HMD Launches Music-Focused Feature Phones, Partners with Rajasthan Royals
New Delhi, 4th April 2025: Human Mobile Devices today announced the launch of its latest feature phones the HMD 130 Music and HMD 150 Music, with dedicated music controls, especially designed for the Music lovers. The mobile brand is providing 1-year’s replacement guarantee on both the phones. This development marks a significant milestone in the company’s commitment to providing innovative mobile solutions for the Indian market at an unparalleled price point. The event saw the presence of Kumar Sangakkara, Director of Cricket, Rajasthan Royals, who joined HMD’s VP and CEO – India and APAC, Ravi Kunwar, to unveil the new products and discuss how HMD’s innovation-driven ethos aligns with the Royals’ tech-forward and sustainability-led approach both on and off the field.
Being the loudest feature phones HMD 130 Music and HMD 150 Music deliver superior audio, long-lasting battery life, and a stylish design and are available in trendy colours such as Blue, Dark Grey & Red for HMD 130 and Light Blue, Purple & Grey for HMD 150 Music
Key Features:
- Enhanced & Loud Audio Experience: A large rear speaker ensures clear and immersive sound quality for music and hands-free calls, complemented by dedicated music buttons for effortless control and inbox earphones.
- Long-Lasting Battery: A powerful 2500mAh removable battery supporting Type C Fast Charging with an inbox charger and providing -up to 50 hours of music playback and an impressive 36 days of standby time
- Durable & Stylish Design: Reinforced corners and a scratch-resistant screen make these devices sturdy for everyday use, with a dual flashlight on HMD 130 Music for added convenience
- Multiple Entertainment Options: Wireless & Wired FM radio, FM Recording, Bluetooth 5.0, and SD card expansion up to 32GB for personalized music storage
- UPI Payment: HMD 130 Music is supported with built-in UPI payment capabilities and HMD 150 Music comes with scan and pay feature allowing users to make and receive payments using a simplified interface
- Phone Talker: a Text to speech solution in Hindi & English language making it easier to use the device
Renewing the Winning Partnership with Rajasthan Royals
Strengthening its commitment to cricket, HMD also has extended its partnership with the Rajasthan Royals as their official smartphone partner for IPL, 2025. This collaboration underscores HMD’s dedication to engaging with Indian consumers through their passion for cricket while continuing to offer digital solutions to their consumers
Commenting on the launch, Ravi Kunwar, VP and CEO, HMD India and APAC said, “At HMD, we understand the diverse needs of Indian consumers, from those seeking reliable feature phones to those embracing the latest in smartphone technology. With the launch of the HMD 130 and HMD 150 Music, we continue our commitment to offering durable, long-lasting devices that provide an exceptional mobile experience, particularly for first-time users. Additionally, we are excited to announce that we will soon be coming out with our entry-level 5G smartphone, bringing high-speed connectivity to a wider audience.
We are also proud to renew our partnership with the Rajasthan Royals, reinforcing our engagement with Indian consumers through their passion for cricket. We look forward to our second innings of a fruitful association.”
Commenting on the partnership renewal, Alok Chitre, Chief Business Officer, Rajasthan Royals commented, we understand the diverse needs of Indian consumers, from those seeking reliable feature phones to those embracing the latest in smartphone technology. With the launch of the HMD 130 and HMD 150 Music, we continue our commitment to offering durable, long-lasting devices that provide an exceptional mobile experience, particularly for first-time users. Additionally, we are excited to announce our first entry-level 5G smartphone, bringing high-speed connectivity to a wider audience. Additionally, we are also proud to renew our partnership with the Rajasthan Royals, reinforcing our engagement with Indian consumers through their passion for cricket. We look forward to our second innings of a fruitful association.
The HMD 130 and HMD 150 Music phones will be available at an affordable price, across leading retail stores in India, on HMD.com and through various e-commerce platforms
Stay tuned for more details on the smartphone’s pricing, availability, and the exciting milestones HMD has planned for 2025.
