Punjab’s Historic Grand Republic Day Parade Unveiled at CP67 Mall in Mohali

Mohali, January 28, 2025 – CP67 Mall in Mohali marked Republic Day with a spectacular Grand Republic Day Weekend from January 24-26. The highlight of the event was Punjab’s first-ever grand Republic Day parade, which captivated and united the community with its vibrant display of cultural richness and diversity.

The grand Republic Day parade, held on January 26 showcased the traditions of 12 states, vividly portraying unity in diversity. Over 400 participants, including students and cultural groups in traditional attire, performed lively dances, music, and customs unique to their states. The parade featured spectacular performances from states such as Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Sikkim, Maharashtra, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Bihar, each presenting a one-minute cultural performance that celebrated India’s rich heritage.

CP67 Mall was adorned with stunning Republic Day décor, including tricolor banners and beautifully designed photo booths, creating a perfect patriotic atmosphere. Visitors had the opportunity to capture memorable moments and showcase their pride on social media.

In addition to the parade, the mall hosted a Nail & Thread Art Workshop from January 24-26. Led by a renowned artist, participants created an 18’ x 6’ Indian flag using nail-and-thread art, weaving threads of orange, white, and green to bring the tricolor to life in a creative and patriotic way.

The festivities culminated in a Flag Hoisting Ceremony on January 26 where attendees were invited to “raise the flag and raise the pride.” CP67 Mall’s Republic Day celebrations were full of culture, creativity, and patriotism, making it an event to remember.

Narayana Health Revolutionizes Healthcare with Arya Health Plans from Narayana One Health and Narayana Health Insurance

Bengaluru, 28th January 2025: Narayana One Health and Narayana Health Insurance today introduced Arya Health Plans, a revolutionary healthcare plan designed to address the limitations of traditional health insurance. Arya combines hospitalization coverage of up to ₹1 crore with unparalleled outpatient benefits and partners with customers in their health journey by offering dedicated family physicians and care managers to help them get well and stay healthy.

“Arya Health Plans are simple, integrated, friendly, and personalised . Our Care Managers and world-class physicians will partner with you to help you get well and stay healthy. Arya offers comprehensive hospitalisation coverage, amazing out-patient care and value, efficient service, and the trust of Narayana Health”, said Ravi Vishwanath, Board Member and Director, Narayana Health Insurance.

Traditional insurance plans often burden consumers with high premiums, hidden clauses, and long waiting periods. Arya Health Plans address these challenges, offering coverage options ranging from ₹25 lakh to ₹1 crore, with flexible top-up options starting as low as ₹25,000. The plans also include consultations with general practitioners, paediatricians, and OBGYNs, along with substantial savings on diagnostics, specialist consultations and medications. Added conveniences include home sample collection, free medicine delivery and access to CAP-certified labs. Arya offers day one benefits to eligible applicants, which provide immediate coverage upon policy activation. With the One Health Promise, which refunds the annual premium if the insured undergoes surgery of any kind within the policy year, Arya takes an industry-first initiative in India. Each customer will have a dedicated Care Manager and a Family Physician to help them in their journey to good health.

“With Arya Health Plans, we are extending Narayana Health’s commitment to accessible and quality healthcare into the realm of insurance. These plans are designed to complement our robust healthcare network, ensuring every member experiences world-class care tailored to their needs. Arya embodies our vision of making healthcare not only affordable but also personalised and hassle-free,” said Viren Shetty, Vice Chairman, Narayana Health.

Ajit Prabhu Foundation and GSB Scholarship League Honour Scholars at 9th Annual Event

Mangaluru ,28th January 2025 – Ajit Prabhu Foundation of Prabhu Family Charitable Trust (PFCT) along with GSB Scholarship League (GSBL) recently hosted their 9th annual Scholarship event at the TV Raman Pai Convention Center in Kodialbail, Mangaluru to offer academic scholarships to engineering students. The scholarship program, initiated by Mr. Ajit Prabhu, Co-Founder & CEO of Quest Global, a leading global product engineering services company, aims to alleviate the financial burdens of exceptional students, enabling them to pursue their academic goals without financial hindrance.

