Vaibhav Sagar Appointed as the General Manager
National, April 14, 2025 – Udaipur Marriott Hotel, the first hotel set to open in Udaipur under the flagship Marriott Hotels brand, today announced the appointment of Vaibhav Sagar as its General Manager. With nearly two decades of extensive experience in the hospitality industry, Sagar brings a wealth of expertise in operations, strategic planning, and team leadership.
Vaibhav-Sagar-General-Manager-Udaipur-Marriott-Hotel
Sagar began his career with Hyatt Hotels, before making a successful transition into banking, where he worked with IDBI and Kotak Mahindra Bank. His return to hospitality saw him take on leadership roles with globally acclaimed hotel chains including InterContinental Hotels Group, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, IHHR Hospitality, and Radisson Hotel Group. This cross-industry experience has equipped him with substantial expertise in marketing, finance, and performance-driven hotel operations. His strong background further complements his strategic mindset and innovative problem-solving abilities.
Prior to joining Udaipur Marriott Hotel, he served as General Manager at Le Méridien Hyderabad since 2022, where he played a pivotal role in revitalizing the hotel’s performance, significantly enhancing guest satisfaction scores, operational efficiencies, and commercial outcomes. An alumnus of Cornell University’s executive education program, Sagar also holds an MBA in Marketing and Finance.
Upon his appointment, Sagar expressed his enthusiasm: “I am honored to take on the leadership of Udaipur Marriott Hotel, a property with immense potential in one of India’s most vibrant hospitality markets. I look forward to collaborating with the talented team here to deliver exceptional guest experiences and set new standards of service in the region.”
Sagar’s proven leadership, cross-industry expertise, and commitment to service excellence position him as a valuable asset to the Udaipur Marriott Hotel team. His appointment is expected to enhance the hotel’s performance, strengthen its market presence, and deliver world-class experiences for guests.
Nestled against the majestic Aravalli Hills and overlooking the tranquil Fateh Sagar Lake, Udaipur Marriott Hotel is set to open in April 2025, marking Marriott International’s debut in the city of Udaipur in Rajasthan.
The EMAK Silent Heroes Awards-25 Concludes
Kochi, 14-April-2025: The seventh edition of the Silent Heroes Awards, organized by the Event Management Association – Kerala (EMAK), concluded at The Leela Raviz Ashtamudi, Kollam. The event was inaugurated by the MP N.K.Premachandran, in the presence of eminent personalities from the business and event industries.M.Naushad MLA was a part of the event.
“It is a great pride that the Event Management industry has grown into a sector that plays a significant role in the economic growth and progress of the country”said MP N.K.Premachandran, inaugurating the event.
The Silent Heroes Awards 2025 featured almost 230 awards across 60 categories, categorised into five main award sections were distributed during award ceremony.
“Through the event we want to celebrate Kerala’s event management industry and bring industry leaders together to share their ideas and insights,” said Raju Kannampuzha, President, Event Management Association of Kerala.
The event was a fantastic networking opportunity for professionals in events and allied industries and featured a B2B Expo, knowledge sessions, keynotes, panel discussions, awards, and entertainment. The knowledge sessions on Destination Management for Events, Destination Weddings and MICE held as part of the event was inaugurated by Devidas.N IAS District Collector, Kollam.and M.Mukesh MLA participated in the knowledge session
India’s AI Breakthrough: Explore Human-Like AI
Hyderabad, 14th April 2025 – Mivi, a leading Indian consumer electronics brand, today announced that it has created Mivi AI, the world’s first human-like Artificial Intelligence, aimed at revolutionising the human-AI relationship. The company, through its independent research and development, has successfully developed the human-like AI that will make technology more integrated into people’s daily lives, enhancing productivity and well-being by creating more meaningful and user-centric experiences.
While existing AI models operate in a simple on-screen question-response framework, Mivi has reimagined the interaction layer from the ground up. Leveraging the full reasoning capabilities of advanced LLMs, the company has successfully engineered a personalized conversation engine and trained its models to maintains context.
Mivi AI is being introduced to consumers through the first-of-its-kind AI Buds, enabling seamless, on-the-go interactions. Simply say “Hi Mivi” to wake the AI and begin a natural conversation. As the first product built on the Mivi AI platform, the AI Buds mark the beginning of a broader ecosystem of intelligent devices. Trained on thousands of voice samples, Mivi AI is uniquely attuned to understand and respond to a wide range of Indian accents, ensuring a truly inclusive experience.
