelerate skilling at scale for future-ready talent, strengthen the innovation quotient across industry verticals, create new market opportunities – both international and domestic, drive policy advocacy to advance innovation and ease of doing business, and build the industry narrative with a focus on Trust, and innovation. And, in everything we do, we will continue to champion the need for diversity and equal opportunity.

For more details visit our website nasscom.in or write to us at: comms@nasscom.in 

Urja Senior Living, an initiative by CHL Living, marked the launch of Madhya Pradesh’s first senior living project with a two-day Grand Preview held in Indore on August 8–9, 2026. The event drew close to 400 guests, including seniors and families from diverse geographies, backgrounds and professional walks of life, and concluded with nearly 20 confirmed bookings over the weekend, signalling strong early confidence in the project.
 

Introducing a new vision for purposeful senior living in India
 

The Grand Preview marked the official introduction of Urja Senior Living to prospective residents, families and senior living seekers, offering visitors an opportunity to experience the project beyond a conventional property walkthrough. From exploring fully furnished sample residences to understanding the community-led approach being planned, guests got a closer look at what is envisioned for the next chapter of senior living.

Spread across 15 acres, the project will comprise 250 apartments and villas. The development is currently progressing towards its full launch, which is planned in approximately six months. The project will continue to engage with prospective residents and families during this period, allowing them to experience the development and understand the lifestyle and services being planned.

A defining moment of the Grand Preview was an interactive session with Dr C.P. Muralidhara, who brings over 23 years of experience across Ayurveda, Therapeutic Yoga, Senior Living, Assisted Living and Dementia Care, and is regarded as one of India’s most experienced professionals in senior living. His interaction added an expert perspective to discussions around senior wellbeing and the considerations that families may have while evaluating senior living communities.

For CHL Living, the project represents an extension of its longstanding association with healthcare into a residential environment designed specifically around the needs and aspirations of seniors.

​​Commenting on the response to the Grand Preview, Rajesh Bhargava, Founder, Urja Senior Living, said, “The soft launch of Urja Senior Living has given us tremendous confidence in the vision we have set out to create. What we witnessed over these two days was not just interest, but trust: families are evaluating us with the same rigour they would apply to a healthcare decision, and choosing to move forward. That trust is what we take most seriously. Our healthcare heritage gives us a deeper understanding of care, and we are channelling that into a community where seniors can live independently, comfortably and with genuine belonging, not merely be housed.”

The strong response at the Grand Preview also sets the stage for the project’s next phase. With the full launch planned in the coming months, Urja Senior Living will continue to engage with prospective residents and families and provide them with opportunities to experience the development firsthand. Looking ahead, CHL Living plans to evaluate expansion beyond Indore and Madhya Pradesh following the successful execution of this first phase.

About Urja Senior Living

Urja Senior Living is a senior living initiative by CHL Living, developed with the vision of creating thoughtfully planned communities that support comfortable, independent and engaging lifestyles for seniors. Spread across 15 acres in Indore, the project comprises 250 apartments and villas and brings together well-designed homes, community experiences, wellbeing and a supportive environment. Built on the foundation of CHL Group’s healthcare legacy, Urja Senior Living aims to redefine senior living through care, connection and thoughtful design.

Some meaningful investment opportunities begin with changes whose impact extends across sectors and company sizes. These long-duration structural shifts, called megatrends, can reshape how India consumes, saves, builds and does business, creating possibilities across established leaders, emerging challengers and specialised companies.

Since inception, the fund has outperformed its benchmark, BSE 500 TRI, by 3.85 percentage points under the Regular Plan and 5.47 percentage points under the Direct Plan

Bajaj Finserv Flexi Cap Fund follows a megatrend investing strategy, pairing this long-term lens with the freedom to invest across large cap, mid cap and small cap companies subject to minimum 65% investment in equity and equity-related instruments. The flagship fund of Bajaj Asset Management Limited (formerly known as Bajaj Finserv Asset Management Limited) completed three years since inception on 14 August 2026.

In its journey, the fund has regularly outperformed the benchmark. Since inception, the Regular Growth plan delivered 16.59% annualised returns and the Direct Growth plan delivered 18.21%, compared with 12.74% for its benchmark, BSE 500 TRI. Over the last year, the respective returns were 9.85% and 11.26%, against the benchmark’s 4.93%*.

