ESAF Foundation Marks 33 Years ESAF Bank Celebrates 8th Anniversary
Thrissur: ESAF Foundation celebrated its 33rd Foundation Day, while ESAF Small Finance Bank commemorated its 8th anniversary at a special event held in Thrissur. The event was inaugurated by Shri Satish K. Marathe, Central Board Director, RBI. In his speech, Shri Marathe lauded ESAF Small Finance Bank’s commitment to ethical banking and sustainable development. He emphasized that the Bank’s dual role as a financial institution and a socially responsible entity is instrumental in driving inclusive growth in the country.
Shri K. Rajan, Hon’ble Revenue Minister, commended ESAF’s journey over the past eight years and appreciated its remarkable efforts in promoting financial inclusion and social security, particularly for underserved communities. Through a video message, he also acknowledged ESAF Bank’s ethical banking values and its role in fostering a sustainable financial ecosystem. “ESAF continues to be a beacon of hope, transforming lives and ensuring equitable economic growth,” he added.
Shri K. Paul Thomas, Founder, ESAF Group of Social Enterprises and MD & CEO, ESAF Small Finance Bank, delivered the Founder’s Day message. He reiterated ESAF’s core mission of bridging financial disparities and extending banking services to all. “With branches spanning 24 states and two union territories, our top priority remains the financial well-being of our customers, whose trust powers our journey,” he stated. “ESAF will continue to pursue its motto of fighting the partiality of prosperity,” he added.
As part of the celebrations, Adv. Villi Jijo, UNESCO Learning City Apex Committee Coordinator and Cheroor Division Councillor, delivered a special message in honour of Women’s Day, underscoring the role of financial empowerment in women’s progress.
Among the dignitaries who graced the occasion were Smt. Meerena Paul, Executive Director, ESAF Foundation; Dr. Jacob Samuel, Director, ESAF Foundation; Dr. Idicheria Ninan, President, ESAF Foundation; and Shri P. R. Ravi Mohan, Chairman, ESAF Small Finance Bank. Shri George K. John, Executive Director, ESAF Small Finance Bank, and Shri Sudev Kumar, Executive Vice President, ESAF Small Finance Bank, also spoke on the occasion.
Troopr Secures Festive Joy: Delivers the Perfect Holi Party with Exclusive Offers
Mumbai, March 12th, 2025: Forget the kitchen chaos and last-minute scrambling –Troopr, your go-to party planning app brings the party to your doorstep, complete with savings that’ll make your heart sing! Enjoy 10-15% off all services and specially curated Holi party bundles. Get ready to splash into a vibrant Holi celebration without the stress, making your Holi bash the talk of the town.
Dive into our specially curated Holi party discounts and bundle offers, combining popular services at unbeatable prices. Think food, drinks, and entertainment, all wrapped up in one colorful package! Trooper simplifies Holi party planning by connecting you with top-tier professionals who deliver exceptional services directly to your home. From expert chefs crafting festive feasts and premium bartenders mixing colorful cocktails to lively DJs setting the dance floor ablaze and dedicated waitstaff ensuring seamless service, Trooper handles every detail. The brand also offers themed party planning, transforming your space into a vibrant Holi wonderland.
Quest Global Welcomes Alpha-Numero Technology Solutions to Strengthen Capabilities
Bengaluru, March 12, 2025 – Quest Global is pleased to announce the acquisition of Alpha-Numero Technology Solutions. Alpha-Numero is a US-based VLSI design company with expertise in FPGA. Headquartered in Irvine, CA, Alpha-Numero employs over 150+ talented engineers globally from their centers where research and development are conducted in India at Ahmedabad and Hyderabad, and in New York at Endicott.
Alpha-Numero is a well-known and highly respected leader in avionic design and verification solutions, with long-standing relationships in the Aerospace, Hi-Tech, and Automotive industries. This investment in Alpha-Numero demonstrates Quest Global’s commitment to strengthening its Semiconductor offerings and expanding its Mission and Safety-Critical solutions for its clients.
“We are excited to welcome Alpha-Numero to the Quest Global family,” said Chris Schwartzbauer, President & CEO of Quest Defense. “With Alpha-Numero’s capabilities in FPGA and Quest Global’s deep domain expertise, we will provide innovative engineering solutions that will give our clients a competitive advantage.”