Speaking about the breakthrough, Midhula Devabhaktuni, Co-founder and CMO, Mivi said,
“With Mivi AI, we’re not just launching a product — we’re defining the next era of human-AI interaction. This marks a transformative leap in global innovation, where AI doesn’t just respond, but truly understands, adapts, and connects on a deeply human level. It’s about building technology that feels less like a tool, and more like a companion — intuitive, emotionally aware, and seamlessly present in everyday life.”
“As the first of its kind, Mivi AI reflects our unwavering belief that world-class innovation can — and should — be built in India, for the world. This is more than a milestone for Mivi; it’s a defining moment for Indian technology on the global stage. Mivi AI Buds is the 1st manifestation of Mivi AI, and it is the beginning of many advancements. We’re proud to lead this revolution. This is India’s AI moment.”
The core technology behind Mivi AI leverages:
- Natural Language Processing (NLP): making AI proficient in understanding, interpreting, and generating human language in a way that feels fluid and natural.
- Emotional Intelligence: AI that can recognize and respond to the emotional tone of a conversation, enhancing user experience by making interactions feel more personalised and human.
- Context Awareness: AI that can remember prior interactions and understand the broader context of a conversation or situation.
Mivi AI’s USP lies in its human-like approach rather than following predefined commands and providing rigid responses. It uses developed systems which are capable of mimicking human interactions, processing complex language, recognizing context, understanding emotions and engaging in dynamic conversations. Mivi’s human-like AI can interpret finer nuances in the command language and adapt to various situations, similar to a human being.
Infra.Market Accelerates Growth in Wood Panel Industry
Aaditya Sharda, co-founder, Infra.Market said, “India’s wood panel industry is growing rapidly, driven by rising demand for sustainable and versatile materials like MDF. At Infra.Market, we are well-positioned to tap into this opportunity through our advanced manufacturing facilities, expanding product portfolio, and strong dealer network, enabling us to fuel the industry’s growth.”
LNJ Bhilwara Group Initiates the 2nd Phase Efforts
14th April 2025 Banswara/Jaipur, Rajasthan – Extending its support to a key rural transformation initiative, LNJ Bhilwara Group, a leading industrial conglomerate across business verticals including textiles, graphite electrodes, power generation, energy storage solutions, and advanced materials, launched the second phase of inspiring its workforce to contribute and support the Global Vikas Trust’s successful project for farmers’ welfare in Banswara, Rajasthan, today.
The event was graced by Shri. Ravi Jhunjhunwala, Chairman, LNJ Bhilwara Group, Shri. Mayank Gandhi, Founder of Global Vikas Trust and Shri. Rajeev Gupta, JMD, RSWM Ltd., along with other esteemed leaders of the organization.
Shri Ravi Jhunjhunwala has personally led the initiative at RSWM’s Mordi and Lodha plants in Banswara, home to the LNJ Knits and LNJ Denim units at Mordi, and the Kapaas and Greige Yarn units at Lodha, inspiring a workforce of over 3000 people to contribute for the cause.
Speaking about the impact made under the initiative, Shri Ravi Jhunjhunwala, Chairman, LNJ Bhilwara Group, said, “We are immensely moved and motivated by the tremendous support that the workforce in Bhilwara has extended to the cause. Encouraged by their willingness to extend a helping hand, we have launched the second phase of the awareness drive in Banswara and look forward to strong, enthusiastic support here as well. Shri Mayank Gandhi’s initiative to bring about rural transformation has touched the hearts of people who are coming forward to help GVT develop a lucrative and sustainable livelihood ecosystem by combining innovation with structured financial support.”
In the first phase of the initiative organized at the RSWM Ltd.’s plants in Bhilwara, a contribution of INR 50 lakhs was raised by the workforce. During the occasion, Shri. Ravi Jhunjhunwala pledged to match the cumulative contribution raised by the employees from his personal equity.
Shri Mayank Gandhi’s Global Vikas Trust led a transformation in over 4700 villages, across 27 districts in three states, by planting 5.6 crore fruit trees in the last 5 years to amplify farmers’ income tenfold. To strengthen GVT’s endeavors, Shri Ravi Jhunjhunwala is also working towards inspiring confidence and commitment from industrialists across Rajasthan to support the cause.
