Chandigarh, March 21, 2025 – Star Alliance Partners Air New Zealand and Air India today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the objective of boosting air connectivity between India and New Zealand.

The MoU was signed at an event in Mumbai in the presence of Honourable Prime Minister of New Zealand, Mr Christopher Luxon, and other dignitaries.

The MoU includes the establishment of a new codeshare partnership on 16 routes between India, Singapore, Australia, and New Zealand, conferring travellers more choice and convenient access between the two countries.

Customers will now be able to travel from the Indian cities of Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Chennai on Air India, and connect at Sydney, Melbourne or Singapore onto Air New Zealand-operated flights to Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington and Queenstown.

Besides improving customers’ ease of booking and travel, the codeshare aims to increase visibility of the respective markets as tourism destinations.

The MoU will also see Air New Zealand and Air India explore the introduction of a direct service between India and New Zealand by the end of 2028, subject to new aircraft deliveries and approvals from relevant government regulators.

Air New Zealand Chief Executive Greg Foran emphasised the strategic significance of India as a future destination, highlighting its rapidly expanding tourism market and increasing travel demand.

“India represents a key growth market for Air New Zealand, and we are excited about the opportunity to enhance connectivity for travellers between our two countries. This codeshare agreement is an important first step, offering more options for customers while we work to understand what a direct service could look like.

“Today’s event underscores the significance of the India market to New Zealand, not only for tourism but also for strengthening business and education ties. We are committed to working collaboratively to grow the travel market over the coming years, ensuring a strong foundation for a successful direct service by 2028,” said Foran.

Campbell Wilson, Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, Air India, said: “As part of Air India’s ongoing transformation, we have been expanding our global network using our own aircraft as well as through new or expanded codeshare agreements with other airlines, chiefly our Star Alliance partners.

We are delighted to be deepening our relationship with Air New Zealand, which follows the recent expansion of our codeshare partnerships with Lufthansa Group, Singapore Airlines, and All Nippon Airways. This partnership will not only strengthen our presence and simplify customer journeys, but also help us develop traffic so that, in time to come, we may viably operate a non-stop service between India and New Zealand, which we and Air New Zealand have committed to explore together with the respective authorities.”

With India emerging as a growing tourism and business hub, this partnership reflects the airline’s commitment to delivering enhanced travel experiences while supporting trade, tourism, and economic growth.

Currently, Air New Zealand customers travelling between New Zealand and India benefit from strong connectivity options via Singapore Airlines, offering a smooth transit through Singapore. The prospect of a future direct route would further strengthen the relationship between the two countries, providing more efficient and accessible travel opportunities.

The MoU also outlines Tourism New Zealand’s commitment to growing inbound tourism from the Indian market. Tourism New Zealand’s research shows that 18 million people in New Delhi, Bangalore and Mumbai are actively considering traveling to New Zealand, making it a key emerging market. More than 80,000 international travellers arrived from India last year, 23% more than in 2019.

The long-term growth potential is significant, with India ear-marked as one of the fastest-growing outbound travel markets. Indian travellers are keen to explore New Zealand’s vibrant landscapes, film sets and rich cultural opportunities.

Tourism New Zealand Chief Executive Rene de Monchy said: “It’s fantastic to see Air New Zealand and Air India working on stronger international connectivity between the two countries. We know improved aviation links have a crucial role to play in the growth of international tourism and will make it easier for Indian travellers to come and enjoy a holiday in New Zealand.

“An added bonus is that travellers from India also have a strong tendency to visit New Zealand in the off-peak months that coincide with their major holiday periods.”

Delhi, March 21, 2025  – AndPurpose, a leading social impact marketing company, is set to host the highly anticipated AndPurpose Summit & Forums 2025, a pioneering initiative dedicated to fostering collaboration, innovation, and systemic change. Bringing together changemakers, impact-driven enterprises, and thought leaders, this summit aims to address pressing societal challenges and accelerate sustainable development in India and South Asia.  As part of its commitment to environmental responsibility, the event will be carbon-neutral in partnership with ENEN Green.

The AndPurpose Summit & Forums 2025 will unfold across multiple cities, beginning with the AndPurpose Forum in New Delhi on March 27, 2025, followed by regional chapters in Mumbai, Bangalore, and Hyderabad. These forums will culminate in the flagship AndPurpose Summit, scheduled for November 2025 in New Delhi. The summit will serve as a global platform where impact leaders, policymakers, and industry pioneers will unite to drive actionable solutions for some of the most pressing issues facing India today.

