Mumbai, 13^th March 2025:  ixigo, India’s leading OTA for the Next Billion Users, reveals a massive surge in travel bookings to Prayagraj during the Maha Kumbh Mela (January 13 – February 26, 2025). Flight bookings witnessed 5.4x YoY demand, with nearby airports in Lucknow and Varanasi witnessing 69% YoY growth. Train bookings saw a 4x YoY rise, while bus bookings saw the highest surge at 20x YoY, underscoring strong demand across all segments for the world’s largest spiritual gathering.

Gen Z & Solo Travelers Drive Historic Travel Boom to Prayagraj for Maha Kumbh 2025

Booking data from ixigo’s bus business, AbhiBus, highlights a surge in young travelers, with those aged 20-25 making up 26% of total bus bookings. Gen Z bus travelers saw a remarkable 20-fold YoY increase during the Kumbh Mela, and 50% of all bus passengers heading to Prayagraj were under 30. Key origin cities contributing to the surge in demand across the ixigo Group included New Delhi, Mumbai, Kanpur, Meerut, Varanasi, Lucknow, Jaipur, Ranchi, and Ayodhya. A significant shift in travel behavior was also observed, as solo travelers dominated train bookings, making up 60% of the total, surpassing group travel.

Speaking on this, Aloke Bajpai, Group CEO, ixigo, said “The Maha Kumbh Mela has spotlighted the rapid rise of spiritual tourism in India, with a remarkable surge in participation from young travelers. Our data shows that Gen Z and millennials are increasingly embracing cultural and religious journeys, making experiential travel the new norm. As faith-based tourism evolves, the future of travel will be driven by seamless multimodal connectivity – ensuring greater accessibility and convenience for a new generation of spiritually inspired explorers.”

New Delhi, 12^th March 2025 – Wendor, one of India’s leading smart vending solutions provider, is set to revolutionize the food and beverage industry at AAHAR 2025 with the launch of its innovative vending machines and smart lockers. The company is showcasing its state-of-the-art vending machines and smart lockers at Stall No. 14G-09, Hall No. 14, Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, which started on 4th March and will continue till 8th March 2025, from 10 a.m. onwards. With a focus on affordability, speed, and advanced technology, the new machines will demonstrate innovative use cases for brands across industries, from beverages and personal care to toys and frozen food.

The company’s AI-driven vending machines which are World’s first AI based vending machine and smart lockers are designed to enhance operational efficiency while meeting the evolving needs of modern retail spaces, corporate offices, and public locations.

Lakshit Anand, Co-Founder & CEO of Wendor, said, “Our mission is to make vending solutions, smarter, faster, and more accessible. At Wendor, we believe technology should maximize everyday convenience, and the essence of technology is not only about vending; it believes in transforming the experience of accessing any product without hassles. We contribute smart automation to create an intelligent and seamless retail experience, thereby catering to the modern consumers with their evolving needs. AAHAR 2025 will be the perfect plan to introduce these innovations; we’re very excited to bring the future of automated retail.”

Wendor is launching a groundbreaking vending machine, ‘Phoenix’, India’s fastest beverage vending machine. Inspired by vending technology used in Japan, this vending machines ensures rapid dispensing and unparalleled efficiency for high-traffic locations. This high capacity and power efficient vending machine is designed to cater to the growing demand for quick, hassle-free beverage dispensing in areas such as metro stations, corporate offices, and public spaces. As India’s only no-fizz vending machine, it guarantees a smooth beverage experience, making it an ideal solution for businesses and public infrastructure. Wendor has already secured its first sale to a leading beverage brand, marking a significant milestone in the industry.

Also debuting at AAHAR 2025 is ‘Orion’ designed to be the most affordable in India. Orion will no longer utilize built-in touch screens like most vending machines but will now focus on expediting the user interface by integrating it on mobile devices. Customers scan a QR code, open a web interface to select their product, and pay seamlessly via Google Pay or other UPI methods. Available in both ambient and refrigerated models, the company is giving special launch offer at AAHAR. The ambient version is priced competitively at ₹79,999 (excluding GST) and ₹99,999 (excluding GST) for the refrigerated variant, valid only if bookings are made during event.

