At just 18, the motorsport talent from Sundernagar, Himachal Pradesh, takes on one of the world’s highest-altitude rallies, conquering extreme Himalayan terrain.
Sundernagar (Himachal Pradesh) [India], October 2: Eighteen-year-old Shriya Lohia has made her mark in Indian motorsports by becoming the youngest racer to participate in the 4W Extreme category of the Rally of Himalayas 2026, securing two podium finishes in one of the most challenging off-road rally events.
Held from 26 to 30 September 2026, the rally traversed the rugged landscapes of Zanskar in Ladakh and Spiti in Himachal Pradesh. Recognised as one of the world’s highest-altitude rallies, the event took competitors to elevations ranging from 11,000 to 17,000 feet, testing their driving skills, endurance and mental resilience in extreme conditions.
Conquering the Extreme Himalayan Terrain
The 4W Extreme category saw 30 cars line up at the start, but the demanding terrain and harsh conditions proved challenging, with only 18 vehicles managing to complete the rally.
Navigating steep mountain passes, rocky trails, loose gravel, river crossings and unpredictable weather, Shriya competed against experienced rally drivers, demonstrating exceptional vehicle control, adaptability and determination. Her two podium finishes at the age of 18 mark a significant milestone in her motorsport career.
A Versatile Young Motorsport Talent
Shriya began her motorsport journey at the age of nine and has since developed experience in karting, Formula racing, drifting and international competitions. A recipient of the Pradhan MantriRashtriya Bal Puraskar 2022, she has consistently explored new challenges across different motorsport disciplines.
Moving from circuit racing to extreme off-road rallying requires a completely different set of skills, including navigating unpredictable terrain, managing vehicle performance and making quick decisions in demanding environments. Her participation in the Rally of Himalayas reflects her versatility and willingness to push beyond her comfort zone.
Inspiring the Next Generation
As a young woman competing in a traditionally male-dominated motorsport discipline, Shriya’s journey represents growing opportunities for women in Indian motorsports. Her performance also brings recognition to Sundernagar and Himachal Pradesh, a region whose mountainous landscape provided the backdrop for this extraordinary challenge.
At just 18, Shriya Lohia continues to expand her horizons in motorsport, with her experience at the Rally of Himalayas 2026 adding a memorable chapter to her racing journey.
Her achievement stands as an inspiration for young aspiring racers, demonstrating how passion, perseverance and determination can open doors to some of the world’s most challenging sporting arenas.
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Pt. Ved Prakash Dadhich Honored with ‘Bankat Bihari ‘Pagal’ – Kalpana Smriti Samman’; Dr. K.L. Jain Attends as Chief Guest, Professor Dr. Chinmay Shesh Mehta as Guest of Honor
Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], October 2: It is said that poets never truly depart; they live on through their words. This sentiment resonated deeply on the evening of October 2, 2026, as the Bhairon Singh Auditorium at the Rajasthan Chamber Bhawan (near Ajmeri Gate) shimmered with the radiance of poetry.
The occasion marked the ninth death anniversary of the late Bankat Bihari ‘Pagal’ Ji, and ‘Veena Maa Music’ transformed the event into a heartfelt tribute titled the ‘Jhilmil Kavi Sammelan’ (Shimmering Poetry Gathering).
Dr. K.L. Jain, President of the Rajasthan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI), graced the event as the Chief Guest. Professor Dr. Chinmay Shesh Mehta—an ethnic designer associated with ‘Chokhi Dhani’ and a former Dean at the University of Rajasthan—adorned the stage as the Guest of Honor. Former Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Ashok Gehlot, sent his best wishes for the program from Mumbai. The Munch Sanchalan was conducted with poise and dignity by Dr. Santosh Charan.
An Honor Dedicated to Two Souls
The most poignant moment of the gathering arrived when senior poet Pt. Ved Prakash Dadhich was honored with the ‘Bankat Bihari ‘Pagal’ – Kalpana Smriti Samman’ in recognition of his enduring dedication to the fields of literature and poetry. This award was not merely a tribute to an individual, but a salute to the unwavering love and literary legacy shared by the late Bankat Bihari and his wife, the late Kalpana.
When Poetry Captivated the Audience
Poet after poet took the stage, and the entire auditorium resonated with applause, words of appreciation, and teary eyes. More than 30 renowned poets from Jaipur—including Pragya Srivastava, Rajni Shree Bedi, Bhanu Bhardwaj, Vinay Kumar, Surekha Mittal, Gopal Singh Raghav, Archana Bhatnagar, Mukesh Saxena, Qasim Bikaneri, P.K. Mast, and Pt. Ved Prakash Dadhich—revived the literary journey of ‘Kavi Pagal’ through their compositions. The presence of the city’s literature enthusiasts and dignitaries made the evening truly unforgettable.