The New Delhi Forum will commence with a welcome address from Kamna Hazrati, Founder of AndPurpose, who’ll guide the participants through a discussion of India’s biggest challenges. Some of the sessions which are sure to provoke thoughts are “Social Startups Innovating for India”, “The Role of CSR & Impact Finance for Social Good”, and “Building a Climate Conscious India”. The event will conclude with a high tea gathering, providing participants with an ideal chance to network and explore potential collaborations.

India’s looming issues stand at new heights as India’s economy grows nearly in parallel to the country’s social issues. With over 194 million people hungry every day, 35 million people not getting safe drinking water and covered with a thick blanket of 500 million people without good healthcare, there is indeed a requirement to make profound change. The environment alone gets severely impacted both politically and socially due to climate change. AndPurpose understands the problem at hand and is willing to put in the efforts required and align to make a meaningful change following the UN SDGs. The forum will focus on education and agriculture, green energy, healthcare, water accessibility, and sustainability itself along with other innovative and bold designs that help make a positive impact.

With a focus on social and environmental impact, innovation, and collaboration, the AndPurpose Forum set to happen in New Delhi will bring together over 100 participants, ranging from CEOs to impact investors around the country. This interaction will cover a diverse range of stakeholders including big corporate houses, foundations, investment companies, policymakers, think tanks, NGOs, and social startups. In addition, there are keynote speeches, panel discussions, networking sessions, art showcases, and social innovation exhibits which offer a diverse range of opportunities to participate, learn, and take action.

The forum will feature an inspiring keynote address by Sudarshan Suchi, Chief Development Officer of Reliance Foundation, a seasoned expert with over three decades of experience in rural development and community empowerment, setting the stage for impactful discussions. Sumita Ghose, Founder Director of RangSutra Crafts, will be joined by a distinguished panel featuring Shenoy Mathew, Chief Sustainability Officer, and Ramneek Bhatia, Chief Catalyst of Habitat India, who will also moderate the session. The sessions will bring together industry experts such as Subhadeep Sanyal, Partner at Omnivore VC, Shiva Shanker, Partner at Ankur Capital, and Jui Joshi, Senior Partner at Climate Collective Foundation, along with leading specialists in investment and sustainability, making it a power-packed gathering of thought leaders driving change.

Furthermore, For sustainable business models and policy frameworks, journalist and co-founder of People’s Archive of Rural India ‘PARI’ Shalini Singh, and Varaha’s Co-founder & CEO Madhur Jain, alongside GIZ India’s Environmental Policy Expert Vivek J M will share their perspectives. Varun Khera, Head of Partnerships at Josh Talks, will moderate pertinent discussions and key energies, and later on, Byju Kurian, Bisleri’s Head of CSR will tackle sustainability from a corporate level and the market-driven paradigm of social change.

“A decade after the Paris Agreement, the world stands at a crossroads—while over 195 nations committed to limiting global warming, global emissions continue to rise, and extreme weather events are disrupting livelihoods. India, in particular, faces mounting challenges, from water scarcity affecting 35 million people to the healthcare gap impacting over 500 million. The AndPurpose Summit & Forum 2025 is not just about discussions; it is about action. Building India’s Biggest Impact Movement by bringing together policymakers, businesses, and changemakers, we aim to accelerate sustainable solutions and drive systemic change that aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.” — Kamna Hazrati, Founder, AndPurpose.

The AndPurpose Summit & Forums 2025 presents an unparalleled opportunity for corporations, nonprofits, investors, and policymakers to come together and drive meaningful, lasting change. By amplifying collective efforts, sharing insights, and fostering collaboration, this initiative seeks to transform global goals into tangible actions that benefit communities across the Global South.

New Delhi, 21th March 2025: OPPO India redefines smartphone durability and network reliability with the OPPO F29 Series, the true Durable Champion. Built for India and tested in India, the F29 Series combines world-class engineering, military-grade toughness, superior connectivity, and powerful battery performance, all packed into a slim and elegant design that’s ready for every challenge — from bustling city streets to rugged terrains.

Engineered for India, Tested for India

The OPPO F29 Series, which boasts industry-leading dust and liquid protection—is designed to endure India’s diverse and demanding environments, from Kerala’s monsoons and Rajasthan’s scorching heat to Kashmir’s biting cold.