In addition to vending machines, Wendor is unveiling three new smart locker solutions ‘Apollo Series’ with new features at event:

Vending Locker – The newly launched vending locker is designed to accommodate products that may not fit within traditional vending machines due to their shape or size. Products of transitionally smaller sizes such as soft toys and board games can access vending lockers while allowing brands a unique opportunity to sell unconventional products via an automatic stock delivery mechanism.

Luggage Locker – Designed for locations like temples and gurudwaras (for shoe storage), factories (for phone submission), cinemas, amusement parks, supermarket, museum and malls, this locker offers three access methods: face recognition, mobile-based key entry, and a unique pickup code. It ensures safe and secure storage for customer belongings.

Delivery Pickup Locker – Delivery Pickup Locker provides a contact-less delivery solution for all last-mile deliveries for services like Zomato, Amazon, and Blinkit. This innovation is largely beneficial for quick commerce and is the most preferred and efficient locker used in China in restaurants, residential complexes, and office buildings.

Along with the new launches, the company is also demonstrating diverse vending solutions including Ice Cream Vending Machines, designed to dispense frozen treats with precision and efficiency. Wendor will showcase diversified automated retail solutions to different product categories to provide seamless and innovative consumer experiences. With these latest innovations, Wendor continues to set new benchmarks in automated retail, providing businesses with efficient, cost-effective, and tech-driven solutions.

March 12, 2025:With the mechanical completion of new production lines at the Map Ta Phut Industrial Park in Thailand, Covestro has further increased its global capacity for polycarbonate (PC) specialty films. The investment is in the higher double-digit million Euro range, the project has been completed on schedule. A total of around 40 new jobs will be created.

“The new production facilities are equipped with state-of-the technology to enable an efficient production and thereby reduce our CO2 emissions,” says Thorsten Dreier, Chief Technology Officer of Covestro. “With the expanded capacity, we can meet our customers’ growing demand for innovative specialty films, especially in medical technology, in the region Asia-Pacific and strengthen our Solutions & Specialties segment.”

Covestro has been operating a production facility for Specialty Films in Thailand since 2007. The range comprises polycarbonate films from the Makrofol® range and Bayfol® products made from polycarbonate blends. These high-performance specialty films are used in many applications across multiple industries, such as healthcare, mobility and Identification Documents.

“The new production facilities are important to us because it enables faster time to market and at the same time expands our market access in Asia-Pacific.” says Aukje Doornbos, Global Head of the Specialty Films business entity. “With market- focused innovations and a stronger customer orientation we want to drive growth for Covestro.”

Since 2022, the Map Ta Phut site is ISCC PLUS certified, enabling it to manufacture and supply mass-balanced products. With the mass balance approach, bio-based or recycled raw materials are fed in at an early stage of raw material extraction and mathematically allocated to the finished products. This saves fossil raw materials and reduces CO2 emissions, while the quality of the mass-balanced products remains identical to that of purely fossil-based products. With this drop-in solution, manufacturers can continue to use their proven formulations, equipment, and processes.

ISCC is an internationally recognized sustainability certification for biomass and bioenergy. The standard covers all stages of the value chain and is used worldwide. Customers can use these products in their established processes and apply them to meet their sustainability goals. In addition, Covestro already offers a range of films made partly with plant-based raw materials or partly from recycled plastics

Mumbai, 12th March 2025: Vivekanand Education Society’s Polytechnic College (VESP) proudly hosted VES Technothon 2025, Maharashtra’s premier 24-hour state-level hackathon for diploma engineers, on March 1st and 2nd, 2025. The Technothon was part of Shri Hashu Ji Advani’s Centenary Celebration and was organized in collaboration with the VESP Alumni Association, Institution Innovation Council (IIC) Cell, and HABIT Foundation Incubation Centre, VES. The event brought together top talent from nine districts to foster innovation, problem-solving, and industry collaboration. Out of 125 registered teams, 32 finalists competed in an intense 24-hour development challenge, culminating in a Final Evaluation Round and a grand ceremony.