The milestone marks three years of following structural change across sectors and company sizes.

*Source: Internal Analysis, MFI360 and Bloomberg. Data as of August 13, 2026. Past performance may or may not be sustained in future.

What is a megatrend?

A megatrend is a deep and lasting change in how an economy or society works. It usually unfolds over many years, cuts across industries and can alter how businesses compete and how people live, work and consume. A trend may dominate headlines for a few quarters; a megatrend can reshape an economy for years.

For instance, digitisation has changed banking, shopping, entertainment, logistics and healthcare. Rising incomes and urbanisation can influence financial services, housing, travel and discretionary consumption. Manufacturing policies, cleaner energy and infrastructure development can open opportunities across industrial businesses and their supply chains.

These forces often reinforce one another. Electric mobility, for example, sits at the meeting point of technology, regulation, environmental priorities and consumer behaviour. Its effects can extend from vehicle makers to component suppliers and charging networks. Digital payments offer another example: smartphone adoption, affordable data, payment infrastructure and changing consumer habits have together altered how transactions are made.

Megatrend investing is therefore not one narrow sector call. It can cut across industries, markets and even geographies.

Six lenses for a changing economy

Bajaj Finserv Flexi Cap Fund studies megatrends through its T.R.E.N.D.S. framework: Technological, Regulatory, Economic, Nature, Demographic and Social.

Each lens captures a different source of long-term change:

• Technological: Advances such as digitisation, automation and artificial intelligence can change how industries operate and deliver products or services.

• Regulatory: Policy and regulatory shifts, including manufacturing and infrastructure initiatives, can reshape industries or create new markets.

• Economic: Structural changes such as financialisation, rising consumption and infrastructure expansion can influence long-term business growth.

• Nature: Environmental priorities such as sustainability, clean energy and cleaner mobility are gaining momentum, and businesses responding to them may be aligned for future growth.

• Demographic: A large working-age population, rising incomes and urbanisation are supporting consumption and economic growth.

• Social: Evolving lifestyles and consumer behaviour, including urbanisation and the growing focus on health and wellness, are creating new patterns of demand across industries.

The portfolio process

Identifying a megatrend is the starting point. The next step is to determine whether that long-term change can translate into a viable opportunity at the company level. For fund managers, a company needs to meet the following parameters to be considered for the portfolio:

• It should be a beneficiary of the trend

• It should offer a monetizable opportunity

• It should have strong fundamentals

• It should be trading at favourable valuations

The investment process begins with a universe of roughly 1,100 stocks. Applying the megatrends lens narrows this to around 340 to 380 companies whose businesses may be positioned to participate in one or more of the structural shifts identified through the T.R.E.N.D.S. framework.

Top-down research examines how these shifts may affect economies, industries and value chains. Bottom-up analysis then assesses individual companies. The process also incorporates the AMC’s INQUBE philosophy, combining informational, quantitative and behavioural insights in investment decisions. From the screened universe, a portfolio of approximately 40 to 60* holdings may be constructed.

*The number of stocks mentioned is tentative and for understanding purposes only; the final portfolio may hold more or fewer names depending on prevailing market conditions. Source: Internal Analysis. The data provided in the communication is based on latest available information and is subject to change in future. The AMC is not responsible for any decision taken based on the data disclosed in the communication. 

Flexible approach

A megatrend does not arrive labelled large cap, mid cap or small cap. A large company may have the resources to scale a new market. A mid-sized business may gain share as an industry expands. A smaller company may own a specialised capability within a developing value chain.

A flexi cap mandate lets the fund manager follow opportunities without maintaining a fixed allocation across market-cap segments subject to minimum 65% investment in equity and equity related instruments. As of July 31, 2026, Bajaj Finserv Flexi Cap Fund held 44.17% in large cap companies, 23.02% in mid cap companies and 29.33% in small cap companies. The allocation reflects the opportunities identified through the investment process rather than a pre-set balance among the three market-cap segments.

The portfolio’s strategic choices extend beyond market cap allocation. Its active share against the BSE 500 TRI stood at 70% as of July 31, 2026. Active share measures how far a portfolio’s holdings and weights differ from its benchmark, offering an indication of how distinctly it is positioned.