Alpha-Numero will continue to be led by the management team of the Co-Founders: Sukanta Mitra, Santhi Ayyadevar and Hari Patel. “As a management team we are excited to join the Quest Global family. Quest Global’s focus on helping clients solve their hardest engineering problems is a perfect fit with Alpha-Numero. We pride ourselves on our longstanding leadership in avionic design and mission and safety-critical solutions. Together, our companies are not only addressing today’s industry needs, but we’re also innovating through the requirements for the future of aviation.
Alpha-Numero is well-versed in Safety-Critical Avionics Systems and has special expertise in managing Complex Electronics Hardware (CEH) from Design assurance level A (DAL-A) to DAL-E. Alpha-Numero also works in the Design and Verification & Validation (V&V) of avionics hardware and software in compliance with DO-254, and DO-178B/C standards. All the required documentation for FAA/EASA audits at any stage from SOI1 to SOI4 is supported by them. Alpha-Numero’s expertise extends to the design and verification of FPGA/ASIC/SoCs used in automation (using ISO26262 standards) and consumer electronics.
Holi Weekend in Goa with Friends at These Stunning Stays
If there’s one place that knows how to throw a Holi party, it’s Goa! With its sun-kissed beaches, vibrant nightlife, and laid-back vibe, Goa is the ultimate destination for an unforgettable Holi weekend. Whether you’re looking for a lively hotel, a serene beachside retreat, or a luxurious villa with a private pool, we’ve rounded up the best stays in Goa to make your Holi celebration truly special.
1. ibis Styles Goa Vagator – Where the Party Never Stops
For those who want to be at the center of the action, ibis Styles Goa Vagator is a no-brainer. Located minutes from Vagator Beach, this stylish hotel is perfect for a fun-filled Holi weekend. Lounge by the pool with a cocktail, explore Goa’s buzzing party scene, or simply soak in the beachy vibes—all while enjoying the vibrant energy that Goa is known for.
Location: Vagator, North Goa
2. YashGeet Goa by ELIVAAS – The Ultimate Private Villa Experience
With its pristine white exterior and modern architectural design, this exquisite 4-BHK villa reflects elegance where every space is a visual delight, creating a serene and inviting retreat that’s perfect for a getaway! The grand living room captivates with floor-to-ceiling glass windows, striking chandeliers, and a chic semi-circular sofa. A stunning reindeer sculpture serves as a unique centrepiece, adding charm to the space. Each of the four bedrooms offers distinctive features like private balconies, luxurious bathtubs, and plush bedding for a restful retreat. The beautifully designed terrace is perfect for leisure and celebration, featuring a cabana, jacuzzi, outdoor bar counter, and sunken seating with a water feature.
Location: North Goa
3. The Westin Goa – Opulence Meets Goan Charm
For those who want a five-star experience, The Westin Goa in Anjuna offers the perfect blend of luxury and Goan aesthetics. With plush rooms, a stunning poolside area, and easy access to North Goa’s best beaches and nightlife, this resort is ideal for a stylish Holi celebration.
Location: Anjuna, North Goa
4. Marbella Beach Resort – A Boutique Retreat by the Sea
Nestled on the shores of Morjim Beach, Marbella Beach Resort is a stunning boutique property offering private cottages and beachfront views. If your idea of Holi includes serene mornings by the sea, great seafood, and chic yet laid-back vibes, this is the perfect place.
Location: Morjim, North Goa
5. Summertime Villa – A Hidden Oasis
Perched on a quiet hilltop in Calangute, Summertime Villa is an award-winning luxury stay perfect for those who want a secluded yet stunning retreat. With a private infinity pool, tropical gardens, and elegant interiors, this villa is ideal for a relaxed Holi getaway with close friends.
Location: Calangute, North Goa
6. Ahilya by the Sea – A Serene Luxury Escape
For a truly unique experience, Ahilya by the Sea in Nerul offers a peaceful, artistic retreat away from Goa’s crowded hotspots. This boutique stay is perfect for those who want a relaxed Holi weekend, complete with stunning sunset views, infinity pools, and world-class hospitality.
Location: Nerul, North Goa
Pick Your Perfect Stay & Let the Festivities Begin!
Whether you’re in the mood for a high-energy beach party, a private villa celebration, or a tranquil retreat by the sea, Goa has it all. Round up your friends, book your ideal stay, and get ready to experience Holi like never before—Goa style!