Mrs Gita Pai, Chairperson of GSBL said “For the academic year of 2024 and the 9th edition of the scholarship program, 83 students received scholarships from the Ajit Prabhu Foundation. Since its inception, the program has cumulatively awarded 754 scholarships to 332 students.”

Mrs Poonam Ajay Prabhu, Trustee of PFCT, said “Ajit Prabhu Foundation not only provides scholarships but also offers valuable career opportunities. We are also proud to have extended job offers from Quest Global to 12 students who are in their third and fourth year of college.”

On this occasion, Dr. Avinash Prabhu, Member of the PFCT addressed the student saying, “Time is our greatest asset, let’s invest it wisely. Remain humble, stay curious and never stop learning. Amidst all the hustle, always remember to nurture your family and friends, for they are the pillars that support thorough life’s journey.”

Mr Suresh V, the other Trustee of PFCT, added “This initiative underscores the Foundation’s commitment to empower young talent and create a brighter future for aspiring youngsters.”

The event was attended by PFCT Trustees Mrs. Poonam Ajay Prabhu, Mr. Suresh V, Smt. Shalini Aravind Prabhu, Mr. Avinash Prabhu, and Mrs. Gita Pai, Chairperson of GSBL.

Prime Video Launches Soulful Soundtrack for Upcoming Original Film ‘The Mehta Boys’

Prime Video has unveiled the heartfelt and soul-stirring music album of its highly anticipated Original film The Mehta Boys. This album perfectly encapsulates the film’s essence, highlighting the father-son relationship through three beautifully composed tracks. Each track combines meaningful lyrics with calming melodies, creating a deep emotional connection that will resonate deeply with listeners.

Whether it’s the uplifting beats of ‘Jee Lu Main’, the emotional depth of ‘The Mother’s Song’, or the inspiring notes of ‘I’ll See You In The Morning’, each of these tracks carries a sweet and heartwarming message, their lighthearted yet deeply meaningful tunes making them perfect for moments of reflection and warmth. The Mehta Boys music album, much like the film, is a celebration of life, love, and family—told through melodies that touch the soul.

The Mehta Boys music album features an incredible lineup of talented singers, composers, and lyricists including Ankit Dayal, Jishnu Guha, Raghav Meattle, Shillong Chamber Choir, Siddharth Basrur, Gulraj Singh and Manoj Yadav who have come together to craft a timeless soundtracks.

The Mehta Boys Music Album entails the following songs:

  • Jee Lu Main is composed by Jishnu Guha and Raghav Meattle, sung by Ankit Dayal and Jishnu Guha with lyrics by Raghav Meattle
  • The Mother’s Song is composed by Ibarisha Lyngdoh, Keviseno Terhuja and Riewbankit Lyndem and sung by Shillong Chamber Choir with lyrics by Bhargav Purohit
  • I’ll See You In The Morning is composed by Gulraj Singh, sung by Siddharth Basrur with lyrics by Manoj Yadav

An Irani Movietone LLP production in association with Chalkboard Entertainment LLP, The Mehta Boys marks Boman Irani’s directorial debut. Boman Irani has also co-produced the film with Danesh Irani, Vikesh Bhutani and Shujaat Saudagar, and co-written it with Academy Award winner Alexander Dinelaris. The film features a versatile cast including Boman Irani, Avinash Tiwary, Shreya Chaudhry and Puja Sarup in the pivotal roles. The Mehta Boys is set to premiere exclusively on Prime Video on February 7, in India and over 240 countries and territories worldwide.