Lakmē Academy Partners with L’Amour Institute for International Training Program
INDIA, April 4, 2025: Lakmē Academy Powered by Aptech, India’s leading beauty training institute, today announces its collaboration with L’Amour Institute of Beauty, Dubai with an exclusive International Pathway Program for its students and future beauty and wellness aspirants. The International Pathway Program offers immersive training in Dubai’s beauty hub, covering modules on Special Effects makeup (SFX), face and body painting, and international bridal techniques.
In addition to exposure to Dubai’s dynamic beauty landscape, this exclusively curated program provides hands-on training from leading industry experts of L’Amour Institute of Beauty, Dubai and Lakmē Academy Powered by Aptech professionals for portfolio development, and equipping students for high demand, high-profile career roles such as global bridal artists, SFX specialists, or beauty entrepreneurs.
Eligibility
For eligibility, this program is open to Advanced Makeup, Cosmetology, and Global trends students of Lakmē Academy Powered by Aptech, certified beauty professionals from other institutes, as well as the beauty & wellness community at large* who are well-versed with advanced knowledge and the technical know-how of beauty, hair, makeup, and cosmetology.
Unparalleled Career Benefits
Students of this program are designed to be industry-ready professionals, equipped with advanced skills, global exposure, and hands-on experience to excel in various high-demand beauty, fashion, and entertainment sectors. Students gain expertise in high-end editorial looks, runway trends, and celebrity styling. Those specialising in international bridal makeup can master diverse cultural techniques and premium artistry for destination weddings and high-profile clientele. The program also provides in-depth training in creative and SFX makeup, preparing aspirants for a career in film, television, theatre, and special effects.
Additionally, aspiring entrepreneurs develop the knowledge and confidence to launch their own beauty ventures, from independent studios to global brands, ensuring they are prepared to succeed in the competitive beauty industry.
Mr. Sandip Weling, Chief Business Officer, Global Retail Business, Aptech Limited & Brand Custodian Lakmē Academy Powered by Aptech, said, “Our new International Pathway Program is more than just a course, it is designed to be a launchpad for our students aspiring to have global careers in beauty & SFX. By introducing this transformative and immersive learning program, we aim to create new opportunities for Indian beauty professionals to shine on the global level; training them with the necessary skills, expertise, and credentials needed to excel in today’s dynamic luxury beauty, entertainment and fashion industries.”
Mr. Suresh Madhavan, Managing Director, L’Amour Institute of Beauty, said, “The UAE, particularly Dubai, offers unparalleled career opportunities for beauty professionals. With its ultra-high-net-worth clientele, thriving luxury market, and world-class beauty infrastructure, Dubai is the perfect destination for students to refine their craft, expand their network, and step into the global beauty industry. The international pathway program is a stepping stone for beauty professionals looking to establish international careers allowing aspirants to refine their skills at Dubai’s premier beauty hub, learning from renowned industry experts.”
A first-of-its-kind program that goes beyond traditional beauty courses, the International Pathway Program directly connects ambitious students to international markets and unlock global career opportunities. With India’s beauty industry set to grow from $8.1 billion in 2023 to $18.4 billion by 2032, this initiative ensures beauty professionals are job-ready for high-growth careers.
Lakmē Academy powered by Aptech has won: Best Professional Beauty Training institute of the Year’ at ASSOCHAM’s 3rd Beauty, Wellness and Personal care Awards, 2020. It also won the Global Education Awards 2019 for ‘The Best Beauty & Wellness Training Institute of the Year’. Aptech Ltd was also awarded the “Skill Learning Award – Beauty Training” by Franchise India in 2018.
Howden India Appoints Saurabh Verma as Chief Business Officer
Mumbai, 1st April 2025: Howden is pleased to announce the appointment of Saurabh Verma as the Chief Business Officer for its India operations. With nearly 25 years of extensive experience in the insurance industry, Saurabh brings a wealth of expertise and leadership to the Howden India team. In his new position, Saurabh will be in charge of promoting regional growth and strengthening client connections.