Elaborating upon this initiative, Shri Mayank Gandhi, Founder, Global Vikas Trust, said, “We are thankful to LNJ Bhilwara Group and Shri Ravi ji for continuously supporting us in our mission to transform the severely impacted farming community by helping them increase farmers’ income through the implementation of effective agricultural solutions. Our motivation is to empower farmers to lead a life of dignity and self-sufficiency while redefining how farming is perceived in society.”
LNJ Bhilwara is sensitizing the farming and rural community to the impactful work of Shri Mayank Gandhi, extending network support, ensuring that every farmer has access to the trees and training needed for success. LNJ Bhilwara Group will be facilitating holistic agricultural training and education to farmers at Global Vikas Trust’s Farmer Training Center, GVT Krishikul, a world-class facility where farmers, CSR leaders, corporates, and government officials converge to learn and implement pioneering agricultural solutions. This center is drawing interest from all over India, with farmers from Karnataka, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and beyond visiting to replicate and scale GVT’s proven model.
With just ₹25 per plant, donors can directly contribute to this cause. A farmer earning Rs 37,000 per year earlier can now generate an income of around ₹4 lakh per annum within three years, with a one-time donation of just ₹30,000, securing his future and creating a life-changing impact through sustainable farming. Since 2016, the Global Vikas Trust has been working towards empowering small and marginal farmers by shifting them from low-income, high-risk crops to high-value fruit plantations, ensuring economic stability, sustainability, and long-term prosperity. With access to better crops and sustainable farming practices, average farmers’ incomes have increased from ₹38,723 to ₹3,93,986 per acre per annum. Furthermore, over 400 crore litres of water storage capacity have been developed, ensuring resilience against droughts and water scarcity.
The SPE Division of Zuari Industries Enhances Skills
Lakhimpur Kheri, Uttar Pradesh, April 14, 2025: Zuari Industries Limited (SPE Division) successfully conducted a three-day Capacity Building and Skill Development Training Program for the Cane department from April 9 to 11, 2025, at Hotel Landmark Royale, Lakhimpur Kheri. The initiative was designed to enhance technical knowledge, strategic thinking, and digital adoption among field-level teams, further strengthening the sugarcane value chain.
The training opened with a focus on foundational agronomic practices. Participants were introduced to the company’s vision and operational overview, followed by sessions on comprehensive soil management, identification and selection of cane varieties, integrated pest and disease control, and fertilizer application strategies. The first day concluded with an engaging workshop on communication and customer relationship building, aimed at enhancing interpersonal effectiveness in field operations.
The second day of training delved into advanced agronomy and the role of digital innovation in sugarcane management. Topics covered included optimized planting techniques, cane bonding policies, and marketing strategies. A dedicated session on the Saksham App highlighted how technology can improve planning and tracking in the field. Leadership-building sessions and discussions on maximizing yield and resource optimization rounded out the day’s agenda.
The final day focused on sustainability and mechanization in sugarcane farming. Key sessions explored modern irrigation and harvesting techniques, ratoon crop management, and soil and juice analysis. The concluding sessions highlighted the importance of modernization, with an emphasis on mechanized practices and tools to enhance operational efficiency. The program ended with an interactive reflection and feedback segment, encouraging participants to integrate their learnings into real-world scenarios.
Commenting on the training initiative, Mr. Alok Saxena, Executive Director & Unit Head, SPE Division, Zuari Industries Limited, said:
“At Zuari Industries, we believe in empowering our teams at every level to adopt scientific and modern approaches to farming. This training initiative is an affirmation of our commitment to capacity building and knowledge-sharing across the value chain. By bringing together the cane department including the experts and technology partners, we aim to transform conventional practices and drive sustainable growth in the sugarcane sector.”
Through such initiatives, Zuari Industries continues to lead by example in building a future-ready, skilled workforce committed to advancing India’s sugar and ethanol ecosystem.
Aakash Aath To Air 25th Anniversary Insights
ArthAlpha Strengthens Leadership with New Board Members
New Delhi, 14th April,2025 – ArthAlpha, a leading quantitative investment firm, has appointed Kalpen Parekh, MD & CEO of DSP Mutual Fund, as a Board Observer, and Kunal Bajaj, an industry veteran in investment management and financial markets, as a Board Advisor. These appointments reflect ArthAlpha’s commitment to leveraging top-tier industry expertise to drive innovation and strategic growth in quantitative finance.