LivFast Introduces Smart Wi-Fi Inverters with MS Dhoni as the Face of the Brand

28th January 2025, New Delhi: Livfast, India’s leading energy storage solutions brand under the SAR Group, has unveiled its latest TVC featuring cricketing legend MS Dhoni: Smarter Hai to Hai. The TVC highlights Livfast’s revolutionary smart inverter technology, underscoring the brand’s commitment to innovation and customer-centric solutions.
The TVC portrays Dhoni’s characteristic resilience and focus, showcasing how Livfast’s smart inverter ensures uninterrupted power, especially on life’s most significant days. For instance, you’re planning a special family dinner, and suddenly the power goes out. Disappointing, right? But with the Livfast smart inverter, this worry disappears. It’s like having Dhoni‘s resilience at home – always prepared for unexpected situations.
This new smart inverter is a smart solution for modern life. With features like power cut prediction, you can anticipate outages and plan accordingly. The app lets you monitor power usage and even control it remotely. For example, if your parents are home alone, you can easily check their backup time from anywhere, giving you peace of mind.
Livfast‘s “smarter hai to hai” philosophy isn’t just a tagline. It’s about making your life easier and more comfortable with a smart inverter that truly understands your needs.
Rakesh Malhotra, Founder of SAR Group, expressed his enthusiasm for the campaign, “Consumer needs are constantly evolving. This new TVC embodies our commitment to understanding these evolving needs and delivering intelligent energy solutions that seamlessly integrate into the fast-paced lives of modern India. MS Dhoni perfectly embodies Livfast‘s spirit of reliability and innovation, just as we have consistently strived to be at the forefront of technological advancements in this sector. Our focus lies in developing cutting-edge technology that addresses real-life power challenges, empowering consumers with insights like power cut predictions to plan their days more effectively and live life uninterrupted.”
Adding his perspective, MS Dhoni shared: “Livfast has been a game-changer in the energy solutions space, and I’m proud to continue this journey with them. I’ve always admired how Livfast consistently strives to bring groundbreaking solutions for consumers, and they continue to add technologically advanced products to their portfolio that add real value to people’s day-to-day lives. The new smart inverter is a perfect example of how innovation can simplify lives, ensuring no compromise especially on moments that matter.”

Tiyanshika Sengar Set to Play Radha in ‘Chhathi Maiyya Ki Bitiya’: Looking Forward to Working with Ashish Dixit

Child actor Tiyanshika Sengar has joined the cast of the popular Sun Neo show Chhathi Maiyya Ki Bitiya as Radha, following a 6-year leap in the story. Tiyanshika, known for her charming presence in ad shoots, is making her debut on the show as Radha, a loving daughter and a fun, smart young girl with a special bond with her father. Her addition is all set to bring a fresh dynamic to the narrative, making it even more engaging for viewers.

Tiyanshika shares her excitement about her new journey, “I’m so happy because I’m going to be a part of the show Chhathi Maiyya Ki Bitiya! Before this, I did some ad shoots, but this is my first show where I’m going to play Radha. Radha is really smart, and she makes lots of fun videos for Instagram. She loves her papa a lot and shares everything with him, just like how I share everything with my papa! I’m so excited because I get to shoot with Ashish uncle. He is so much fun and always makes me laugh. He does a lot of masti with me, and I really enjoy it!”

After a 6-year leap, what will Vaishnavi and Karthik’s lives look like? Will they ever reunite, or will Chhathi Maiyya help Vaishnavi find her way back to Karthik? Or will there be a surprising new twist in their story? To find out, keep watching Chhathi Maiyya Ki Bitiya on Sun Neo, every Monday to Sunday at 7 PM

SKYFORCE Soars as Akshay Kumar’s Big-Screen Comeback Leads Republic Day Celebrations at PVR INOX

January 24, 2025: This Republic Day, PVR INOX, India’s largest and most premium cinema chain, presents the highly anticipated action-packed thriller SkyForce, marking the first mega blockbuster release of 2025. A gripping tale based on true events, SkyForce celebrates the bravery, sacrifice, and patriotism of Indian Air Force, offering an exhilarating cinematic experience perfect for the Republic Day weekend.

The film marks the highly anticipated return of Bollywood’s Khiladi Akshay Kumar to the big screen and introduces Veer Pahariya, who makes his acting debut as a fearless air force officer. Pahariya’s performance has already generated significant buzz, and moviegoers are eagerly awaiting his portrayal of a hero in the sky. Paired with a strong supporting cast including Sara Ali Khan and Nimrat Kaur, SkyForce promises to deliver a cinematic experience that will leave audiences on the edge of their seats.