Saurabh has held several key leadership positions in the past, including President & Head – Sales (CRS) and Strategic Account Management at Aon, Executive Vice President and Geography Leader at Willis Towers Watson, Practice Leader for Renewable Energy at Willis Towers Watson, and Regional Head at Chola MS GICL. His proven track record in building high-performing teams and developing market-leading risk solutions will be invaluable to Howden India.
Amit Agarwal, CEO of Howden India, stated “We are excited to welcome Saurabh to team Howden! His new perspective will undoubtedly enhance our growth trajectory. Moreover, Saurabh is a great fit for Howden’s culture and will play a pivotal role in fostering an exceptional workplace environment for our people.”
Saurabh Verma, Chief Business Officer, commented “I am excited and look forward to contributing to Howden India’s growth. Two and a half decades of my professional experience have taught me to stay continuously invested in forming exceptional teams that seek collaboration, operational brilliance, and client-centric solutions. As Chief Business Officer, I will further Howden’s unique endeavour to be an employer of choice and foster culture of empowerment and ownership.”
Saurabh holds a BE in Mechanical Engineering, an MBA in Marketing & Systems, and is a Fellow of the Insurance Institute of India (FII).
Birla Opus Paints Teams Up with JioHotstar for Indian Colours League IPL 2025
India, 24 March, Mumbai: Cricket is more than just a game; it’s an emotion that unites millions, especially in India. After the massive celebrations following the ICC Champions Trophy victory, the excitement of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 has taken over the nation. Birla Opus Paints, part of Grasim Industries under the Aditya Birla Group, announced its partnership with JioHotstar, adding its own vibrant touch to the tournament. The much-loved paint brand in India is a key partner of TATA IPL 2025.
In a unique strategy to engage IPL enthusiasts across the globe, Birla Opus Paints is introducing the Indian Colours League, a campaign that captures the true spirit of the IPL while bringing to life the brand’s philosophy of Duniya Ko Rang Do. This initiative showcases that even in rivalry, there is camaraderie, unity, and the potential to craft a legacy.
Every IPL match sees two franchise teams go head-to-head, but this time, the iconic colours that define these teams will do more than just represent them. Inspired by the idea that colours, like cricket, have the power to tell stories, Birla Opus Paints has created the Indian Colours League, where the colours of the two competing teams will dynamically fuse to form a new and exclusive shade. This new shade will not only embody the essence of their clash but also reflect their history, intensity, energy, and camaraderie. Before every match the players from opposing IPL teams will talk about what their team’s colours mean to them and as they speak, their team colours will blend dynamically to become a new, one-of-a-kind Birla Opus Paints’ shade that represents the essence of their match.
Talking about the association, Inderpreet Singh, Head – Marketing, Birla Opus Paints said, “At Birla Opus Paints, we believe in the transformative power of colours. This IPL season, through the Indian Colours League, we’re blending the colours of the rival teams in each match to celebrate camaraderie and legacy. This IPL season, we invite fans to witness the magic that happens when colours fuse – because both in cricket and in life, every interaction has the power to create something truly unforgettable.”
Ishan Chatterjee, Chief Business Officer, Sports Revenue, SMB & Creator, JioStar said, “At JioHotstar, we are always looking for ways to push the boundaries of fan engagement, and the Indian Colours League does just that. Cricket and colours both have a deep emotional connection with people, and this campaign beautifully brings them together. By blending the worlds of cricket and colour, we are offering fans an experience that goes beyond the game, turning every match into a visual spectacle. We are excited to partner with Birla Opus Paints to make IPL 2025 more immersive and unforgettable for millions of cricket lovers.”
Sachin Kamble, Chief Creative Officer, Leo – South Asia, said, “Cricket isn’t just a game – it’s a canvas of passion, sportsmanship, emotion, camaraderie just like the colours that represents each team and their winning spirit. Indian Colours League leverages this aspect of IPL. Just how competitiveness blends with friendship resulting in a good game, two colours come together to create another beautiful shade, the colour that stands for unity bringing the country together.”