This successful event was the result of months of hard work and heartfelt effort by Prashansa Srivastava (Founder of Veena Maa Music), Director Ritesh Srivastava, and their entire team; the organization expressed its sincere gratitude to everyone involved.
Poets (Male and Female)
- Dr. Nisha Mathur (Saraswati Vandana)
- Prashansa Srivastava
- Rajni Shree Bedi
- Bhanu Bhardwaj
- Vinay Kumar (Ankush)
- Surekha Mittal
- Gopal Singh Raghav
- Badal Songara
- Archana Bhatnagar
- Pragya Srivastava ‘Pragyanjali’
- Mukesh Saxena
- Bhagwan Sahay Pareek
- Varun Chaturvedi
- Veenu Sharma
- Kamlesh Upadhyay
- Rajesh Bhatnagar
- P. K. Mast
- Nirupama Chaturvedi
- Sunita Meena
- Rajesh Rajua
- Kanhaiya Lal
- Shobha Chandar
- Hemant Kumawat
- Sakaar Srivastava
- Amit Azad
- Umesh Utsahi
- Abdul Gaffar
- Gyanvati Saxena
- Krishna Kumar Saini
- Anu Sharma ‘Gargi Ji’
- Pt. Ved Prakash Dadhich (Kalpana Smriti Samman)
- Dr. Santosh Charan (Munch Sanchalan)
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]]>Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], October 2: What if a hospital could recognise that a patient’s condition was starting to deteriorate before a conventional alarm became the first warning? And what if a doctor reaching the bedside could see at once how that patient’s physiology had been changing, instead of piecing together scattered numbers, charts and observations?
That is the problem Bengaluru-based ASTA HealthTech is trying to solve. The company is developing an India-built Physiological Pattern Learning Model (PPLM), designed to help hospitals move from reactive patient monitoring towards predictive clinical intelligence. It continuously interprets how vital signs change over time and converts those signals into actionable clinical context.
Monitors Show Numbers. Patterns Tell the Story.
Almost every modern ICU, recovery unit and monitored ward already generates a flood of data: heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, respiratory rate, ECG waveforms. Yet clinicians care for several patients at once, and conventional alarms typically fire only when a predefined threshold is crossed. Deterioration, however, does not always begin with one dramatic number. It can begin as a pattern.
ASTA’s PPLM is built around that insight. Rather than waiting for a single vital sign to breach a limit, it evaluates physiological trajectories across heart rate, SpO₂, blood pressure and respiratory rate, looking for meaningful deterioration patterns and providing evidence-linked clinical context.
ASTA says the system can also offer guarded forecasts of vital signs, including short-term
+15 and +30-minute trajectories with uncertainty displayed. It is designed to keep observations, trained scores, forecasts and model reasoning clearly separate. That distinction matters. ASTA is clinical decision support, not an autonomous diagnosis system. The doctor remains the decision-maker.
No New Monitors Required
The most practical part of ASTA’s approach is its deployment model. Hospitals are not asked to replace their existing bedside monitors. Instead, an intelligent camera faces the monitor, not the patient, and computer vision converts the displayed vital signs into structured,
time-stamped data. For this monitor-reading layer, ASTA says no proprietary API or hardware connection is required.
ASTA reports that its technology has been trained on 100+ million labelled monitor frames, supports 15+ monitor OEM brands, and is deployed across 10+ hospitals in India. By working with existing hospital equipment, ASTA aims to make advanced clinical decision support more accessible without costly infrastructure replacement.
Giving Time Back to Clinicians
The larger story, however, is human. Doctors should spend their expertise on patients, clinical judgement and treatment decisions, not on searching for data. Nurses should spend
their time caring for patients rather than manually observing, recording and communicating routine information.
ASTA‘s vision is an intelligent layer across monitored beds that continuously captures and structures vital information, identifies meaningful changes and helps direct attention to the patients who may need it most.
“ASTA isn’t trying to replace clinicians with AI,” the company says. “We are trying to give clinicians something healthcare desperately needs: time, context and earlier visibility.”
Imagine a ward where technology watches the numbers continuously so that healthcare professionals can concentrate on the human being behind them. AI handles continuous observation. Clinicians provide the judgement. Patients receive the attention.
Made in India. Built for the World.
