Business Bureau

SAP and IIMA Ventures have jointly launched the North East Growth Labs (NEGL), a major initiative aimed at supporting 75 social enterprises across India’s eight Northeastern states. The program focuses on strengthening ventures in agri-tech, education, and healthcare with a blend of catalytic funding, mentorship, and market access. The NEGL initiative, announced on July 30, leverages SAP’s Social Procurement framework and IIMA Ventures’ incubation model to foster inclusive development, climate resilience, and job creation in underserved regions. The effort is expected to support over 3,000 livelihoods and promote climate-positive growth. “The North East Growth Labs strengthens our commitment to sustainable…

Telecom giant Vi (Vodafone Idea) has launched Vi Finance, a new digital platform within the Vi App, offering seamless access to personal loans, fixed deposits, and credit cards. The service has been rolled out in collaboration with Aditya Birla Capital, Upswing Financial Technologies, and Credilio to address customers’ evolving financial needs. The initiative marks Vi’s foray into the digital finance ecosystem, transforming the Vi App into a one-stop solution for lifestyle and financial services. With a fully digital, paperless process, users can secure personal loans from ₹50,000, book FDs with interest up to 8.4%, and apply for credit cards from…

Dr Arvind Kumar, Chairman, Lung Transplant&Chest Surgery, Medanta – The Medicity The use of tobacco is one of the most severe public health challenges we face today, and its use is linked to more than 7 million deaths globally, making it a leading cause of preventable mortality. Millions more suffer from chronic illnesses and long-term health complications linked to tobacco use, such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and respiratory disorders. Tobacco use is one of the leading causes of death in India -- the second largest consumer and producer of tobacco. Lung cancer is fast becoming one of the most common…

Marking a significant step in its East India expansion, Ultraviolette Automotive has inaugurated a state-of-the-art Experience Centre—UV Space Station—in Berhampore, West Bengal. This marks the company’s second centre in the state after Kolkata and strengthens its national footprint to 16 cities. The Berhampore UV Space Station, launched in partnership with A K Distributors Automobiles Pvt. Ltd., offers a full 3S facility—sales, service, and spares—delivering a complete electric motorcycle experience. Visitors can test ride and explore the F77 MACH 2 and F77 SuperStreet models, known for their high-performance specs, including a 40.2 hp powertrain, 100 Nm torque, and an IDC range…

Muthoot Microfin, India’s second-largest NBFC-MFI, has announced its strategic entry into the Northeast with the launch of its first branch in Assam. The company inaugurated its debut branch in Mirza, Guwahati on July 29, marking its presence in 21 states and union territories across India. The newly launched Guwahati branch is strategically positioned to serve both the city’s urban population and surrounding rural communities. With this move, Muthoot Microfin aims to expand access to rural credit, strengthen the local financial ecosystem, and promote inclusive growth in the region. Assam, with its vibrant micro-enterprise culture and strong base of women-led businesses,…

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), in collaboration with the Department of Sports & Youth Welfare, Government of Assam, concluded the “JICA–Assam Women’s Leadership & Coaching Empowerment Programme” at the Arjuna Bhogeswar Baruah Sports Complex, Sarusajai, Guwahati, on Tuesday. The week-long workshop (July 23–30) trained around 60 women coaches, athletes, and aspiring leaders from across Assam. Focused on the theme “Building a Kaizen Culture,” the programme aimed to instil leadership, inclusive coaching practices, and continuous improvement (Kaizen) in sports education. The modules—“Seeds of Leadership” and “Seeds of Change”—emphasised athlete-centered, value-driven coaching and leadership skills. In Guwahati’s growing sports ecosystem, this…

ASUS India has named Raj Shamani, India's leading podcaster and entrepreneur, as the official brand ambassador for its ExpertBook Series. This marks the first-ever such collaboration for both Shamani and the business-focused laptop lineup from ASUS. With over 18 million subscribers and 8 billion+ views across platforms, Raj Shamani, host of Figuring Out With Raj Shamani, personifies ambition, resilience, and innovation—values echoed by the ASUS ExpertBook series. “This partnership is personal,” said Shamani. “ASUS ExpertBook is for people building something bigger than themselves.” ASUS Vice President Dinesh Sharma emphasized the synergy, saying, “This alliance is about enabling Indian doers and…

India’s largest skill development platform, IndiaSkills Competition (ISC) 2025, officially kicked off as the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) opened registrations today. The biennial event invites young aspirants from across India to compete in 63 skill categories, setting the stage to represent the nation at WorldSkills 2026—the world’s biggest vocational skills competition. Participants from all 36 states and union territories can register online through the Skill India Digital Hub (SIDH) portal by September 30, 2025. Eligible Indian nationals aged 16–25 can apply for one skill only, with specific age relaxations for advanced technologies like Cyber Security and Mechatronics.…

Medanta Hospital, in collaboration with the Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP) Guwahati City Branch and IAP Intensive Care Chapter, Assam, organized a Continuing Medical Education (CME) program in Guwahati to raise awareness on paediatric critical care, with a strong focus on respiratory illnesses. The event was spearheaded by Dr Praveen Khilnani and Dr Rajiv Uttam from Medanta, Gurugram, who emphasized the urgency of managing paediatric viral infections that have recently surged nationwide. Dr Khilnani highlighted the ABCDE approach—Airway, Breathing, Circulation, Disability, and Exposure—as a foundational method in emergency care. He stressed that a mother’s or caregiver’s insight into the child’s…

The Byatikram Real Estate Conclave 2.0, hosted on 25th July 2025 at Hotel Vivanta, Guwahati, brought together key stakeholders to spotlight the dynamic growth of Northeast India's real estate sector. Organized by Byatikram Group in association with The Times of India, and powered by SRMB and NEDFi, the event was supported by SBI, Ambuja Neotia, Sree Balaji Panthaniwas, and IDFC First Bank. The conclave was actively promoted by media partners Mirchi 95, Prag News, Eastern Chronicle, Shiv Media, and Byatikram Digital. The event began with a ceremonial lamp lighting graced by dignitaries including Prof. (Dr.) H.P. Agarwal (Royal Global University);…