Ola Electric Welcomes a Strong Future with Rupees 90 Crore Monthly Savings
Bengaluru, March 12, 2025: Ola Electric, India’s largest pure-play EV company, today announced that it has successfully finished implementation of its Network Transformation and Opex Reduction Program, a company-wide initiative launched in November 2024 with an aim to reduce cost and improve customer experience. This initiative has delivered a sustainable cost reduction of ₹90 crores per month. As a result, Ola Electric expects to achieve Automotive segment EBITDA breakeven for the next quarter (Q1 FY 26), with the financial impact of these initiatives beginning to fully reflect from April 2025 (Refer to Annexure 1 for details).
This program has encompassed distribution network transformation projects like shutting all regional warehouses and shipping vehicles, spare parts, and accessories from the factory directly to stores, automating registration and other processes, and productivity improvements in the sales and service network. In addition to cost savings, these changes have resulted in reducing average vehicle inventory from approximately 35 to 20 days and reducing delivery time for customers from 12 days to 3-4 days.
The vehicle registration process transformation is in its final stages. The company’s daily registrations have improved significantly, increasing to over 800 per day and crossing the average daily sales for Jan’25 – Feb’25 (Refer to Annexure 2 for details).
With all elements of the Network Transformation and Opex Reduction Program implemented, Ola Electric has delivered on its commitment to operational excellence, and enhanced financial discipline and customer experience. These structural improvements position the company for strong long-term profitable growth and the company expects to achieve Automotive segment EBITDA breakeven in Q1 FY26.
TEC Plans INR 180 Crore Investment for Nationwide Expansion
India, 12th March 2025: TEC (The Executive Centre), Asia’s largest premium flexible workspace provider with presence in 16 markets across Asia-Pacific and the Middle East, plans to expand its footprint further in India. As part of their strategic expansion plan, TEC will invest over INR 180 crore in the first quarter of 2025 to establish new centres in Mumbai, Pune, and Bengaluru. This investment will expand TEC India’s portfolio by over 2.38 lakh square feet of office space.
In Mumbai, the company is investing over INR 124 crore to establish a new centre spanning 1.3 lakh square feet within the esteemed Prestige 101 complex in BKC. Concurrently, TEC is demonstrating its commitment to growth in Pune with an investment exceeding INR 26 crore to establish a new centre occupying 51,975 square feet at Mapletree in Kharadi. Furthermore, in Bengaluru, TEC is investing over INR 30 crore to secure 55,844 square feet of space at Helios Business Park on Outer Ring Road.
Speaking about the expansion, Manish Khedia, Managing Director, West India, South India & Sri Lanka, The Executive Centre said, “India remains one of the largest and fastest-growing markets for TEC. Our substantial investment in new centres across Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Pune reflects our strong confidence in the Indian market and our commitment to offering flexible, premium workspace solutions. With an investment of over INR 180 crore, we will be adding close to a quarter million square feet of space across these three cities. This expansion is driven by robust office leasing growth, fueled by both domestic and international demand. According to a Knight Frank report, office space leasing in 2024 has seen a 21% year-on-year increase, reaching a total absorption of over 70 million square feet. The rising demand for flexible and agile workspaces, particularly in the IT and ITES sectors, continues to shape this trend. With 30 years of global expertise, TEC is well-positioned to provide modern, high-quality workspaces that enable businesses to scale and adapt efficiently, shaping the future of work in India.”
Built to global standards, the centres provide a diverse array of facilities promoting both productivity and work-life balance. These include private fitness centres, wellness rooms, nursing rooms, business lounges, barista bars, a library, private phone booths, video gaming zones, and collaborative areas.
Over the past three decades, TEC has firmly established itself as a trusted partner for businesses of all sizes, delivering world-class facilities, unparalleled service, innovation, and quality. TEC has seen 30 years of sustainable expansion, consecutive profitability, and excellence.
TEC currently operates in 16 markets and 36 cities, serving a global community of over 51,000 members. In October 2024, TEC announced an investment of INR 125 crore to establish eight additional centres across Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Gurgaon, and New Delhi. The additional INR 180 crore investment underscores the company’s confidence in the Indian market.
Udaan Youth Club Hosts Glacier Preservation Quiz for World Water Day
Glaciers are melting, water resources are depleting, and climate change is accelerating. To mark World Water Day 2025, Udaan Youth Club is organizing an Online Awareness Quiz on Glacier Preservation. This initiative aims to inspire action, ignite awareness, and empower individuals—especially the youth—to take responsibility for preserving glaciers and conserving water. This is not just a quiz; it is a movement to create a generation of informed and responsible citizens who will contribute to safeguarding the planet’s water resources.