Indian Colours League has been co-conceptualised by Birla Opus Paints, Leo India and Wavemaker India in partnership with JioHotstar.
Every unique shade born from these high-energy matchups is more than just a blend, it is a carefully crafted identity that reflects the spirit of its origin, paying tribute to the teams, cities, and cultures they represent. Just as every match is a unique battle, every clash of colours results in something new and exciting—a shade that represents not just competition, but also the deep respect and shared love for the game. Through this thoughtful approach, every match leaves behind a colour-coded legacy, a unique shade that fans will associate with that specific clash forever.
Bolt on Swiggy Partners with Domino’s for 10-Minute Pizza Delivery
Hyderabad, 3rd March, 2025: (Swiggy Ltd, NSE: SWIGGY / BSE: 544285), India’s pioneering on-demand convenience platform, has announced a strategic partnership between Bolt, its quick food delivery service, and Domino’s, one of the country’s most beloved pizza brands. Customers can now enjoy Domino’s signature “Hot & Fresh” pizzas along with a host of other delicacies, with the convenience of Swiggy Bolt’s seamless ordering experience. The deliveries will be managed through Domino’s last-mile network.
With this partnership, Domino’s menu items will be available on Bolt, providing customers with a wide selection of their favorite pizzas, sides, and beverages ordering, delivered in just 10 minutes. Domino’s features prominently within the Bolt section of the Swiggy app, with priority visibility and a dedicated Bolt tag inside the menu, making it easier than ever for customers to discover and order their favorite items in record time. While delivery will be taken care of by Domino’s fleet, customers are set to benefit from real-time tracking, a streamlined ordering process, and a hassle-free checkout experience.
Bolt on Swiggy features a selection of highly popular cuisine types like burgers, snacks, bakery items, beverages, sweets, ice creams, breakfast items, and biryani that require minimum preparation time or are ready to pack. Customers can choose from a mix of well-known national brands like Theobroma, KFC, Subway, Faasos, Curefoods, McDonald’s, and Burger King.
Commenting on the partnership, Siddharth Bhakoo, Chief Business Officer, Swiggy Food Marketplace, added, “Bolt on Swiggy Food is designed to provide unparalleled speed and convenience to customers across India. Our partnership with Domino’s further reinforces our commitment to delivering high-quality food quickly, while ensuring a seamless and enjoyable experience for our users. Now, our customers can enjoy hot, freshly prepared pizzas and other popular offerings from Domino’s Pizza delivered at their doorstep quickly. We thank Domino’s Pizza for choosing to partner with us and look forward to joining hands with more brands to get high-quality food to our customers.”
Sameer Batra, President and Chief Business Officer (CBO), Domino’s, said, “I am excited to announce Domino’s launch on Bolt on Swiggy across the country. Bolt on Swiggy Food and Domino’s have partnered to enable our customers to experience their favorite ‘Hot & Fresh’ Domino’s products at the convenience of their doorstep via Domino’s deep last-mile infrastructure and unique technical integration with Swiggy. I thank the Swiggy leadership team for the joint effort and agility.”
CrowdStrike Falcon Cloud Security Supported on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure
BENGALURU, India – Feb. 27, 2025 – CrowdStrike today announced it is bringing the power of CrowdStrike Falcon® Cloud Security to Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI).
Cloud intrusions increased 75% last year, highlighting the challenges security teams face with an expanding cloud attack surface and the increasing complexity of managing numerous disjointed tools. Stopping cloud breaches requires a modern platform that unifies visibility and protection across every attack path in today’s hybrid and multi-cloud environments. Falcon Cloud Security combines advanced cloud detection and response (CDR) capabilities with the most comprehensive CNAPP on the market. It provides customers with a single, unified platform that helps secure applications, data, identities, AI models and SaaS environments across all major cloud providers, delivering complete multi-cloud protection.
“Organizations need a unified platform for cloud security – not a patchwork of solutions that fail to stop threats,” said Daniel Bernard, chief business officer, CrowdStrike. “Today’s cloud security landscape is fragmented, forcing businesses to manage too many point products that increase costs, complexity and risk. CrowdStrike and Oracle are changing that. With Falcon Cloud Security supported on OCI, organizations get one platform for complete cloud protection.”