Kalpen Parekh brings over two decades of experience in financial markets, having held leadership roles at ICICI, Birla Sun Life, IDFC, and DSP. As MD & CEO of DSP Mutual Fund, he has played a pivotal role in shaping long-term investment strategies and driving wealth creation. His deep understanding of market dynamics will enhance ArthAlpha’s ability to develop cutting-edge, data-driven investment solutions.
Kunal Bajaj, with over 20 years of experience across global financial institutions such as Jefferies, Credit Suisse, CLSA, Goldman Sachs (Japan) has an extensive background in capital markets, M&A, and strategic growth. As founder & CEO of Clearfunds—later acquired by MobiKwik—he built a disruptive wealth-tech platform that evolved into a diversified financial services powerhouse. His insights will be instrumental in refining ArthAlpha’s strategic direction and expansion efforts.
“We are delighted to welcome Kalpen Parekh and Kunal Bajaj to ArthAlpha. Their expertise in investment management and financial markets aligns with our vision of blending human ingenuity with technology-driven investing,” said Mr.Rohit Beri, CEO and CIO of ArthAlpha. “Their strategic insights will be invaluable as we push the boundaries of quantitative finance.”
Commenting on his appointment, Kalpen Parekh, MD and CEO of DSP Mutual Funds said, “ArthAlpha’s approach to integrating human intelligence with advanced quantitative methods is truly groundbreaking. I look forward to supporting their mission to build a transparent, data-driven investment framework.”
Kunal Bajaj added, “ArthAlpha is at the forefront of quantitative finance innovation. Their ability to merge AI-driven research with human expertise is impressive, and I am excited to contribute to their strategic growth and product innovation.”
With these strategic appointments, ArthAlpha is poised to accelerate its growth trajectory, strengthen its investment strategies, and set new benchmarks in AI-driven investing.
RITES & DP World Sign MoU for Economic Infrastructure Advancement
Gurugram, April 14, 2025: RITES Limited, a leading transport infrastructure consultancy and engineering firm, has entered into a transformative Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with DP World, a leading provider of worldwide smart end-to-end supply chain logistics, to explore potential opportunities for collaboration in the development of trade, logistics, and infrastructure projects. The MoU aims to foster mutual collaboration by exploring joint opportunities in infrastructure development, including ports, multimodal logistics parks, free trade zones, rail connectivity projects, and logistics infrastructure services.
Signed in the esteemed presence of HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE; Shri Piyush Goyal, Hon’ble Minister of Commerce and Industry, Government of India; His Excellency Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, Group Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of DP World, along with Shri Rahul Mithal, Chairman & Managing Director of RITES Limited, and other distinguished dignitaries during the ‘CEO-Connect: Dubai-India Economic Ties & Opportunities’ in Mumbai on Tuesday, this MoU will foster collaboration in the areas of infrastructure development and trade between India and the UAE.
The Virtual Trade Corridor (VTC), launched in September 2024, is supported by MAITRI, a digital platform being developed with RITES. The VTC integrates customs, logistics, and regulatory processes into a single, seamless digital system to simplify and accelerate trade between the two nations. Since its launch, strategic workshops in India and the UAE have led to key decisions, paving the way for development of the proof of concept of the VTC using ports on both the sides such as Nhava Sheva, Deendayal, and Jebel Ali.
Commenting on the MoU, Mr. Rahul Mithal, Chairman and Managing Director, RITES Limited, said, “It is an alliance of like-minded entities, bringing together experience, expertise, and a rich legacy. By leveraging our collective strengths and resources, we are poised to create transformative synergies across key infrastructure projects, furthering our initiative to expand the footprints of ‘RITES Videsh’.”
Mr. Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, Group Chairman & CEO, DP World, said: “This partnership with RITES Limited marks a significant milestone in our journey towards enhancing trade and infrastructure development between India and the UAE. By leveraging the power of public-private collaboration and our combined expertise, we will bring innovation and efficiency to trade corridor development creating diversified trade routes that build resilience and unlock opportunities for everyone.”
Chiara Bonini Receives DKMS Mechtild Harf Science Award for Innovation
Mumbai, APRIL 14, 2025: DKMS Stiftung Leben Spenden honored Professor Chiara Bonini, a pioneer in the clinical application of genetically modified T cells in stem cell transplantation, with the DKMS Mechtild Harf Science Award 2025. The award honors the outstanding achievements of internationally renowned physicians and scientists in the field of stem cell transplantation and cellular therapies.