SkyForce follows India’s elite air force squadron as they undertake daring aerial combat missions to defend the skies, delving into themes of valor, dedication, and love for the nation. This high-energy film, made for the grand theatrical experience, offers breathtaking visuals and a strong patriotic theme, making it the perfect choice to honor the nation during this significant occasion.

“SkyForce, with its patriotic theme, is the perfect cinematic experience that brings families together to celebrate. This highly anticipated Akshay Kumar blockbuster is made for the big screen, and we expect a 20% surge in footfalls during the Republic Day weekend. The response has been highly encouraging, and we’re excited to offer audiences the chance to experience it in all its glory.” – said Mr. Kamal Gianchandani, Chief Business Planning & Strategy, PVR INOX Ltd.

Don’t miss out on this chance to soar high with SkyForce, celebrate the courage and sacrifice of our armed forces, and kick off 2025 with an unforgettable cinematic experience.

Granules India Records 21% (QoQ) PAT Growth in Q3 FY25

Mumbai, India, January 24, 2024: Granules India Ltd., a vertically integrated pharmaceutical company, today announced its financial results for the quarter ended December 31, 2024.

Financial Summary (All numbers in INR Mn., except Margins)

QUARTERLY CONSOLIDATED FINANCIALS Q3FY25 Q2FY25 Growth (QoQ) Q3FY24 Growth (YoY)
Revenue from Operations 11,377 9,666 18% 11,556 -2%
EBITDA 2,303 2,033 13% 2,505 -8%
EBITDA % 20% 21% 22%
PAT 1,176 972 21% 1,257 -6%
PAT % 10% 10% 11%

 Financial and Business Summary for Q3FY25

  • The Company voluntarily paused the production at the Gagillapur plant in Sep-24 for risk assessment on account of the US FDA observations. Subsequently, the production resumed in October in a staggered manner.
  • Revenue from Operations of Q3FY25 stood at INR 11,377 , a decline of 2% YoY.
  • Revenue share from North America increased to 77% in Q3 FY25, compared to 66% in Q3 FY24.
  • Finished dosages (FD), Active Pharmaceuticals Ingredients (API) and Pharmaceutical Formulation Intermediates (PFI) contributed 76%, 12%, and 12% of revenue from operations respectively for Q3FY25.
  • ROCE for Q3 FY 25 is at 4% as compared to 15.3% for Q3 FY 24.
  • Net debt stood at INR 8,289 and Net debt to EBITDA ratio was 0.90.

Commenting on the results, Dr Krishna Prasad Chigurupati, Chairman & Managing Director of Granules India Limited said, “We continue to sustain our profitable growth in the finished dosages segment, driven by our North America business. We are enhancing quality and compliance through systemic improvements across our operations, including Gagillapur. Progress on our greenfield formulation expansion at GLS remains on track, reinforcing our capabilities and driving future growth.”

CISOs Strengthen Their Role in C-Suites and Boardrooms Worldwide, Says Splunk Report

INDIA – January 24, 2025 – Splunk, the cybersecurity and observability leader, in collaboration with Oxford Economics, today released The CISO Report 2025, a global research report detailing the goals, priorities, and business strategies for Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) and their boards of directors.

The CISO’s rise to the C-suite comes with more engagement with the boardroom, an audience with the CEO, and the power to make strategic decisions for the business. Notably, 82% of surveyed CISOs now report directly to the CEO, a significant increase from 47% in 2023. In addition, 83% of CISOs participate in board meetings somewhat often or most of the time. While 60% acknowledge that board members with cybersecurity backgrounds more heavily influence security decisions, only 29% of CISOs say their board includes at least one member with cybersecurity expertise.