“Security should never be an afterthought especially in this rapidly evolving AI landscape,” said Mahesh Thiagarajan, executive vice president, Oracle Cloud Infrastructure. “With Flacon Cloud Security supported on OCI, customers gain access to a unified platform to help secure cloud workloads.”
CrowdStrike Hits INR 1B in AWS Marketplace Sales
BENGALURU, India. February 27, 2025 – CrowdStrike announced it is the first cloud-native cybersecurity independent software vendor (ISV) to exceed $1 billion in sales through AWS Marketplace within a calendar year. This milestone underscores the ease and simplicity of AWS Marketplace – a curated digital catalog that customers can use to find, subscribe to, deploy and govern third-party software, data and services to build solutions and run their businesses – and the growing demand for cybersecurity consolidation on the CrowdStrike Falcon® platform.
As the threat landscape becomes increasingly complex and sophisticated, organizations are looking to consolidate disparate cybersecurity tools and processes into a single platform to bolster their security posture and improve operational efficiencies. With the CrowdStrike Falcon® cybersecurity platform in AWS Marketplace, customers can more easily procure and deploy solutions to consolidate point products and secure their organizations across the entire attack surface while running on the most flexible and secure cloud computing environment available today.
“The market continues to send a clear message – many of the world’s most innovative companies build their cloud businesses on AWS and secure them with CrowdStrike,” said Daniel Bernard, Chief Business Officer, CrowdStrike. “CrowdStrike’s unprecedented traction in AWS Marketplace is a testament to our strategy and execution, aligning the CrowdStrike partner go-to-market ecosystem to leverage AWS Marketplace in driving Falcon platform adoption at scale. Together with AWS, we look forward to bringing the power of the Falcon platform to even more organizations worldwide, across industries and market segments.”
In October 2023, CrowdStrike became the first cloud-native cybersecurity ISV to exceed $1 billion of software sales through AWS Marketplace, less than six years after CrowdStrike first made the Falcon platform available in AWS Marketplace. From January 1, 2024 to December 31, 2024, CrowdStrike exceeded $1 billion in AWS Marketplace sales. CrowdStrike’s network of partners, which includes leading resellers, system integrators, distributors and managed services providers are also able to drive sales in AWS Marketplace, empowering partners to deliver seamless, scalable and industry-leading cybersecurity solutions to customers worldwide on their preferred cloud platform.
Growth points highlighting CrowdStrike’s year-over-year (YoY) business traction in AWS Marketplace include:
- 91% YoY global sales growth
- 48% YoY Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) sales growth
- 136% YoY global public sector sales growth
- 3,548% YoY global growth in distributor sales
- CrowdStrike’s deals average 4x larger when transacted in AWS Marketplace
- AWS Marketplace customers use an average of 7 CrowdStrike Falcon platform modules
“AWS Marketplace continues to be the go-to-destination for AWS customers to procure, deploy, and govern IT solutions to innovate and scale their business,” said Ruba Borno, Vice President, Global Specialists and Partners, AWS. “CrowdStrike’s achievement of $1B in revenue through AWS Marketplace in 2024 underscores the value of the Falcon platform in helping customers innovate faster with greater confidence in their security. This milestone marks another step in our continued partnership with CrowdStrike to help organizations build, operate, and secure their business.”
This milestone follows a strategic collaboration agreement the two companies announced in 2024 that included Amazon unifying its cybersecurity protection on the CrowdStrike Falcon® platform and CrowdStrike expanding its use of AWS services, including Amazon Bedrock and Amazon SageMaker, to build and deploy custom models, such as Charlotte AI. Charlotte AI is CrowdStrike’s generative AI agentic security analyst that benefits from the scalability, flexibility, and resiliency of AWS while helping customers meet stringent security requirements for generative AI usage.