Tested in India by SGS (Société Générale de Surveillance), Bengaluru, against the highest IP66, IP68, and IP69 standards, the F29 Series is the toughest smartphone in its segment. Its IP66 rating certifies it against powerful water jets; ideal for users who work in wet conditions, from vendors to construction workers. The IP68 rating endorses it for submersion in 1.5metres of water for 30 minutes; this means it is built to survive accidental drops in water-filled potholes and kitchen sinks, while its IP69 rating implies it can endure high-pressure, high-temperature water jets up to 80°C, making it perfect for those working in industrial settings or extremely humid weather conditions.

The F29 Series takes liquid resistance even further to offer enhanced protection against heavy rain, river water, hot springs, daily spills from juice, tea, milk, coffee, beer, household liquids such as steam, dishwater, detergent, and even exposure to ice water, cleaning foam, and muddy water. And after submersion, it emits a unique pulsating sound to drain water from the speaker.

Savio D’Souza, Head of Product Communications at OPPO India, said: “The OPPO F29 Series is built for India — a true Durable Champion that blends strength, connectivity, and performance. From its industry-best IP ratings and military-grade toughness to our revolutionary Hunter Antenna and massive batteries — every aspect is engineered to support India’s road warriors. All this power, packed into a slim, stylish device, sets a new benchmark in the segment.”

Built Tough — 360° Armour Body and Military-Grade Durability

Every inch of the F29 Series is crafted to protect. Its 360° Armour Body features Sponge Bionic Cushioning to absorb shocks from accidental drops. It is engineered with an elevated battery cover made out of fibreglass and reinforced side frames for structural strength, as well as a Strengthened Lens Protection Ring to guard the camera. Protection for the device is extended to the cover in the box with its Raised Corner Design that comes with extra padding to shield the corners, and a slight overlap over the screen to protect it from direct impacts.

The F29 Series is further strengthened by an aerospace-grade AM04 aluminium alloy frame that enhances durability by 10% over its predecessor. Tested against 14 rigorous Military Standard (MIL-STD-810H-2022) challenges—from extreme temperatures and rain to shock, dust, salt mist, and vibrations—the F29 Series is built to survive where others fail.

Powerful Antennas — Built for Road Warriors

Connectivity is non-negotiable, especially for India’s road warriors. The OPPO F29 Series debuts OPPO’s exclusive Hunter Antenna Architecture to deliver a massive 300% boost in signal strength — ideal for remote areas, highways, underpasses and even basement parking.

Its advanced symmetrical low-frequency antenna layout ensures minimal signal loss, whether you are on a call or streaming content. With all-around 84.5% antenna coverage—the largest in the segment—it keeps you connected when you are playing games or watching videos in horizontal mode. Its TÜV Rheinland certification bears witness to stable, reliable network performance wherever the road takes you.

Slim, Powerful, and Efficient — Engineering Marvel

Despite this rugged toughness, the F29 Series is an engineering marvel, packing immense power in a slim, stylish design. The OPPO F29 Pro is just 7.55mm thin, weighs a mere 180g, and flaunts a 6.7-inch Quad-Curved Infinite View AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate and 93.5% screen-to-body ratio for borderless viewing.

The OPPO F29, on the other hand, is 7.65mm thin and weighs as less as 185g, with a Flat AMOLED screen, 120Hz refresh rate, and 93.7% screen-to-body ratio. Both smartphones deliver immersive visuals with 10-bit colour depth and 1200 nits peak brightness, perfect for gaming, streaming, or working outdoors.

Its Ultra Volume Mode boosts audio 300% to ensure you never miss a notification or a phone call even when in crowded areas like malls or when stuck in traffic.

Both models come with a Hands-Free Mode that auto switches to speakerphone with its volume maxed, along with Glove Mode and Splash Touch so you can use the touchscreen with wet or gloved hands.

Massive Batteries, Fast Charging — Built for the Long Haul

The F29 Series sets a new benchmark by introducing—for the first time in the F Series—a whopping 6000mAh 80W SUPERVOOC™ fast-charging battery on the Pro version and an even larger 6500mAh 45W SUPERVOOC™ fast-charging battery on the F29 base model.

Both smartphone models support Reverse Charging—the first in this price point—and come with a 5-year battery life (tested in OPPO labs).

Even in extreme environments, OPPO’s battery performance does not falter. From scorching 43°C heat to freezing -20°C temperatures, charging remains safe, efficient, and reliable.

 Performance that Keeps Up

Under the hood, the OPPO F29 Pro runs on the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 Energy chipset that is optimised for power efficiency and gaming, while the OPPO F29 is powered by the Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 that built for HDR visuals and 60+ fps gameplay.

Both models run on ColorOS 15 (based on Android 15), and support 2 years of OS updates with 3 years of security patches to guarantee long-term performance.