“Professor Chiara Bonini’s groundbreaking findings in the field of personalized immunotherapy with genetically modified T cells have been essential in advancing the treatment of blood cancer. These discoveries have led to novel therapeutic approaches and hold the potential for translation into treatments for other types of cancer,” explains Professor Dr. Katharina Fleischhauer, member of the DKMS Medical Council and Head of the Institute for Cell Therapy Research at Essen University Hospital, in recognition of this year’s award winner. Chiara Bonini, MD, Professor of Hematology at the University Vita-Salute San Raffaele and Head of the Department of Experimental Hematology at the IRCSS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, accepted the award on March 31st, 2025, surrounded by physicians and esteemed guests from around the world, at the annual conference of the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) in Florence, Italy. At the ceremony, the highly coveted DKMS John Hansen Research Grant was awarded and the DKMS Special Grant was also allocated for the first time.
“Chiara Bonini is one of the highly renowned scientists worldwide in the field of cell and gene therapy to treat cancer. She has been a leader in the clinical use of genetically modified T cells in stem cell transplantation, laying the foundation for innovative, life-saving therapies” said Professor Dr. Fleischhauer at the presentation of the DKMS Mechtild Harf Science Award, which comes with 10,000 Euro (approximately 9.26 Lakh INR). “Her work contributed to the development of the first EMA-approved genetically engineered cell-based medicinal product for cancer patients, paving the way for a new era of precision medicine and transformative treatments for patients worldwide.”
Award for pioneering personalized immunotherapy with genetically modified T cells
Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) remains one of the most effective treatments for patients with hematologic malignancies and can also cure other blood disorders including inborn genetic diseases of the hematopoietic system. Despite its therapeutic potential, there is a risk of acute graft-versus-host disease (GvHD), a significant complication that contributes to both morbidity and mortality. To manage GvHD caused by allogeneic donor T cells, various T-cell-manipulation strategies have been explored. Early approaches focused on suicide gene therapy to balance graft-versus-leukemia effect (GVL) and immune reconstitution while controlling GvHD. Lately, genetic modifications, including tumor-specific T cell receptors (TCRs) or chimeric antigen receptors (CARs), have been introduced to enhance T cell antitumor efficacy.
Through more than 20 years of research in gene and cell therapy, Professor Bonini played a key role in the emergence of this field and advanced one of the first therapy projects applied to HSCT: the suicide gene therapy approach tends to eliminate alloreactive T cells in case of GvHD while preserving them in the absence thereof. Her team has since expanded into the field of cancer immunotherapy, refining TCR and CAR gene transfer techniques. One of Bonini’s major breakthroughs is TCR gene editing, which permanently reprograms T cells for enhanced precision and persistence in targeting cancer cells. By selecting tumor-specific antigens and engineering T cells to express optimal tumor-targeting receptors, her work has transformed T cell therapies into living drugs, designed to seek and destroy cancer cells with high specificity. “We have the techniques and knowledge for gene editing. The next challenge is identifying the right combinations of TCR and tumor specific antigen that will lead to the most effective therapies,” Bonini explains. Through further research, Bonini and her team were able to transfer this knowledge also to solid tumors: “Our aim is to create a TCR approach that could be utilized to generate TCR-edited cell products for a variety of cancer types. Since progress in cell therapies for solid tumors has been slower, this could be a game changer in this field,” says Bonini, who also serves on the executive committees of various scientific societies of cell and gene therapy, hematology and stem cell transplantation including ASGCT, ESGCT, EHA and EBMT.
On top: Research grants support next-generation scientists
During the ceremony, four outstanding fellows were also announced as the recipients of the DKMS John Hansen Research Grant 2025 Gabriele Casirati, MD, PhD (Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, USA), Susan E. De Wolf, MD (Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, USA), Stephen Persaud, MD, PhD (Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, USA), and Abdur Rehman, PhD (The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, USA).
Their research spans key areas such as T cell and leukemic blast interactions in the regulation of GVL, association of gut microbiome and CAR-T outcomes, and next-generation conditioning regimes with reduced toxicity for HSCT. “Supporting young medical and scientific talents in blood cancer research is an investment in the advancement of medicine,” emphasized Professor Dr. Marcel van den Brink, Chair of the DKMS Medical Council.
For the first time, DKMS also awarded the DKMS Special Grant, reinforcing the organization’s commitment to improve cancer care worldwide. Dr. Brigid McMillan, MBChB (Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa) committed herself to investigating and describing barriers to specialized hematological care in Southern Africa. This grant aims to support her research on improving cancer care in South Africa.