ASTA HealthTech is led by a multidisciplinary founding team combining technology, clinical expertise, AI, and business leadership. Dr. Vikram Paramasivan, CEO & Co-Founder, brings 15+ years of enterprise technology experience; Dr. Kumaresh Krishnamoorthy, CMO & Co-Founder, brings 20+ years of clinical expertise as an ENT surgeon; Adyanta Dubey, CTO & Co-Founder, leads AI, robotics, machine learning, and technical development; and Varun Singh, Co-Founder & Chief Business Officer, drives partnerships, market access, and commercial execution with 17 years of global business experience.
Together, they bring the expertise needed to build and scale intelligent, hospital-ready healthcare technology.
ASTA’s development is linked with India’s innovation ecosystem, with support cited from AIC-SEED, MeitY Startup Hub, IISER Pune and NIT Andhra Pradesh. For decades, India has supplied the world with doctors, nurses, engineers and software professionals. The next export may be healthcare intelligence developed at home, reaching not only premium hospitals but eventually healthcare systems across emerging and developed markets.
The company’s mission is simple: no clinically meaningful change should go unnoticed just because nobody had time to connect the dots. The future hospital should not merely collect patient data. It should understand patterns, help clinicians recognise deterioration sooner and reduce the information burden, so that doctors and nurses have more time to be doctors and nurses.
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Shirdi Sai Baba Foundation Founder Aushim Khetrapal Felicitates ‘Hanuman Ansh’ Team
New Delhi [India], October 2: Shri Aushim Khetrapal, maker of ‘Shirdi Sai Baba’, Founder and Managing Trustee of the Shirdi Sai Baba Foundation and Founder of the Sai Baba Peace Awards, felicitated the cast, creators and makers of ‘Hanuman Ansh’ with a ‘Citation of Honour’ at a special ceremony held at Gandhi Smriti, New Delhi. Organised by the Shirdi Sai Baba Foundation in association with Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samiti (GSDS), the ceremony celebrated cinema’s role in promoting spirituality, devotion and India’s rich cultural heritage.
The event was graced by Shri Vijay Goel, Hon’ble Vice Chairman of Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samiti, Shri Bhausaheb Rajaram Wakchaure, Member of Parliament from Shirdi Lok Sabha constituency, Aushim Khetrapal, Founder of Shirdi Sai Baba Foundation, and Sanjana Jon, International Strategist for the Sai Baba Peace Awards. The ‘Hanuman Ansh’ team present at the ceremony included director Vishal Chaturvedi, lead actor Shobhinaw Satya, young actor Vihaan Shegde, who portrays Baba at the age of 14, and producers Namrata and Ragini Sona.
Speaking on the occasion, Shri Aushim Khetrapal said, “Twenty-six years ago, we made ‘Shirdi Sai Baba’, a film based on the life of Shirdi Sai Baba, with the intention of creating awareness about his message and his vision of public welfare. Today, I am happy to see that the makers and team of ‘Hanuman Ansh’ have also created a film that inspires spiritual and religious consciousness among people. It is a deeply spiritual experience for me to honour the entire team of ‘Hanuman Ansh’ with the Citation of Honour. Cinema is not only a medium of entertainment; it can also play an important role in creating awareness about our spiritual and cultural heritage.”
Shri Vijay Goel said, “A film like ‘Hanuman Ansh’ certainly contributes towards creating religious and spiritual consciousness. The fact that the entire team is being honoured today at Gandhi Smriti makes this occasion even more meaningful. It is encouraging to see filmmakers and artists bringing stories inspired by India’s spiritual and cultural traditions to audiences through cinema.”
The felicitation recognised the collective efforts of the ‘Hanuman Ansh’ team in bringing a spiritually inspired story to the screen. Held at the historic Gandhi Smriti, the ceremony brought together filmmakers, cultural representatives and dignitaries in support of cinema that engages with India’s spiritual and cultural heritage.
The event concluded with Shri Aushim Khetrapal congratulating the team and extending his best wishes for the film.
]]>A first-time author turns a deeply personal journey of adversity, motherhood and rebuilding into a message of hope for women learning to choose themselves again
Panaji (Goa) [India], October 1: Some books emerge from imagination, while others grow from lived experience. For Development Professional, author and social-impact communication leader Sangeeta Anand, The Phoenix Mother: Born to Rise from the Ashes is deeply rooted in both her personal and professional journey. Sangeeta launched her debut book at the ICA Conclave 2026 in Goa, organised by the International Council of Authors, alongside Inspiring Jatin, Founder of the International Council of Authors. The launch marked an important milestone in her journey from navigating personal adversity to finding purpose and using her experiences to encourage other women.During ICA Conclave 2026, Sangeeta Anand was also honoured with an Author Award for her debut book The Phoenix Mother: Born to Rise from the Ashes, recognising her contribution as an author and marking another meaningful milestone in her writing journey.