“As cybersecurity becomes increasingly central to driving business success, CISOs and their boards have more opportunities to close gaps, gain greater alignment, and better understand each other in order to drive digital resilience,” said Michael Fanning, Chief Information Security Officer, Splunk. “For CISOs, that means understanding the business beyond their IT environments and finding new ways to convey the ROI of security initiatives to their boards. For board members, it means committing to a security-first culture and consulting the CISO as a primary stakeholder in decisions that impact enterprise risk and governance. Bringing these groups together requires educating boards on the details of cybersecurity, and for CISOs to understand the language and needs of the business while also making security a business enabler.”

“Leading and managing the cybersecurity and privacy programs at a higher education institution requires strong collaboration and communication with everyone from board members to privacy leaders, staff, faculty, and students to ensure security is integrated into all aspects of the organisation,” said Shefali Mookencherry, Chief Information Security and Privacy Officer, University of Illinois Chicago. “As the role of the CISO grows more complex and critical to organisations, CISOs must be able to balance security needs with business goals, culture, and articulate the value of security investments. By establishing strong relationships across various departments and stakeholders, CISOs can provide guidance and leadership to propel cybersecurity and privacy programs.”

The impact of CISO-board alignment 
Board members with a CISO background report stronger relationships with security teams and feel more confident about the organisation’s security posture. They are less likely than other board members to express concern they are not doing enough to protect the organisation (37% versus 62% survey average). Board respondents reported excellent or very good working relationships between the CISOs and board in the following areas:
  • Setting and aligning on strategic cybersecurity goals (80% for boards with a CISO member versus 27% for boards without a CISO member)
  • Communicating progress against milestones, security goal achievement and plan of record (60% for boards with a CISO member versus 16% for boards without a CISO member)
  • Budgeting adequately to meet goals (50% for boards with a CISO member versus 24% for boards without a CISO member)
CISOs with healthy board relationships also tend to have better collaboration throughout the organisation, reporting particularly strong partnerships with IT operations (82% versus 69% of other CISOs) and engineering (74% versus 63% of other CISOs). CISOs with good board relationships are also more likely to be given the ability to pursue use cases for generative AI, such as creating threat detection rules (43% versus 31% of other CISOs), analysing data sources (45% versus 28% of other CISOs), incident response and forensic investigations (42% versus 29% of other CISOs), and proactive threat hunting (46% versus 28% of other CISOs).
Bridging the CISO-board divide: priorities, skills, and measuring success 
While CISOs and boards indicate closer alignment on security priorities, gaps still persist. The largest gaps in top priorities between CISOs and boards include:
  • Innovating with emerging technologies (52% of CISOs deem it a priority versus 33% for board members)
  • Upskilling or reskilling security employees (51% for CISOs versus 27% for boards)
  • Contributing to revenue growth initiatives (36% for CISOs versus 24% for boards)
Boards have high expectations around CISOs building new skills to become better business leaders. However, learning new skills makes the CISO’s job more complex, with 53% saying their responsibilities and job expectations have become more difficult since they took the job. When asked what skills CISOs should develop, the biggest gaps in importance include:
  • Business acumen (55% for boards versus 40% for CISOs)
  • Emotional intelligence (45% for boards versus 35% for CISOs)
  • Communication (52% for boards versus 47% for CISOs
  • Regulation and compliance knowledge (44% for boards versus 57% for CISOs)

While boards and CISOs agree on core cybersecurity KPIs, 79% of CISOs say KPIs for their security teams have changed substantially over the recent years. Forty-six percent of CISOs said attaining security milestones was indicative of their success, compared to only 19% of board respondents.

Maintaining compliance is business critical
Regulatory environments have become more complex, expansive, and punitive, requiring faster incident reporting and placing more liability squarely on CISOs’ shoulders. While maintaining compliance is vital to the business, only 15% of CISOs ranked compliance status as a top performance metric, a significant disconnect compared to 45% of boards. Twenty-one percent of CISOs revealed they had been pressured not to report a compliance issue, however, 59% said they would become a whistleblower if their organisation was ignoring compliance requirements.