The event was inaugurated by esteemed industry leaders, including Shri. Umesh Nagdeve, Secretary, MSBTE; Shri. Jiten Saheta, Director Operations, Connectwell; Shri. Manas Phadnis, VP – Projects & Business Development, VEGA India, and Shri. Umesh Rathod, Innovation Manager, AICTE. Participants showcased exceptional technical expertise and creativity, with standout teams from VES Polytechnic, SVKM’s SBM Polytechnic College, K.J. Somaiya Polytechnic, Government Polytechnic Mumbai, VPM Polytechnic, and Government Polytechnic Pune receiving top honors. The competition featured a ₹1.10 Lakh prize pool, rewarding the most innovative and problem-solving minds. The event was supported by Connectwell Industries Pvt. Ltd. as the Title Sponsor, with VEGA India Level and Pressure Measurement Pvt. Ltd. as the Powered-by Sponsor. PearlQuest joined as the Gaming Partner, while 39 Solutions served as the Knowledge Partner. Additionally, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited and Veloce Nxtgen contributed as Associate Sponsors, ensuring a dynamic and well-supported event.

Speaking on the occasion, Vikrant Joshi, Principal of Vivekanand Education Society’s Polytechnic College said, “VES Technothon 2025 is a testament to the incredible potential of diploma engineers. This event not only fosters technical brilliance enhances teamwork, and real-world industry exposure. The enthusiastic participation and strong industry collaborations reinforce our commitment to nurturing the next generation of innovators and entrepreneurs. We look forward to scaling this initiative to greater heights in the coming years.”

With its growing impact, VES Technothon continues to evolve as a catalyst for innovation and engineering excellence, further solidifying VESP’s mission to foster technical talent and entrepreneurial spirit

Moscow, 12^th  March 2025 – On March 11, 2025, ZiO-Podolsk JSC (a company of Rosatom’s Mechanical Engineering Division) along with the start of the flange machining operations started assembling the RITM-200 unit intended for the new-generation universal nuclear icebreaker Leningrad (the keel-laying ceremony was held in 2024 with the participation of Russian President Vladimir Putin). Maxim Tyukavkin, Deputy Head of Rosatom’s Mechanical Engineering Division, and Anton Lebedev, Director General of ZiO-Podolsk JSC, participated in the launch ceremony.

“The Mechanical Engineering Division of Rosatom has launched the mass production of RITM-200 reactor units. This is yet another impressive demonstration of the absolute leadership of our domestic industry. Our technical solutions propel scientific and industrial progress, while also facilitating the fulfillment of tasks of national importance. Our successful history of manufacturing and operating the cutting-edge RITM reactor units provides a solid basis for reaching the goals of the Northern Sea Route development and SMR technology promotion,” pointed out Maxim Tyukavkin.

Hyderabad, 12^th March 2025: A team of students from Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Amaravati Campus, secured the first prize at DecodeX 2025, a national-level hackathon held on February 14-15 at N. L. Dalmia Institute of Management Studies and Research (NLDIMSR) in Mumbai. Team CodeBlue, comprising Prajwala Yadlapalli, Naidu Yaswanth Reddy, and Parise Sri Vatsal from Amrita School of Computing, Amaravati, won the top prize of ₹100,000 for their innovative solution in the PalletSense Challenge.

DecodeX 2025 is a pan-India competition that brings together students from various institutions to address real-world business problems in technology, finance, marketing, and healthcare. Participants are tasked with developing solutions that demonstrate analytical thinking, creativity, and practical application of knowledge.