At the heart of The Phoenix Mother is a question Sangeeta says she has had to confront through her own life: “Would I allow my circumstances to define me, or allow them to transform me?” The book draws from her experiences of violence, abuse, betrayal, financial hardship, divorce, single motherhood and shattered dreams, as well as more than two and a half decades of professional work with organisations and communities across the development sector.
However, The Phoenix Mother is not simply a memoir. It is written as a reflective and encouraging companion for women who may have become so accustomed to surviving difficult circumstances that they have lost touch with their own dreams, choices and sense of self.
The book introduces the idea of the Phoenix Mother as a symbol of resilience and renewal. For Sangeeta , she represents women who refuse to let difficult experiences become their identity, mothers who continue to care for their families while carrying invisible wounds, and those who gradually rediscover their strength and sense of possibility.
Across 30 chapters, the book explores themes including childhood, identity, dreams, relationships, motherhood, abuse, faith, forgiveness, courage, purpose and new beginnings. She also encourages readers to pause and reflect on experiences and beliefs that may have shaped the way they see themselves and their future.
Beyond personal reflection, The Phoenix Mother includes Phoenix Reflections, Phoenix Mantras and Phoenix Healing Practices, which provide readers with exercises and prompts to engage with the themes explored throughout the book. These elements are designed to encourage self-reflection, challenge limiting beliefs and help readers consider new possibilities for their lives.
One of the book’s central ideas is that healing does not necessarily mean erasing the past. Instead, it can involve acknowledging what happened while choosing not to let those experiences determine what comes next. She also explores the connection between a mother’s wellbeing and the emotional environment of the family, expressed through the book’s message: “When a mother heals, a family heals.”
Speaking about the book, Sangeeta said: “The Phoenix Mother was born from a question I have lived with for much of my life: what do we do when the life we imagined falls apart? I discovered that we may not be able to choose the fire, but we can choose what we become because of it. This book is my hand extended to every woman who has ever felt broken, exhausted, rejected or afraid to begin again.”
She added:
“I wrote this book for the woman I once was, and for the countless women I have met who carry invisible wounds behind brave smiles. I want them to know that their story does not end in the ashes. It begins there.”
For her, the book also represents the coming together of her personal experiences and years of professional engagement with women and communities. Her work in the development sector has given her an opportunity to witness the challenges women often navigate behind outwardly strong appearances, further shaping her understanding of resilience, communication and social change.
The launch at ICA Conclave 2026 became another meaningful chapter in that journey. Sangeeta expressed gratitude to Inspiring Jatin and the International Council of Authors for creating a platform where authors can share their stories, ideas and perspectives with a wider community of readers and fellow authors.
Reflecting on the occasion, Sangeeta said: “Launching The Phoenix Mother at the ICA Conclave in Goa was deeply meaningful because this book has taken me from a very private chapter of my life into a much larger conversation about courage, healing and hope. To share it in a community of authors and storytellers made the moment even more special.”
Published by Clever Fox Publishing, The Phoenix Mother: Born to Rise from the Ashes carries ISBN 978-93-7500-920-7 and was released in September 2026. At its core, the book invites readers to reconsider the relationship between adversity and identity. Its message is that difficult experiences can become part of a person’s story without having to define the entirety of their future.
As Sangeeta writes: “Your past may explain your story, but it does not determine your destiny.” The book ultimately extends an invitation to women to move from simply surviving difficult chapters towards reflection, healing, self-belief and the possibility of beginning again.
About Ms. Sangeeta Anand
Sangeeta Anand is a Development Professional, author, and Co-Founder & Chief Executive of Sharing Souls Communications (SSC), a strategic communications partner focused on social change. With over two and a half decades of experience across communication, research, social and behaviour change, programme strategy and social impact, she has worked with organisations including Study Hall Educational Foundation, Pratham, Magic Bus India Foundation, Confederation of Indian Industry and UNICEF. Her debut book, The Phoenix Mother: Born to Rise from the Ashes, draws on her personal and professional experiences to explore resilience, self-worth, healing and new beginnings.