Budget cuts have serious consequences
Cyber budgets reflect inconsistent support and misalignment, with 29% of CISOs saying they receive the proper budget for cybersecurity initiatives and accomplishing their security goals, compared to 41% of board members who think cybersecurity budgets are adequate. Sixty-four percent of CISOs reveal that the current threat and regulatory environment make them concerned they’re not doing enough. Eighteen percent of CISOs revealed they were unable to support a business initiative because of budget cuts in the last 12 months, and 64% said that lack of support led to a cyberattack. CISOs also reported reduced security solutions and tools (50%), security hiring freezes (40%), and decreased or eliminated security training (36%) as top cost-saving measures. Ninety-four percent of CISOs report being victims of a disruptive cyberattack, with 55% experiencing them at least a couple of times, and another 27% experiencing them many times.

Methodology
The global survey was conducted in June and July 2024 in partnership with Oxford Economics. The report surveyed 600 respondents (500 CISOs, CSOs, or equivalent security leaders and 100 board members). Respondent categories included CISOs who self-identified as board members. The survey respondents were drawn from 10 countries: Australia, France, Germany, Italy, India, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the United States. They also represented 16 industries: agriculture, business services, construction/engineering, education, energy and utilities, financial services, government, healthcare, life sciences, information services, technology, manufacturing, retail, consumer goods, telecom, and media and communications. Oxford Economics also conducted eight in-depth interviews with CISOs and board members for qualitative insight.

The Rise of NMIMS: A Story of Vision, Innovation, and Global Accreditation

Mumbai, January 24th, 2025: SVKM’s Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS) marked an important milestone with the celebration of its 22nd University Day. This event, which took place at the Mukesh Patel Auditorium on the 24th of January 2025, had Shri T. R. Parasuraman, Senior Executive Advisor, Toyota Industries Engine India as the Chief Guest.

This event began with the poster exhibition inauguration at the Mukesh Patel Auditorium lobby, followed by the lighting of the lamp ceremony and Saraswati Vandana. Dr Ramesh Bhat, Vice Chancellor, NMIMS, facilitated the Chief Guest and addressed the audience. He extended his heartfelt appreciation to every member of the NMIMS community and thanked them for their tireless effort, dedication and unwavering commitment. He emphasised the shared vision of every member of the NMIMS family and applauded them for their invaluable contribution to shaping the future of the society and the nation.

The journey of NMIMS began in 1934 with the establishment of Shri Vile Parle Kelavani Mandal (SVKM) which was born out of a visionary dream to nurture education across all dimensions: physical, intellectual, philosophical, and ethical. This visionary endeavour laid the foundation for what has now become a global institution.

NMIMS was started in 1981 with only four faculty members and forty students. Today, NMIMS has grown into a prestigious globally recognised institution with over 800 faculty members, 1000 staff members, and more than 30,000 full-time students across multiple campuses. The recognition of NMIMS as a university on 13th January 2003 marked the beginning of a new era. Now, NMIMS stands as a NAAC A+ Category 1 University with graded autonomy.

Vice Chancellor of SVKM’s NMIMS, Dr. Ramesh Bhat, said, “Our logo symbolises our core values. The elephant stands for wisdom, knowledge, and strength while the red quadrant indicates passion. The black bands symbolise the power of academic resources and the laurel wreath signifies achievements. We use our logo as our guide to consistently strive for excellence. Our Pharmacy School ranks among the top ten in India, while our Business Management School is among the top hundred institutions globally. We have received NAAC A+ accreditation as well as international accreditations such as AACSB, ABET, and EQUIS. We realise that these milestones are not just the years, dates, or events to celebrate. They represent decades of dedication, vision, and relentless pursuit of excellence. These numbers and ranks are not mere numbers; they represent our dreams realised and potential unleashed.”

The Vice Chancellor unveiled three new initiatives, namely the NMIMS Sustainability Oath, the NMIMS Gen AI Policy, and the NMIMS Social Media Policy, which are a part of NMIMS’ commitment to responsible education and societal impact. He touched upon the various initiatives that are already implemented across NMIMS campuses and emphasised how the forward-thinking university is providing a learning experience of par excellence.