AI-Powered Camera with Creative Freedom

For those who love snapping pictures, OPPO has introduced an Underwater Photography mode in the F29 Series, so you can even take this smartphone into the pool with you to capture fun holiday moments. Indeed, users can capture life’s moments, whether rain or shine, above ground or underwater with the 50MP Main, 2MP Depth and 16MP Selfie cameras on the OPPO F29 Pro and the OPPO F29.

But the OPPO F29 series true camera prowess goes beyond hardware specifications. The handsets also packs:

• AI Livephoto: First introduced with the Find X8 Series, in this mode the camera automatically records video clips from 1.5 seconds before the shutter is pressed to 1.5 seconds after while intelligently eliminating any handshake. There is even the option to convert these Livephotos to GIFs to share as memes.
• AI Unblur: The OPPO F29 Series ensures that each picture retains details and colours even when the subject is in constant motion.
• AI Reflection Remover: Ensures pristine photos with no reflections from glass whether you are shooting a city scape from behind a window, or a sunset from a flight.
• AI Eraser 2.0: This feature eliminates photo bombers in a holiday photos or an unsightly object in the background to leave nothing but a picture-perfect memory

 Gen AI for everyday assistance

For students and India’s young workforce, the OPPO F29 Series packs several GenAI features that make productivity effortless. Its Documents app includes tools like AI Summary, AI Rewrite, and Extract Chart to make it an indispensable assistant for young professionals.

Its AI Toolbox 2.0 includes productivity features like Screen Translator, AI Writer, AI Reply and AI Recording Summary that can record office meetings—in English, Hindi and Tamil—as long as five hours and generate notes, summaries and transcripts. And OPPO’s proprietary AI Linkboost 2.0 tackles with weak network signals to provide smooth and stable connections.A New Era in Smartphones: OPPO F29 Series Celebrations Mark a Strong Entry into India

New Delhi, March 21, 2025: Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) (BSE: 532540, NSE: TCS), a global leader in IT services, consulting, and business solutions has partnered with The Cumberland Building Society in the UK to modernize its core banking ecosystem. Through this collaboration, TCS will deploy its state-of-the-art digital banking solution, TCS BaNCSTM for Core Banking, TCS Digital Home Lending Solution, and Quartz for Compliance, to drive innovation and operational efficiency.

Established in 1850, the Cumberland is among the UK’s top 10 Building Societies. The Cumberland manages assets worth £3.2 billion, with a mortgage lending portfolio of £2.6 billion across 31 branches in Cumbria, Northumberland, Lancashire, and southwest Scotland. The partnership with TCS will help Cumberland enhance its customer experience and future-proof its banking infrastructure. TCS will provide an integrated core banking ecosystem featuring TCS COIN™ (Co-Innovation Network™) and the TCS BaNCS Marketplace, enabling society to adopt cutting-edge third-party solutions. The Cumberland’s customers will benefit from greater flexibility in managing their finances, whether online, by phone, or in-branch.

Des Moore, Chief Executive at The Cumberland, said, “This partnership is about more than technology—it’s about aligning with a company that shares our values and commitment to customers, colleagues, and communities. For 175 years, our customers have been at the heart of everything we do. Ultimately, this transformation ensures we remain a strong and sustainable Society for the next 175 years. Our colleagues are excited to be working with TCS to provide a resilient modern banking solution for the benefit of our customers.”

By integrating TCS solutions and strategic third-party technologies, TCS will provide The Cumberland with a resilient and future-ready ecosystem that leverages Open Banking and Data Standards for fraud mitigation, customer communication management, and credit decisions.

Amit Kapur, Head of UK & Ireland, TCS said, “We are delighted to partner with The Cumberland on its ambitious transformation journey. Our proven solutions will help create a seamless, flexible digital banking experience and our partnership will reinforce operational resilience and efficiency to support The Cumberland’s continued success. This partnership reflects our strengthening presence in the building societies sector, which is built on our strong track record of providing transformative solutions to credit unions and other financial services organizations across the UK.”

TCS supports five of the top 10 building societies in the UK, with 20 British financial institutions now leveraging TCS BaNCSTM. This solution has enabled these institutions to modernize legacy systems, improve member experience, and drive operational agility. By leveraging cloud-native, API-driven, and AI-powered banking solutions, TCS is helping UK building societies transition to a more resilient and future-ready banking model while ensuring compliance with evolving regulatory standards.