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Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], September 28: The School of Business and Management at Bhawanipur Global Campus, in association with IBM, hosted Technovate 2026, a two-day industry immersion programme designed to equip BBA and MBA students with hands-on experience in Generative AI, Data Analytics, and emerging technology skills. The event was held on 23rd and 24th September, 2026, from 10:30 AM to 6:00 PM, with Day 1 dedicated to BBA students and Day 2 to MBA students.
Technovate 2026 was structured around a series of competitive and learning-focused activities. Students participated in Mind Spot, an aptitude and image recognition quiz, and a Data Dashboarding Battle that put their analytical skills to a live test. A hands-on session on Generative AI gave students direct exposure to one of the most actively evolving areas in technology and business today. The event concluded with a prize distribution, IBM certificate distribution, and a symposium and closing ceremony featuring industry insights from IBM experts.
The IBM delegates who led the sessions included Mr. Aman Bakshi, Manager of Institutional Engagement and Senior AI and Data Scientist; Mr. Mayank Doda, Strategic Leader; and Mr. Sunny Kumar, Data Analytics professional. Together, they brought applied industry knowledge into the room, giving students a grounded understanding of how AI and data tools are being used across real business environments today.
The event reflects BGC’s ongoing academic partnership with IBM, through which the IBM Business Analytics certification is embedded within the School of Business and Management’s curriculum. Technovate 2026 extended that collaboration into a live, competitive learning environment, where students could apply what they have been building in the classroom under direct guidance from IBM professionals.
Commenting on the initiative, Dr. Subir Sen, Dean Bhawanipur School of Business and Management said, “Technovate 2026 is a direct expression of what we mean when we talk about industry-integrated education. Having IBM’s experts work with our BBA and MBA students over two full days, not just for a lecture but through live competitions, hands-on sessions, and real conversations about the industry, is exactly the kind of learning experience that sets our students apart. This is what future-ready education looks like in practice.”
Bhawanipur Global Campus is a NAAC A+ accredited autonomous institution affiliated with MAKAUT and approved by AICTE. It was established through the coming together of The Bhawanipur Gujarati Education Society and NSHM Knowledge Campus, Kolkata, institutions with a combined legacy of over 90 years in Eastern India’s higher education landscape.
About BGC
Bhawanipur Global Campus is a NAAC A+ accredited autonomous institution, affiliated with MAKAUT and approved by AICTE. It was formed through a coming together of The Bhawanipur Gujarati Education Society and NSHM Knowledge Campus, Kolkata, two institutions whose combined presence in Eastern India’s higher education space stretches back over ninety years.
For more information, visit: Bhawanipur Global Campus.
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]]>Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], October 1: NIPS Institute of Hotel Management has been recognised as the “No. 1 Private Hotel Management College” at the Times Now Leaders of Excellence – East 2026, marking a significant milestone for the institute and its continued contribution to hospitality education.
The prestigious recognition was presented by renowned Bollywood actress Sangeeta Bijlani at a ceremony held in Kolkata. Dr. Vivek Pathak, representing NIPS Institute of Hotel Management, received the award alongside Mr. Shekhar Mukherjee and Chef Joseph Uttam Gomes.
The recognition reflects NIPS Institute of Hotel Management’s focus on delivering industry-oriented hospitality education and preparing students with the knowledge, skills and professional exposure required to build successful careers in the evolving hospitality sector.
Dr. Vivek Pathak, Founder Director at NIPS Hospitality Group, said, “This recognition is a deeply proud moment for the entire NIPS family. We accept this award with gratitude and see it as a reflection of the collective efforts of our faculty, students, industry partners, alumni and the entire NIPS community. At NIPS, our endeavour has always been to create an environment where students receive strong academic foundations alongside practical exposure and industry-oriented learning. This recognition further motivates us to continue raising the standards of hospitality education and empowering our students to become confident, skilled and future-ready professionals.”
About NIPS Institute of Hotel Management
Established in 1993, NIPS Institute of Hotel Management is a hospitality education institution focused on industry-oriented education, practical training and professional development. With campuses in Kolkata, Ranchi, Bhubaneswar and Shillong, NIPS offers degree, diploma, certificate and master’s programmes, along with opportunities for international certifications, internships and global exposure. The institute emphasises experiential learning and industry engagement, equipping students with the academic knowledge, practical skills and professional competencies needed to build successful careers in the hospitality sector. NIPS also provides international exposure across markets including the USA, France and Germany, with alumni placed with organisations such as Royal Caribbean Cruises, Carnival, American Cruise and Sodexo. The institute is recognised by World Chefs, Paris, France, reflecting its focus on professional and industry-aligned hospitality education.