SolarWinds Welcomes Top Performers in 2025 APJ Partner Awards Celebration
New Delhi, India – March 12, 2025 – SolarWinds, a leading provider of simple, powerful, secure observability and IT management software, recently announced the winners of its 2025 APJ Partner Awards. The awards recognize the impressive growth and dedication within the distribution and reseller partner community over the past year.
“I am beyond grateful to all our partners for their dedication over this past year,” said Bharat Bedi, Vice President of Sales, APJ, SolarWinds. “We’re pleased to honor their engagement and outstanding achievements in delivering technical expertise and consultancy on the unified SolarWinds Platform. This year, our partners will embark on a journey towards excellent customer experience, allowing customers to effectively use SolarWinds Observability (Self-Hosted and SaaS), Database, and IT Service Management (ITSM) solutions as they manage increasingly complex digital landscapes.”
The complete list of India winners is as follows:
- APJ Observability Partner of the Year: Techsa Services Private Limited (India)
- APJ Personal Achievement: Ravi Khanchandani, Techsa Services Private Limited (India)
- APJ Excellence in Marketing: Anunta Technology Management Service Limited (India)
- APJ Excellence in New Business Development: Magnamious System Pvt Ltd (India)
The winners were determined based on revenue and year-over-year growth trajectory, investment in SolarWinds, development commitment and technology alignment, effectiveness in collaboration with SolarWinds field organizations regionally, effectiveness of marketing campaigns and go-to-market strategies, and SolarWinds Certified Professional® and SolarWinds Sales Expert (SSE) accreditations over the past year.
Ageas Federal Life Partners with Raj Kumari Foundation for Girls’ Health in Delhi
Delhi, March 12th, 2025: Ageas Federal Life Insurance, a leading player in the Indian life insurance industry partnered with the Raj Kumari Foundation to host a one-day workshop focused on cleanliness, nutrition, health, and empowerment. This initiative aimed to raise awareness about health and hygiene amongst adolescent girls in underserved and rural communities in Bhati Mines, Delhi.
The interactive workshops equipped young girls with invaluable knowledge on health, hygiene, education, and well-being. Additionally, carefully curated nutritional kits containing essential food items and comprehensive sanitation kits, including sanitary napkins and soaps, were distributed to support menstrual hygiene and overall wellness.
The event saw active participation from 100 girls from MSME families in the local community and was graced by Mr. Jude Gomes, MD & CEO of Ageas Federal Life Insurance, alongside representatives from Raj Kumari Foundation and other dignitaries reaffirming their collective commitment to social welfare.
Speaking at the event, Mr. Jude Gomes, MD & CEO at Ageas Federal Life Insurance, emphasized, “At Ageas Federal Life Insurance, sustainability is at the heart of our business and enables us to drive growth and stimulate the transition to a more inclusive and sustainable world. Through this program, we aim to empower the girl child in our nation with essential knowledge on nutrition, hygiene, and menstrual health, critical factors for their overall development. By providing them with the necessary resources and awareness, we hope to foster a generation that is healthier, more confident, and self-reliant. Investing in their well-being today will have a far-reaching impact, paving the way for a more sustainable and inclusive society.
Ageas Federal Life Insurance reaffirms its commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through this initiative, focusing on improving the health, nutrition, and empowerment of young girls
Divya Dutta Welcomes Bold Roles, Talks About Bandish Bandits Comeback
March 12,2025:rom her early days in the industry to become one of the most versatile and celebrated actors in Indian cinema, Divya Dutta has built a career of breaking stereotypes. Known for delivering nuanced performances across films and series, she was recently nominated at the Critics’ Choice Awards for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Bandish Bandits S2. With the rise of streaming platforms, Dutta has embraced complex characters that go beyond traditional molds, a shift she considers transformative for actors, especially women. In a recent conversation, she reflected on her journey, the changing landscape of storytelling, and an unexpected opportunity that brought her back to Bandish Bandits for its much, anticipated second season.
She revealed, “When I entered the industry, there were set boxes, and for me, the interesting part was breaking those boxes. It was never about just getting work, it was about doing the kind of work I wanted to. You have to say no to certain things to get to those final yeses that truly matter. With OTT, roles became so much more diverse, especially for heroines, moving beyond just the typical boxes. Bandish Bandits has been a very exciting journey for me because a casual call with Anant led to him asking, “Do you want to do Season 2? There’s a male part we’re considering making female, would you be interested?” He trusted me with it, so I said yes. I was very nervous, I felt like a newcomer because the show already had such a massive fan base.”