Business - The Purbottar

08 Dec

Kolkata students join India’s AI wave as Solve for Tomorrow 2025 spotlights social impact innovation

Business BureauBusiness

AI-driven problem-solving is becoming central to India’s youth innovation journey, and this year’s Samsung Solve for Tomorrow (SFT) 2025, held in collaboration with IIT Delhi, showcased how students nationwide are using artificial intelligence to build safer and more inclusive communities. The theme for this year, “AI for a Safer, Smarter and Inclusive Bharat,” attracted thousands of young innovators designing real-world, socially impactful solutions. Student teams presented ideas ranging from AI-based surveillance systems and women’s safety applications to smart meters and wearable navigation tools for the visually impaired. Teams such as Chakravyuh, Error 404, Passionate Problem Solver, Sicario, and Percevia stood…

08 Dec

Repo Rate cut in line with expectations, says Kotak Mahindra Bank Economist

Business BureauBusiness

Reacting to the Reserve Bank of India’s latest monetary policy decision, Upasna Bhardwaj, Chief Economist at Kotak Mahindra Bank, said the move to cut the repo rate and introduce liquidity support was broadly in line with the bank’s expectations. She noted that the central bank has kept the door open for additional policy easing in the coming months. “We see scope for another 25 basis points reduction, taking the terminal policy rate closer to 5 percent,” Bhardwaj stated. According to her assessment, after reaching that level, the RBI may shift to a prolonged pause phase, depending on the domestic inflation…

06 Dec

HP launches Laser M300 Series to support high-volume printing needs of Guwahati’s small businesses

Business BureauBusiness

HP has introduced the Laser M300 Series, a new lineup of high-speed laser printers designed to meet the growing printing needs of India’s SMBs and local jobber shops. As demand for bulk documentation, form printing and office-ready output continues to rise across Assam, the Laser M300 Series offers fast printing, auto-duplex features and low running costs to support reliability in daily operations. For Guwahati, where print shops, service centres and office clusters across GS Road, Dispur and Panbazar handle thousands of pages each day, the new series is expected to improve turnaround speed. The printers deliver up to 30 ppm…

06 Dec

A taste of tradition: ‘Sip n Slurp Morung’ becomes a festival favourite at Hornbill 2025

Business BureauBusiness

Nestlé India is making waves at this year’s Hornbill Festival with its vibrant “Sip n Slurp Morung”, a cultural-meets-culinary installation blending Nagaland’s artistry with the region’s love for NESCAFÉ® and MAGGI®. Designed as a warm, inviting space inspired by traditional Morung architecture, the stall captures the colours, textures and symbols of the state while offering modern food experiences. Visitors can sip NESCAFÉ cold coffee while slurping MAGGI Spicy noodles — a combination that has quickly become a hit among students, young travellers and families. The three exclusive MAGGI spicy flavours introduced for Hornbill celebrate the bold, fiery tastes popular across…

06 Dec

MG Motor India launches midnight carnival; Guwahati customers get extended hours and festive rewards

Business BureauBusiness

JSW MG Motor India has announced its nationwide ‘Midnight Carnival’, a three-day celebration from December 5–7 that will keep all MG showrooms open until midnight. The initiative aims to provide customers more time and a festive, family-friendly atmosphere to explore MG’s full vehicle portfolio, including the Windsor EV, Hector, Astor, Comet, ZS and Gloster. For Guwahati, where EV adoption and mid-segment SUV demand continue rising, the Midnight Carnival is expected to attract strong footfall. MG showrooms in locations such as Christian Basti and Lokhra will host exclusive midnight test drives along with carnival-themed activities for families. Customers in Guwahati stand…

06 Dec

To accelerate digital growth for small businesses, Meta, Ministry of MSME, and India SME Forum Partner to launch AI Chatbot

Business BureauBusiness

Kolkata businesses are set to gain from a new AI-driven initiative announced by Meta, the Ministry of MSME and the India SME Forum. The upcoming WhatsApp-based chatbot — powered by Meta’s Llama model will provide personalised digital assistance to small enterprises, offering support on compliance, loans, government schemes, marketing tools and technology adoption. With thousands of MSMEs operating across Kolkata’s industrial clusters, retail markets and service sectors, the chatbot is expected to simplify day-to-day decision-making and reduce the barriers to digital transformation. Its availability in multiple Indian languages and voice-enabled interface aims to reach diverse entrepreneurs, including first-time digital users.…

05 Dec

NIESBUD hosts South Sudan delegation for training on strengthening PPP in TVET sector

Business BureauBusiness

The National Institute for Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development (NIESBUD) is hosting a 12-day international training programme for a high-level delegation from South Sudan to strengthen public–private partnership (PPP) models in the country’s TVET ecosystem. The programme, being held from December 2 to 12, is supported by the Ministry of External Affairs under the ITEC initiative, in collaboration with UNESCO. The delegation includes 28 officials from South Sudan’s key ministries and private-sector representatives, with three ministers expected later this week. The training aims to build institutional capacity in TVET governance, entrepreneurship development, and industry-integrated skilling. During a visit to Kaushal…

05 Dec

Samsung launches Galaxy Tab A11 in India, brings premium features to everyday users

Business BureauBusiness

Samsung has launched the Galaxy Tab A11 in India, introducing a refined tablet designed for entertainment, productivity and everyday use. The device features an 8.7-inch display with a 90Hz refresh rate, offering smoother scrolling and an enhanced viewing experience for streaming, browsing and social media. Dolby-engineered dual speakers further elevate multimedia quality, making the tablet suitable for both leisure and communication. Powered by a 6nm-based octa-core processor, the Galaxy Tab A11 promises efficient multitasking and improved performance. The tablet is equipped with a 5100mAh battery that supports long hours of usage, making it suitable for students, professionals and families. It…

05 Dec

Samsung certifies 750 students in Kolkata, boosts West Bengal’s role in India’s tech-skilling mission

Business BureauBusiness

In a major push toward building a future-ready workforce, Samsung on Wednesday felicitated 750 students under its flagship Samsung Innovation Campus (SIC) programme at Brainware University, Kolkata. The certified batch includes 400 graduates in AI Coding & Programming and 350 students in Artificial Intelligence (AI)—a significant addition to the state’s growing digital talent pool. The event was attended by Prof. Sankar Gangopadhyay, Vice Chancellor of Brainware University, Mr. Saroj Aapto, Vice President of Strategic Partnerships at the Electronics Sector Skills Council of India (ESSCI), and senior Samsung leadership. Samsung said the initiative is part of its nationwide mission to skill…

05 Dec

Brigade Enterprises Limited acquires 4.04 acres land parcel in Hyderabad auction

Purbalee DuttaBusiness

Brigade Enterprises Ltd has purchased a 4.04-acre plot in Neopolis Phase 3, Hyderabad, at roughly ₹118 crore per acre through an auction held by the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority, the company announced on December 4. This is Brigade’s second major investment in the area, following an earlier land purchase now being developed as Brigade Gateway (Plot No. 8). The acquisition strengthens the company’s long-term expansion plans in Hyderabad. Calling Hyderabad a crucial growth market, Amar Mysore, Executive Director of Brigade Enterprises, said the firm launched Brigade Gateway in Neopolis last year—a premium mixed-use project inspired by its well-known development in…