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]]>Bangalore (Karnataka) [India], October 1: The Jewellers’ Association (R), Bengaluru — India’s oldest jewellers’ association, with a legacy of 85 years — will lead a Social Awareness Bruhath Rally, “Drugs-Free Bharatha”, on Friday, 2 October 2026 — Gandhi Jayanti — in the heart of the city. Supported by the Karnataka State Police, the rally will begin at 9:30 AM from Town Hall and proceed to Mysore Bank, bringing together jewellers and members of the trade from across Bengaluru.
Carrying the message ‘End drug addiction, save the nation’s future’ and the youth-focused call “Beda Bro… Beda!”, the initiative aims to raise awareness of the growing threat of drug abuse among young people and to encourage families, schools, colleges and communities to stand together against it.
Participants will walk dressed in white, a symbol of peace and a clean, healthy society, in keeping with the spirit of Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary. The Association has invited jewellers across Bengaluru to join in large numbers and walk together as one fraternity for a drugs-free Bharatha.
Speaking ahead of the rally, Dr. Chetan Kumar Mehta, President, The Jewellers’ Association (R), Bengaluru, said, “For 85 years, our Association has stood for trust, and jewellers have been trusted by families across Karnataka for generations. That trust comes with a responsibility to the society we serve. Drug abuse is quietly taking away the future of our young people, and silence is no longer an option. On Gandhi Jayanti, our entire fraternity is stepping out onto the streets of Bengaluru with one clear message to every young person — Beda Bro, Beda. We thank the Karnataka State Police for their support and invite every jeweller in Bengaluru to walk with us.”
The Association believes that the fight against drugs must go beyond enforcement and reach every home. Through this rally, the jewellers’ fraternity seeks to spark conversations within families, workplaces and the wider community, and to support the efforts of law enforcement in building a safer Bengaluru and a healthier Bharatha.
Event at a Glance
| Event | Drugs-Free Bharatha — Social Awareness Bruhath Rally |
| Date | Friday, 2 October 2026 (Gandhi Jayanti) |
| Time | 9:30 AM onwards |
| Route | Town Hall to Mysore Bank, Bengaluru |
| Dress code | White |
| Organised by | The Jewellers’ Association (R), Bengaluru |
| Supported by | Karnataka State Police |
Committee Members, The Jewellers’ Association (R), Bengaluru
| Dr. Chetan Kumar Mehta, President | Sri. G.V. SreedharMentor | Sri. Ashok Rathod Vice President |
| Sri. R. SrinivasHon. Secretary | Sri. Goutham KothariHon. Treasurer | Smt. Megha D Joint Secretary |
| Sri. N. Vidya Sagar Director | Sri. Suresh K Ganna Director | Sri. Tushar R V Director |
| Sri. Kishore M Director | Sri. Hardik C Mathuria Director | Sri. Vijay D R Director |
| Sri. Ashok Kumar B R Director | Sri. R Madhusudhan Co-opted Director | Sri. Urish Chhajed, Co-opted Director |
| Sri. Rajesh Lunkad, Co-opted Director |
About The Jewellers’ Association (R), Bengaluru
Founded 85 years ago, The Jewellers’ Association (R), Bengaluru is the oldest jewellers’ association in the country and the representative body of Bengaluru’s jewellers’ fraternity. Led by its President, Dr. Chetan Kumar Mehta, and an elected committee, the Association works to uphold trust, ethics, and excellence in the jewellery trade while contributing to social causes that benefit the wider community.
For more information, please visit https://jab.org.in
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]]>By Lisa Simmi, Tarot Reader, Astrologer, Numerologist & Crystal Healer
New Delhi [India], October 1: For generations, tarot has often been associated with one question: “What is going to happen next?” But today, the way people engage with tarot is evolving. Beyond predictions about the future, tarot is increasingly being explored as a tool for introspection, emotional awareness and personal reflection.
In a world where people are constantly making choices about relationships, careers, finances and personal growth, uncertainty has become part of everyday life. Tarot can offer a structured moment to pause, reflect and look at a situation from a different perspective.
Tarot as a mirror, not a crystal ball
One of the biggest misconceptions about tarot is that its sole purpose is to predict a fixed future. In reality, a tarot reading can encourage people to examine their current circumstances, emotions and thought patterns.
The cards can act as a mirror, helping individuals ask questions such as: What am I feeling? What am I avoiding? Why am I approaching this situation in a particular way? What possibilities have I not considered?
