Business - The Purbottar

31 Oct

Mumbai LitFest 2026 concludes with literary awards, draws participants from 18 countries

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The 17th edition of Godrej Literature Live! The Mumbai LitFest concluded on October 25, featuring more than 130 novelists, poets, writers, thinkers and performers from 18 countries across over 40 sessions. Veteran novelist Irwin Allan Sealy received the Godrej Literature Live! Lifetime Achievement Award, while Hindi poet Gagan Gill was named Poet Laureate. Rahul Bhattacharya’s *Railsong: A Novel* won Book of the Year – Fiction, while Ghazala Wahab’s *The Hindi Heartland: A Study* received the Non-Fiction award. DeepikaArwind’s *Good Arguments* won Best First Book – Fiction, and Tanul Thakur’s *Wild Wild East* was named Best First Book – Non-Fiction. AdilRustomjee’s…

31 Oct

JK Lakshmi Cement breaks ground on ₹11,000-crore plant in Assam

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JK Lakshmi Cement Ltd on October 30 laid the foundation stone for Project Kamakshi, its first cement manufacturing facility in Assam, with an investment of ₹11,000 crore, including the mining lease. The integrated plant is coming up at Umrangso in DimaHasao district, with Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma attending the groundbreaking ceremony as chief guest. The proposed facility will have a cement production capacity of 2.5 million tonnes per annum (MTPA), supported by a 1 MTPA clinkerisation unit and dedicated railway sidings. Targeted for completion by FY 2029, the project is expected to create employment opportunities for more than…

31 Oct

Cognizant deploys 25,000 professionals to accelerate enterprise adoption of OpenAI

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Cognizant has established an OpenAI Frontier Capability Group, bringing together more than 25,000 professionals to help enterprises integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into software development, customer services and business operations. The group will initially focus on AI-native software engineering using Codex, application modernisation and AI-powered customer operations. The initiative aims to help businesses move beyond AI experimentation towards practical deployment across enterprise systems. Cognizant said more than 21,000 associates have earned over 40,000 OpenAI badges by completing technology learning programmes. The company is also applying OpenAI-powered solutions within its own sales and customer success operations before extending tested approaches to clients.…

31 Oct

Hero Moto Corp launches Destini 110 Classique Edition at Rs 76,400

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Hero Moto Corp, the world’s largest manufacturer of motorcycles and scooters, on Friday introduced the Destini 110 Classique Edition, a festive-season special edition featuring neo-retro styling and new dual-tone colour combinations. Priced at Rs 76,400 (ex-showroom, Delhi), the scooter is available across all Hero dealerships. Launched in September 2025, the Destini 110 caters to Indian families seeking comfort, convenience and fuel efficiency. The new edition features Matt Goldfish Silver/Light Industrial Grey with brown inner panels and Matt Aries Brown with black inner panels. Distinctive stripes, coloured mirrors, coordinated panels, branded rim tape and a dedicated 3D Classique Edition emblem differentiate…

31 Oct

V-Guard’s Q2 revenue rises 38.2%, profit after tax jumps 71%

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V-Guard Industries Ltd reported a 38.2% year-on-year increase in consolidated revenue from operations to Rs 1,852.89 crore in the second quarter of FY 2026-27, while profit after tax rose 71% to Rs 111.67 crore for the quarter ended September 30, 2026. The consumer electricals and electronics company had recorded revenue of Rs 1,340.92 crore and profit after tax of Rs 65.29 crore in the corresponding quarter of the previous financial year. For the six months ended September 30, 2026, consolidated revenue grew 30.5% to Rs 3,663.54 crore, compared with Rs 2,807 crore a year earlier. Profit after tax increased 73.9%…

31 Oct

Indian short film Toyaj wins third prize at Tunisia film festival

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India’s short film ‘Toyaj’, directed by Abhijeet Srivastava, has won the third prize in the official short-film competition at the 12th Djerba International Festival of Women and Youth Cinema in Tunisia, marking a significant achievement for Indian cinema on the international stage. Held from October 24 to 27, the four-day festival recognised India as the Guest of Honour, providing an opportunity to showcase the country’s cinematic talent and strengthen cultural ties between India and Tunisia. The Embassy of India in Tunisia announced the achievement on social media platform X, congratulating the director and the film’s team on the award. The…

30 Oct

Jai shankar calls for global unity, says Advaita can help resolve international crises

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External Affairs Minister S. Jai shankar on Monday said the philosophy of Advaita could help address global crises by encouraging nations to abandon zero-sum thinking and embrace collective responsibility, dialogue and diplomacy. Addressing the Chinmaya Amrit Mahotsav Global Sammelan at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on United Nations Day, Jai shankar said the concept of Advaita, or “One Reality”, emphasises humanity’s indivisibility and the need to prioritise shared interests over narrow national perspectives. According to a Ministry of External Affairs statement, he said nations must focus on common goals and unity rather than pursuing victories at the expense of others.…

30 Oct

Akasa Air crosses 200 daily departures, expands Kolkata operations

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Akasa Air, India’s fastest-growing airline, has expanded its network beyond 200 daily departures, increasing flight frequencies and adding new connections across major domestic and international markets. Announcing the expansion on October 23, the airline said it had strengthened connectivity across key economic centres and emerging destinations. Anand Srinivasan, co-founder and chief commercial officer, said the strategy focused on disciplined growth, improved schedules, greater passenger choice and service excellence. In Kolkata, Akasa Air has increased operations to 95 weekly departures, connecting the city non-stop to eight destinations. The airline has also established a crew base in Kolkata to support its expanding…

30 Oct

Jawa Yezdi and BSA expand authorised spare-parts network across India

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Jawa Yezdi and BSA Motorcycles are strengthening their after-sales support by expanding access to genuine spare parts through an authorised distribution network across India, aiming to improve availability and reduce service turnaround times. The initiative will enable customers, workshops and service partners to source genuine components beyond the dealership network. Authorised distribution partners are being established across multiple strategic locations to improve access in urban, semi-urban and emerging markets. The expansion comes as the brands continue to grow their motorcycle portfolio and Nomad Kommuniti, reinforcing their focus on customer feedback, product reliability and a more convenient ownership experience. The availability…

30 Oct

Dibrugarh delivery partner supports 500 flood-hit families through relief initiative

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Bonita Das, an Instamart delivery partner in Dibrugarh, has combined her journey towards financial independence with community service by mobilising relief for flood-affected families in Assam. After completing Class 12, Das joined Instamart when the service launched in Dibrugarh in May 2026. The flexible working hours helped her nearly triple her income, contribute towards building her family's home and save for her dream of opening a bakery specialising in cakes and pastries. Das said previous full-time jobs required eight to nine hours of work without providing sufficient income. Delivery work, she said, allowed her to manage her schedule and family…