Business Bureau

Samim Akhtara Ali, a resident of Dibrugarh, was honoured with the prestigious “Excellence in Social Impact Leadership” award at the Times Business Awards – North East 2026, held on April 30 at Hotel Vivanta, Guwahati. This recognition was conferred in appreciation of her long-standing contributions to social service, women’s empowerment, and her unwavering support for underprivileged communities across Northeast India. Through her humanitarian initiatives, she has consistently stood beside the poor, visually impaired individuals, and flood-affected families, creating a meaningful and positive impact on society. Samim Akhtara Ali is the second daughter of late Rahmat Ali, a senior journalist from…

Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited has intensified its vigilance and enforcement measures across India as LPG demand continues to rise, with the company delivering 404 lakh LPG cylinders between April 1 and May 2, 2026. The company said 12.3 lakh cylinders were delivered on May 2 alone, reflecting strong nationwide demand and operational capacity. HPCL said it carried out 6,424 inspections across its LPG distribution network between March 14 and May 2. The company also conducted 664 raids, registered 44 FIRs, and seized 4,155 LPG cylinders to prevent diversion and misuse. Action was initiated against 177 distributors, including the suspension of…

Bandhan Mutual Fund has said its Bandhan Innovation Fund has completed two years of investing in innovation-led businesses, focusing on companies driving long-term growth through technology, research and differentiated business models. Launched with a specialised mandate, the fund invests in firms with strong research and development spending, high-skilled employee intensity, differentiated products and services, non-linear business models and strong brand presence. The strategy aims to identify businesses whose growth is driven more by innovation cycles than traditional economic or commodity cycles. Prateek Poddar, Fund Manager of the fund, said innovation has become a key factor for companies seeking durable competitive…

State-run Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) delivered 392 lakh LPG cylinders across the country between April 1 and May 1, 2026, driven by a technology-based real-time monitoring and control system aimed at ensuring uninterrupted fuel supply and faster response to demand fluctuations. The company said its centralised control and monitoring framework continuously tracks consumption trends, booking patterns and inventory levels across regions to enable instant decision-making and supply balancing. On May 1 alone, HPCL delivered 8.6 lakh LPG cylinders nationwide. During the period, HPCL supplied 12,94,451 KL of Motor Spirit (MS) and 22,19,479 KL of High-Speed Diesel (HSD). On May…

Valvoline Global Operations has launched its global campaign for the FIFA World Cup 2026, highlighting the dedication of football fans and the mechanics who help keep their journeys running smoothly. The campaign, unveiled on Tuesday, positions the company’s engine oil products as a key companion for fans travelling long distances to witness football’s biggest tournament. The campaign is anchored by Valvoline’s first-ever FIFA World Cup-themed advertisement titled “The Original Engine Oil. For the Driven.” The film traces the emotional journeys of football supporters travelling by cars, buses, trucks and motorcycles, while also reflecting on the brand’s 160-year legacy in the…

Tata Motors Ltd. has recorded its highest-ever annual patent filing performance for its commercial vehicle business in FY26, filing 144 patent applications as the company accelerated its focus on innovation and future-ready mobility solutions. In a statement issued on Tuesday, the company said the filings were aimed at advancing vehicle safety, reliability, occupant comfort, and reducing total cost of ownership for customers. The filings also reflected Tata Motors’ growing focus on sustainable mobility technologies, including electric vehicles and hydrogen-powered internal combustion engines. Apart from patent filings, the company submitted 21 design applications and 35 copyright applications during the financial year.…

Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) delivered 375 lakh LPG cylinders across India in April 2026, highlighting rising demand for flexible and smaller cooking fuel solutions amid changing urban consumption patterns and increasing mobility among consumers. The company said growing adoption of Free Trade LPG (FTL) cylinders, especially 5 kg and 2 kg variants, reflects a shift towards need-based and on-demand energy usage. During April, HPCL sold 7,87,543 units of 5 kg cylinders and 26,916 units of 2 kg cylinders. The smaller cylinders are increasingly being used by migrant workers, small vendors, micro-businesses and urban households seeking portable and low-cost energy…

ICICI Bank has introduced biometric authentication for UPI transactions on its mobile banking application, iMobile, allowing customers to approve payments of up to ₹5,000 using fingerprint or facial recognition instead of entering a UPI PIN. The bank said the feature is aimed at improving both convenience and security for users by enabling faster transactions while reducing risks such as shoulder-surfing in public spaces. Customers can use biometric authentication for peer-to-peer fund transfers, QR code-based in-store payments, and online transactions conducted through the iMobile app. Transactions above ₹5,000 will continue to require the traditional UPI PIN for authorisation. An ICICI Bank…

Sahi has secured $33 million in a Series B funding round led by Accel with participation from Elevation Capital, as the Bengaluru-based broking platform looks to strengthen its position in India’s fast-growing active retail trading market. Founded in 2023 by Dale Vaz and Manish Jain, Sahi said the fresh capital will be used to deepen investments in its technology and AI capabilities, expand into new trading categories, and scale its user base. The NSE and BSE-registered broker has built a chart-native trading platform aimed at active traders seeking professional-grade tools without high institutional costs. The company reported sharp growth in…

The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) on Wednesday held a high-level consultative workshop to boost apprenticeship adoption among Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), aiming to strengthen India’s skilled workforce under the vision of Viksit Bharat. The workshop, titled “Scaling Apprenticeship Uptake in Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs),” focused on increasing apprenticeship participation in smaller businesses and addressing barriers such as low awareness and compliance challenges. Discussions explored models including cluster-based consortia, earn-while-you-learn systems, Group Training Organizations (GTOs), Apprenticeship Embedded Degree Programmes (AEDP), and Work-Integrated Learning Programmes (WILP). Speaking at the event, Debashree Mukherjee said apprenticeships can…