Source: Internal Analysis | Active share is calculated vis-a-vis scheme benchmark i.e. BSE 500 TRI | Data as on July 31, 2026.

Conclusion

At three, Bajaj Finserv Flexi Cap Fund has established a distinct investment identity: megatrends provide the direction, while flexi cap investing provides the freedom to pursue their beneficiaries across company sizes and sectors.

For investors with a long horizon and the ability to accept equity market fluctuations, the fund brings several engines of structural change into one portfolio. Structural changes can advance unevenly, and the companies positioned to benefit from them can change over time. The fund’s flexi cap mandate allows the portfolio to adjust as those opportunity sets evolve.

Investors can invest in Bajaj Finserv Flexi Cap Fund through a lump-sum investment or a Systematic Investment Plan (SIP). After completing the applicable KYC requirements and carefully reviewing the scheme-related documents, investors may invest through the official website of Bajaj Asset Management Limited, an authorised mutual fund distributor or an eligible third-party investment platform or app. Investors should consider their investment objectives, time horizon and risk appetite before investing.

Past performance may or may not be sustained in future.

Mutual Fund investments are subject to market risks, read all scheme related documents carefully.

Bajaj Finserv Flexi Cap Fund

For the performance of other schemes managed by the Fund Managers which have completed 1 year or more than 1 year since inception, please visit https://www.bajajamc.com/downloads?factsheet and download the latest Factsheet or click here.

India’s overall score in the latest 2026 Chandler Good Government Index (CGGI) rose for a second consecutive year, following three straight years of decline between 2021 and 2024. India remains South Asia’s top performer overall, ranking 76th globally. The findings were released as part of CGGI’s Asia Pacific regional engagement.

Chandler Good Government Index 2026 Asia Pacific Rankings

Now in its sixth year, the CGGI measures the capabilities and effectiveness of 133 governments worldwide, across seven pillars: Leadership & Foresight, Robust Laws & Policies, Strong Institutions, Financial Stewardship, Attractive Marketplace, Global Influence & Reputation, and Helping People Rise.

“India’s data shows three years of decline followed by two years of modest improvement. That pattern is more informative than either year on its own, signalling a change in trajectory rather than a single-year movement. India’s overall score remains below its 2021 level, so there is still meaningful ground to be covered,” said Dinesh Naidu, Director (Knowledge) at the Chandler Governance Group (CGG).

Leading a challenging region

India ranks first in South Asia across five of the seven pillars: Leadership & Foresight, Robust Laws & Policies, Strong Institutions, Attractive Marketplace, and Global Influence & Reputation. Its scores in these pillars remain well above every other South Asian country, despite all five declining since 2021. Bangladesh leads the region in Financial Stewardship, and Sri Lanka in Helping People Rise.

South Asia as a whole had a difficult five years. Only Nepal improved its overall score in the region since 2021. India’s own overall score also declined over the same period, with the steepest fall in Leadership & Foresight, though its lead over regional peers held throughout.

Helping People Rise, which measures outcomes for citizens such as education, health and economic opportunity, was the only pillar in which India’s score improved since 2021. India recorded South Asia’s largest score gain in that pillar, and its score continued to improve between 2025 and 2026.

Financial Stewardship followed a different pattern. India’s score in this pillar declined every year since 2021, before rising for the first time between 2025 and 2026. It was India’s largest pillar-level gain in that period, the main driver of its overall recovery. Despite that score gain, India’s global rank in the pillar fell further, from 93rd in 2025 to 104th in 2026, a reminder that rank is shaped by other countries’ movements as well.

India’s turnaround came amidst a strong year for the wider region. Since 2021, Asia Pacific recorded the world’s sharpest regional governance improvement, though South Asia lagged behind that broader trend. More recently in 2026, 79% of the region’s governments, including four of five South Asian countries, posted higher scores year-on-year.

A practical tool for governments

Designed by practitioners for practitioners, the CGGI offers governments a diagnostic tool to benchmark performance and identify areas for capability development, drawing on evidence from peers across the region and around the world.

“India’s data this year points to slight recovery, but also to where that recovery is uneven. The CGGI’s value lies in making that distinction visible, showing governments not just how they compare to others, but where their own progress is concentrated and where it still needs to be built,” said Naidu.

The full 2026 Index, including country profiles, pillar scores, and historical comparisons, is available at chandlergovernmentindex.com.