TCS set up operations in the UK 50 years ago and now works with 200 of the region’s best-known and most-loved businesses, including around half of the FTSE100. With its deep industry expertise and an employee strength of 24,000 people in the UK and Ireland, TCS holds a leadership position in software and IT services in the market. It has also been ranked the number one IT service provider for customer satisfaction in an independent survey of CIOs of the largest IT spending organizations in the UK.

New Delhi, 21 March 2025: EY, the leading professional services organization, announced the winners of ‘Techathon 5.0: Harnessing AI to transform Bharat’. This year’s EY Techathon 5.0 showcased students developing Generative AI (GenAI) based solutions to address real-world challenges in sectors such as education, healthcare, BPM/BPO, financial inclusion, and citizen services, thereby contributing to Bharat’s progress. With over 1.5 lakh+ individuals registering, the competition attracted more than 6,500 team submissions from colleges across the country.

Team CaseWizz (Siddharth Asthana, Sanyam Jhuria, and Ayush Sikarwal) from IIT Kharagpur bagged the winning trophy of EY Techathon 5.0 for showcasing their creatively designed AI-powered financial assistant names V.A.R.U.N (Voice Assistant for Rural Users’ Needs). Throughout the challenge, they consistently demonstrated innovative product design keeping customer at the centre, new age architecture drive approach, delivering tangible benefits to end users.

Team SE827 (Dastageer Siddiqui and Arun Bhattachrya) from Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT), Bhubaneswar secured the runner-up position for their exemplary work in developing Polyphen; an AI-powered mobile health platform for visiting physicians, that will enable efficient rural healthcare with online/offline patient registration, QR-based history access, and AI-driven chronic disease prediction.

The People’s Choice Award was clinched by team Catalyst (Tejaswini Atluri, Pabitha Kommineni, Rishik KNR, and Akshay Pulla) from Vallurupalli Nageswara Rao Vignana Jyothi Institute of Engineering & Technology, Telangana. The team garnered maximum number of votes from individuals and tech enthusiasts nationwide, who casted their votes for their most preferred entries in the competition.

Mahesh Makhija, Partner and Technology Consulting Leader, EY India, said, “As emerging technologies like GenAI reshape businesses, our focus remains on nurturing talent that can solve real-world challenges and propel India’s leadership on the global stage. EY Techathon exemplifies our commitment by fostering the next-generation leaders who can drive meaningful innovation. This year’s participants demonstrated not only a strong grasp of emerging technologies like GenAI but also the ability to apply them to solve real-world industry challenges. The ingenuity and problem-solving mindset of India’s tech professionals reinforce our belief in the country’s potential to shape the future of technology.”

Techathon is a key component of EY Technology Consulting’s undergraduate outreach program, aimed at nurturing and recruiting talented young professionals to join over 15,000 technologists and data scientists at EY in India.

Raghavendra Rengaswamy, Consulting Leader, EY Global Delivery Services (GDS) added, “EY Techathon 5.0 has been a remarkable showcase of talent, innovation, and problem-solving excellence. I congratulate the winners as well as the participants of the event. The creativity and depth of AI-driven solutions presented by them have been truly inspiring, demonstrating the potential to transform Bharat at scale. At EY GDS, we are committed to harnessing technology for meaningful impact, and this event reaffirms our dedication to driving AI-led innovation that shapes a smarter, more sustainable future. The passion and ingenuity displayed here today are a testament to the limitless possibilities when technology and purpose come together.”

The winners were announced at the Grand Finale held in Bengaluru, where an independent jury evaluated the solutions presented by the shortlisted finalists. The jury comprised Abhijit Khasnis, VP Technology, HealthifyMe; A. Prashanth, Executive Director, Bosch Mobility Platform & Solutions, India; Debashis Singh, Chief Information Officer, Persistent Systems; Dr. Harsha Rajaram, CEO, Aster Digital Health, India; Praveen Shrikhande, Chief Digital and Information Officer, Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Ltd.; Rakesh Bhardwaj, Global CIO, Lupin; Mohua Sengupta, GCC Leader; Alok Gupta, Chief Solutions and Product Officer, EkStep; Shashidhar Lingaraj, Executive Director and Head, Arcolab; Sudeep Dey, Chief Information Officer, Healthcare Global Enterprises Limited; Sajid Ahmed, Technology Leader; along with Mahesh Makhija, Partner and Technology Consulting Leader, EY India and Raghavendra Rengaswamy, Consulting Leader, EY GDS.

The winning team received a cash prize of INR 3,00,000 while the runner-up team was awarded INR 2,00,000. The winners will also receive mentorship by EY Leadership to develop strategic solutions for global enterprises.