CrowdStrike was named the AWS 2024 Global Security Partner of the Year, AWS North America Marketplace Partner of the Year, AWS MENA Technology Partner of the Year, and AWS LATAM Public Sector Technology Partner of the Year – recognizing its critical role in helping customers secure innovation built on AWS.
Supporting Quotes
“Our cyber security transformation journey is focused on people, processes and technology. We have made significant changes in our technology stack and focused on proven market leaders in their respective areas such as CrowdStrike and AWS for secure cloud capabilities,” said Kostas Georgakopoulos, Chief Information Security and Technical Officer, Mondelez International. “Through AWS Marketplace, we selected CrowdStrike and have consolidated our cybersecurity stack on the Falcon platform. This transformation has eliminated immeasurable amounts of operational complexity and sunk costs. Together, AWS and CrowdStrike have transformed not just our cloud and cybersecurity strategies, but the way we do business.”
“As organizations move more critical infrastructure to AWS, security and how customers procure it, cannot be an afterthought; it must evolve alongside them,” said Conor Waddell, SVP of Integrated Technology Solutions at CDW. “From infrastructure to endpoints, CDW is committed to providing global organizations with seamless, intelligent security that adapts to change, without adding complexity or slowing down operations. By combining CrowdStrike’s industry-leading threat protection with our deep cloud expertise – bolstered by our recent Mission Cloud acquisition – and the power of the AWS Marketplace, CDW ensures customers have frictionless access to the end-to-end security they need to operate with confidence.”
“This milestone cements how AWS and CrowdStrike are transforming the channel ecosystem. CrowdStrike has demonstrated that when a market-leading ISV and channel partners collaborate through AWS Marketplace, they win customers faster and drive larger, high-value deals,” said Jay McBain, Chief Analyst at Canalys. “Surpassing $1 billion in annual sales highlights the surging demand for unified, cloud-native security platforms that simplify operations, enhance protection, and deliver measurable ROI in the AI era. This is a pivotal moment for both CrowdStrike and AWS as they redefine how cybersecurity vendors and partners go to market – fueling innovation, security, and growth in the cloud.”
BHIM Joins Fintech Yatra to Boost Financial Inclusion
Chandigarh, 22 January 2025: BHIM, India’s flagship digital payments app powered by NPCI BHIM Services Limited (NBSL) has joined forces with The FinTech Yatra 2025 as a Principal Partner. The FinTech Yatra is a 10,000 km long epic road journey aimed at identifying, understanding and catalysing players in financial services across India. This strategic collaboration aims to accelerate India’s digital payment revolution by empowering communities and fostering financial inclusion.
As a part of this partnership, more than 200 individuals from select NGOs will be trained under a train-the-trainer model, equipping them with knowledge and tools to spread digital payment awareness. By empowering trainers at the grassroots level, this initiative ensures that the benefits of digital payments reach the most underserved and remote areas of the country.
Speaking on the partnership, Rahul Handa, Chief Business Officer, NBSL, said, “BHIM’s partnership with Fintech Yatra 2025 is an important step towards bridging the digital divide and educating citizens about secure and efficient digital payment solutions. This initiative aligns with our mission to create a financially inclusive and digitally empowered India. We are excited about the opportunities this partnership brings to strengthen the fintech ecosystem.”
The FinTech Yatra 2025 is a movement to make India digitally independent. It is a platform that enables connection between innovation providers like start-ups and innovation seekers like financial institutions, venture capitalists and large corporates. By visiting multiple cities, engaging with fintech innovators, and collaborating with platforms like BHIM, the Yatra is set to amplify the adoption of seamless and secure digital payments across the nation.
Abhishant Pant, Founder of The FinTech Meetup, added, “Our partnership with BHIM brings a transformative element to this year’s Yatra. BHIM’s proven leadership in the UPI ecosystem ensures that financial inclusion is not just a vision but a reality for millions across the nation. Together, we aim to empower every Indian to embrace the digital economy. Our endeavor has been to support early stage fintech founders with idea validation, network support and guidance around venture capital, so that they become a catalyst to push for more digital adoption in financial services.”