When approached this way, tarot becomes less about receiving a definitive answer and more about creating space for self-awareness.
Finding clarity when life feels overwhelming
When faced with an important decision, people can become caught between logic, emotion and fear. Sometimes, the difficulty isn’t that we don’t have options—it is that we are too close to the situation to see them clearly.
A tarot reading can provide a framework for stepping back and looking at the situation from another angle. It can encourage a person to consider their priorities, recognise emotional influences and think about the consequences of different choices.
The decision ultimately remains with the individual. Tarot can be a reflective tool, but it should not replace practical information, professional advice or personal responsibility.
Can tarot build confidence?
Confidence doesn’t necessarily come from knowing exactly what will happen. Often, it comes from becoming comfortable with uncertainty and trusting ourselves to respond to whatever happens next.
Tarot can encourage this process by helping individuals recognise their own fears, strengths and recurring patterns. A reading may prompt someone to ask why they are hesitating, what they genuinely want or whether an old belief is influencing a current decision.
That kind of reflection can help people become more conscious of their choices—and greater awareness can often lead to greater confidence.
Relationships: looking beyond “Will they come back?”
Relationship questions are among the most common reasons people seek tarot readings. However, instead of focusing only on whether a particular person will return or what someone else is thinking, tarot can be used to explore the dynamics of the relationship itself.
Questions such as “What pattern am I repeating?”, “What do I need from this relationship?” or “What boundaries do I need to establish?” can lead to much more meaningful reflection.
Healthy relationships require communication, mutual respect and individual agency. Tarot can encourage introspection, but it cannot substitute for an honest conversation between two people.
Career decisions and the search for direction
Career uncertainty is another area where people increasingly turn towards spiritual practices. Whether someone is considering a job change, starting a business or simply feeling stuck professionally, tarot can help them reflect on their motivations and priorities.
Instead of asking only, “Will I get this job?”, a more constructive approach could be to explore questions such as “What is holding me back professionally?”, “Where should I focus my energy?” or “What strengths am I not recognising?”
This shifts the conversation from prediction to participation. Rather than waiting for the future to reveal itself, the individual begins thinking about what they can actively do to shape it.
The growing appeal of spiritual self-care
The growing interest in tarot also reflects a broader shift towards personal wellness and self-care. People are increasingly looking for practices that allow them to slow down, disconnect from constant digital stimulation and spend time with their own thoughts.
For some, that may be meditation. For others, journaling, yoga, astrology, crystals or tarot may provide a similar opportunity for reflection.
The value lies not necessarily in finding a predetermined answer, but in creating a moment of stillness in which we can listen to ourselves.
Using tarot responsibly
Tarot is most useful when approached with curiosity rather than dependency. It should encourage a person to think, reflect and make informed choices—not make every decision for them.
I often believe that the most meaningful tarot question isn’t “What will happen to me?” but “What can I understand about myself and my situation right now?”
The future is influenced by circumstances, choices and actions. A reading can offer perspective, but we still have the responsibility and freedom to decide what we do with that perspective.
From prediction to personal power
Perhaps the most interesting evolution of tarot is that it is moving from being viewed solely as a method of predicting the future to becoming part of a broader conversation around self-awareness.
Whether someone believes in the spiritual dimension of tarot or simply enjoys using the cards as prompts for reflection, the experience can encourage an important habit: pausing before reacting.
In an age of instant answers, sometimes the most valuable thing a practice can offer is not an answer at all—but a better question.
And perhaps that is where the real power of tarot lies: not in telling us exactly what the future holds, but in helping us understand ourselves well enough to meet that future with greater awareness, confidence and intention.
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]]>RAI Retail CFO Summit 2026
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], October 1: The Retailers Association of India (RAI) successfully hosted the ‘Retail CFO Summit 2026’ at JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar on September 24, 2026. This distinguished event brought together CFOs, CEOs, and finance leaders from across the retail sector. The summit focused on the timely theme: Beyond the Balance Sheet – The Evolving Role of the Retail CFO.
As the retail sector undergoes continuous transformation, the CFO’s role is becoming more vital than ever, emphasizing digital innovation, economic resilience, and sustainable growth. The Retail CFO Summit 2026 unites finance leaders, innovators, and strategists who are shaping the financial future of retail. In today’s landscape, CFOs extend beyond traditional financial management to become strategic advisors, digital pioneers, and influential voices in the boardroom.
This year’s summit highlights how CFOs are steering retail businesses through AI-driven transformation, evolving regulatory landscapes, and sustainable long-term growth, while identifying new opportunities to create value and strengthen business performance across the organization.