Team CodeBlue’s winning solution was an IoT-based system designed to improve goods tracking accuracy, optimize battery management, and enhance supply chain logistics through intelligent clustering and route adherence algorithms. The approach was recognized for its feasibility and effectiveness in addressing industry challenges.

Bhaskar Mallubhotla, Centre Head of Corporate and Industry Relations at Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Amaravati, said the win highlighted the institution’s emphasis on innovation and practical learning. “Our students have demonstrated the ability to translate theoretical concepts into industry-ready solutions, reflecting Amrita’s commitment to academic excellence,” he said.

The victory marks a significant achievement for Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, further strengthening its presence in competitive technology-driven events at the national level.

New Delhi, 12th March 2025: Interio, a leading home and office furniture brand of Godrej Enterprises Group, has plans to significantly expand its mattress category to address the changing needs of contemporary Indian homes. The leading furniture solutions brand will appoint 10 new mattress distributors and 150+ retailers across India to capitalize on increasing disposable incomes and growing aspirations for wellness-focused living spaces.

Dev Sarkar, Senior Vice President and Head of Consumer Business, Interio said, “As India’s mattress market is projected to reach USD 3.48 billion by 2030, we’re witnessing a significant shift in consumer preferences. Today’s Indian homes are evolving into multifunctional spaces where quality rest has become non-negotiable. The industry trends showcase growing demand for orthopaedic mattresses that alleviate joint and back pain, as well as memory foam products that provide optimal support and comfort. The distinct trend toward thicker mattresses, with 5-inch and 6-inch variants now outpacing the historically popular 4-inch models, reflects how modern Indian families are prioritizing enhanced comfort and support. Additionally, we are seeing increased interest in temperature-regulating technologies, particularly important in India’s diverse climate conditions. At Interio, we are committed to addressing these evolving needs through innovation, while continuing to enhance our sustainable and personalized sleep solutions.”

The leading furniture solutions brand will be focusing on enhancing their portfolio of mattresses across all price ranges and diversifying into related categories like sofa beds, mattress beds, bases, and accessories for optimal posture support. With a strong focus on wellbeing, Interio offers a comprehensive range of innovative sleep solutions, featuring advanced foam compositions, ergonomic designs and specialized technologies such as the 3D Silver Mesh® for optimal breathability and temperature regulation, as well as Pressure Neutralising Zones® that provide versatile support tailored to individual body weights. In FY26, Interio will focus on the premium mattress range comprising of Superlatx, Mist Pro, and the Orthomatic Range.

Interio:

Interio is India’s leading premium furniture brand in both home and institutional segments with a strong commitment to sustainability and centers of excellence in design, manufacturing and retail.

Led by the largest in-house design team in the country in the furniture category and awarded with 34 India Design Mark Awards till date, INTERIO aims to transform spaces with its thoughtfully designed furniture to create brighter homes and offices with products that have the highest design quotient in aesthetics, functionality and technology. With consistent pursuit of excellence and a special focus on health and ergonomics, GODREJ INTERIO’s product portfolio comprises of a wide range of solutions

Today, Godrej designs and manufactures furniture for office spaces, homes, educational institutes, healthcare facilities, laboratories and more. Along with furniture, the company offers Audio Visual and 360 Degree Turnkey solutions. Each of our product ranges revolves around comfort and aesthetics while delivering well-designed, long lasting and functional furniture solutions. In short, Godrej Interio helps the consumers to make every space the perfect setting for their myriad moods and moments.

Currently present in over 450 cities with 450 exclusive showrooms and 520 dealer outlets, is one of the largest divisions of Godrej & Boyce, part of the Godrej Enterprises Group, one of India’s largest engineering and customer product groups.

Interio has 7 manufacturing facilities situated at Mumbai, Khalapur, Haridwar, Shirwal, and Bhagwanpur. INTERIO is widely known for its comprehensive sustainability certifications for its products in the furniture category.