Throughout the day, engaging panel discussions addressed key topics aligned with the summit’s core theme. The sessions featured in-depth discussions on navigating uncertainty and building resilient retail futures, unlocking strategic value through AI, rewiring finance through AI and digital transformation, and digitising compliance through the evolving GSTN ecosystem. The event underscored the importance of forward-thinking financial leadership in driving sustainable growth, strengthening resilience, and preparing the retail sector to navigate the challenges and opportunities ahead.
Speaking about the Retail CFO Summit 2026, Kumar Rajagopalan – Chief Executive Officer, Retailers Association of India (RAI), said, “The biggest shift I’m seeing in retail finance isn’t any single tool or system — it’s how closely the CFO now needs to align with the CEO. Retail is moving too fast for finance to just report on decisions after they’re made; the CFO has to be in the room while they’re being made, reading the same signals about growth, cost, and customer behaviour as the rest of the leadership team. That alignment determines whether a retailer can move at the pace 2026 demands.
“Once that alignment exists, it stops being two departments working in parallel and becomes one shared read of the business — the CEO’s strategy and the CFO’s numbers pointed in the same direction. None of that happens on its own. It only compounds when the CFO and CEO are asking the same questions and reaching for the same answers.”
RAI Retail CFO Summit 2026
The summit featured a stellar lineup of speakers, including Ajay Kumar Pandey, CFO, Wellness Forever Medicare Limited; Dharmendra Lodha, CFO, Aditya Birla Lifestyle Brands Limited; Narayan Baheti, CFO, Infiniti Retail Limited; Pankaj Chaturvedi, CFO, Shoppers Stop Limited; Pramod Dangaich, CFO, Tata Digital Private Limited; and Preetika Agrawal, CFO, Decathlon Sports India Private Limited.
Rakesh Saini, Vice President – Legal, Company Secretary and Chief Compliance Officer, Shoppers Stop: “Compliance in retail used to mean filing the right forms on time. That’s the baseline now, not the job. The real shift is that compliance functions are expected to read regulatory intent before it becomes law — to see where the direction of travel is headed on data, consumer rights, and disclosure, and build for that ahead of the mandate rather than scrambling once it lands. Retailers who treat compliance as a cost centre are going to keep getting surprised by it.”
Dhananjay Patil, Senior General Manager – Legal, Croma, Infiniti Retail Limited:
“The volume of regulatory change hitting retail right now — data privacy, consumer protection, state-level compliance — means legal teams can’t afford to work in silos anymore. What used to be a handful of statutes to track has become a moving target across multiple regulators, each with their own timeline and interpretation. The teams managing this well aren’t necessarily the biggest ones; they’re the ones that built early warning systems instead of relying on catching problems after the fact.”
“Retail regulation in India isn’t static anymore — it’s rewriting itself in real time, across data protection, consumer protection, and e-commerce rules, often faster than internal teams can build compliance around it. The legal function that treats this as a once-a-year audit exercise is already behind. What’s changed is that legal now needs to sit upstream of business decisions, not downstream of them — flagging regulatory exposure while a strategy is being built, not after it’s already been rolled out.”
Dhananjay Patil, Senior General Manager – Legal, Croma, Infiniti Retail Limited: “RAI’s Retail CFO Summit has established itself as a pivotal annual event for the retail finance community, providing a platform to explore opportunities, discuss industry
reforms, and share best practices on achieving rapid yet sustainable growth.”
About CFO Summit
Rapid technological advancements, the growth of digital channels, increasing competition, and rising business costs are reshaping the financial landscape for businesses and creating new challenges for Chief Financial Officers (CFOs). Beyond managing risks and driving profitability, CFOs are increasingly taking on a strategic role in navigating change, enabling growth, and building financial resilience. RAI’s CFO Summit brings together CFOs, finance professionals, and CEOs from the retail industry to exchange insights, discuss emerging challenges, and explore strategies for achieving sustainable and profitable business growth. cfo.rai.net.in
About RAI:
The Retailers Association of India is the national body representing India’s retail industry across all channels and formats, from large format and specialty retail to e-commerce, quick commerce, and connected commerce businesses. RAI works with governments, regulators, and industry stakeholders to enable a competitive, innovation-friendly retail ecosystem. Through policy advocacy, industry events, research, and learning programmes, RAI builds the conditions for retail to grow, invest, and create employment at scale. India’s retail future is connected. RAI is building for it.
Visit: www.rai.net.in | Follow on Twitter: @rai_india
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